The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-12-15
MISFORTUNE IN MISSOURI.


ST. LOUIS, Dec. 7.-The Repubh-
can 5 Carthage, Mo, special says a
severe cyclone passed over that sec
ton on Saturday evening from
southwest to northeast. South OF
Joplin, fences were prostrated and
houses and barns torn down, but
nobody is reported hurt. Ten miles
south of Carthage the residence and
all the outbuildil>gs of William Bay
man were demolished. rs were also
the buildings Of Mr.. Forsythe, near
by, but no lives were lost. -Four
miles to the northwest Of Bay VAN
hu the buildings OF Mr. Quimblv
were all destroyed, and Mr.. Quimbly
was fatally injured.
At Sarcohie the storm ragged with
great fury. A blacksmith shop was
totally destroyed The Masonic hall
WAS twisted oil it, foundation and
ruined. Many other buildings were
badly damaged, and fences and out
buildings carried away. On Refund
Prarie the school-house was carried
away, and every stonein its founda-
ton was carried several rods. The
house of John Mccoy, near by, was
lifted from its foundation. Mr..
Norman's house was blown down
and his two little girls fatally injur-
ed. The timber in the track Of the
storm was all torn up.
The town of Marshfeld, which
was nearly destroyed last summer.
was visited By this storm and great
damage said to have been done.
nearly all the northern part of the
city being blown down again. The
storm was accompanied by thunder
and lightning, the electric shocks
being very violent.
The section of country devastated
in the storm above reported was the
scene in the spring Of this year OF
an even greater calamity. On the
18th Of April that part Of Missouri
was visited by one of the most de
structive cyclones on record. After
passing through several miles OF
country in Christian, Greene and
Webster counties, destroying every
thingin its pathway, leveling houses,
barns, mills and timber, the tornado
struck Marshfield about s o'clock in
the evening. Eye witnesses of the
approaching storm say it was a
| frightful looking black cloud, lined
with fieecy white, funnel-shaped,
and moving in the manner of a
screw propeller 1t moved with
wonderful velocity, literally destroy
| ing and blowing away everything in
It's path, which was about half a
mile wide. Trees were twisted off
telegraph wires snapped, and the
bark was literally peeled from small
trees houses were blown from their
| foundations cattle, horses, sheep,
hogs and poultry were whirled into
the air and carried a great distance.
The noise of the storm and the cries
and screams Of the people, made a
scene of horror that beggars discrip-
ton. What was a beautiful town of
800 inhabitants became in a few
moments a waste of desolation. Out
OF 200 dwellings only twenty-five
were left standing, and few of those
remaining were uninjured. OF bus
mess houses around the public square
all but three were utterly demolish-
ed, and their contents blown away,
burned, or badly damaged. As
rapidly as the bodies of the dead
and wounded could be extricated
from the ruins they were prepared
for interment. The wounded were
conveyed to the only available struct-
ure left standing, the public school
building, which was not badly dam
aged. 1t was turned into Il hospi-
tai, under care of women from Leb-
anon and Springfield. who did all in
their power to alleviate the suffer
ings Of those under their care.
Nearly one hundred persons were
killed or grievously injured by the
tornado. The money loss was esti-
mated at from s350,00O to 100000
Marshtield Is the county seat of
Webster county, ard 216 miles from
st. Louis, situated on n plateau of
the Ozark mountains, but not of
great latitude or particularly expos
cd. Great damage was done bv the
storm elsewhere in Missouri. and
also in Arkansas. Wisconsin and
Illinois. There was loss of lives in
various localities.