New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-20
FIERCE STORM I'M THE WEsT!
A TOWN UTTERLY DESTROYED,

FIERCE STORM IN THE WEST.
A TOWN UTTERLY DESTROYED.
NARsHFIELD MO-. SWEPT By THE HURRICANE Ann.
TIE EFLAMEs--SEvENrY-FfvEPER PERSONS RErOnT3D
KILxD-HEARTsESDSsa SCENES.
CHICAGO, April ia special dispatch 10 n,
Nescs says; :" The town OF Marshfeld. Ma. waS
totally destroyed by storm and hre Sevsnty-fys
persons were killed and 200 werS wounded, Tho
telegraph wires are all down.
SOME DETAILS OF fHH DISASTER.
ST.. LOUIS. April 19.-From passeugem who
passed through Marsb6eld on the st. Louis and Ban
Francisco Railroad at $50 o'clock last night few
facts concerning terrible dsaster are gieHnsd. A.
man who came 70 the depot at the edge Of the town
while the train was there reported that at $50
o'clock furious hurricane struck the place, and
leveed all that part of the town lyiag west Of the
centre square fat to the ground. The debris imme-
datels took fro in several places and flames oo1ld
be seen at some haf-dozen points by passengers on
the train.
Forty dead bodies had been taken out. and msny
more were supposed to be buried In the ruins or
burned up. There were also many living still bur-
led in the debris Of the fallen buildings All the
physicians of the town'were killed except two. and
there was great need of doctors to attend tho
wounded, Of whom it was said there were soma 200.
A relief train with twenty physicians and nurses,
and full supplies left Springfield. No.. this morn
ing for MsnsAed and probably other trains win ar
rive during the day.
The storm was general In The southeasterly por--
tion Of Missouri. and other places probably suffered
damage, but az the telegraph wires are ell pros
trated particulars have been received. Violent
hail and rain accompanied the wind.
VIOLENCE OF TIE STORM. ~
The train dispatcher at Conway, fourteen miles;
this side of Marsb6ed reports that be arrived thsre
from Springfield at II O'Clock, and says he found
the country in terrible condition from N0rthview.
miles west Of Marshield, to tho latter point
Trees three feet in diameter torn entirely out
Of the ground telegraph poles were twisted of, and
everything was wrecked. The town of MarshAeld
was demolished, brick as we'll as frame buildings.
being torn down. <
"Wo did not see," he said, ''more than half 0.
dozen people as we came through that town. The
place seemed deserted. The doctors and nurses who
came ON our train from Springfield; aboat twenty
in number went from the station alone to hunt up
the people, there being no one to receive them!n
relief train was sent from Lebanon to Marsh
field at daylight this morning with abopt fifty doc
tors, nurses and helpers. and full supply Of pro-
visions. clothing and medical stores, also material
for repairing the telegraph line. The wires are
blown down at different points between Springfield
and Conway, perhaps ten miles altogether new
Catholic Church at Cuba, ninety miles from here
was blown down. No damage was done the rail-
road except the destruction Of one small station
house. The names of the killed and wounded of
Marshfcld have not yet been received. Tele-
graphic communication is being restored at this
writing.
SCENE OF pEvAsTAT1oS.
A special dispatch to The Post -DispatcA from Leb-
anon saysi The tornado which caused such
frigbtful havoc at Marsheld last night passed en-
tirey through Green and Webster Counties. follow
ing the course of the James River in northeastery
direction. It struck the st. Louis and San Fran
cisco Railroad in four places and left Il Franks
Station, 10 miles this side of Marsbfeld.
MarshAeld presents terrible scene of destruc-
tiou less than dozen houses In the town having es
capped unharmed The Court House and many other
buildings took fire. At one house two children were.
found dead and another badly mangled, but still
alive. The parents could not be found. In another
case woman was lost entirely. She seems to have
been bodily carried away. The force Of the wind
stripped the bark from trees and lifted others en-
tirely out Of the ground Telegraph poles and wire
were carried hundreds of rods into the woods and
tied and knotted among the limbs OF trees as
though they were cotton strings.
Everything possible is being done to assist and
succOr the wounded, not only at Marshfeld, but at
other places. Physicians throughout the country
they can to alleviate the suffering. Doctors went
from Springfield to the James River country, six
miles south, we'll as to Marshfeld. and scores OF
Captain Rogers, general manager Of the st. Louis
and San Francisco Railroad, fs sending special
trains with relief wherever any good can be done,
and all are doing everything possible to AID the IN.
LATER.-felegraphic communication with Mans.
field has been restored. There were 7S killed and
So wounded. Only IA houses were left standing.