Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-04-30
A Tornado,s Awful Rarages.


At six O'Clock m the evening terrible tor
nado passed six miles south OF Springfield,
Mo, moving in a northeasterly direction and
following near the same course left the valley
oi the James river passed through Green and
Webster counties, striking the ST. Louis and
San francisco railroad AT Northview, n small
town six miles west Of Marshfeld, following
the road for four miles, and leaving the road
at curve struck il again two miles further
east, and near the town OF Marshfiel1. II then
passed over the town AMI struck Il Q road ten
miles further east, at which point it was
greatly diminished in force, but was still Of
sufficient violence to turn over trees, wreck
telegraph lines and seriously damage any
property in its path. At eight O'Clock P. NJ
Il again struck the road ITO miles east OF
Springfield, near Franks Station, on the Gas
conade river, blowing down the section fore
man s house and severely bruising his child.
At Springfield, at twelve o'clock, the ply
scians were all called to 60 to the suffering
people south of that place. The messenger
reportt a violent tornado and twenty per-
sons known to be killed and many wounded.
On the return OF the parties from there at day
light there were reported fifty persons dead
and many wounded. At two o'clock train
sent out from Springfield to repair tho tele-
graph line returned TO that place with call
from Marshfeld Tor help. Ply s.cians, medi-
cine and nurses we're wanted to take care OF
the wounded people. The report at that
time was that not less than 100 persons were
killed and 200 wounded. The call was
promptly delivered to prominent citizens OF
the place, and at five O'Clock in the morning
u special train with a car full OF physicians and
nurses lett Springfield for the scene of the dis
aster. They reached Marshfeld, having
large supply OF medicines and other necessary
articles tor treating the wounded.
The town presented a terrible appearance
there being not more than twelve or fifteen
houses in the place that were not damaged OF
totally destroyed. The cou t-house and many
other buildings took Il Q, and the hor or oil a
conhagraton was added TO the already dis
aslrous effects OF a tornado. One case oil a
house being visited in search OF victims result
ed in the finding OF two children killed out
right, and one other lying with a leg under
The fallen timbers and shattered so as to
II quire amputation. The elder members
his family were nowhere to be found. In
another case a woman was lost, and no trace
could be found OF her at all. These are only
two of a great many instances similar in
character.
Everything was ne by the people Of
neighboring towns to help the distressed peo-
pie. Fifty nurses and physicians went from
Lebanon, Mo-, taking with them provisions
clothing aud medicines.
&. ID. Mulligan, passenger from Spring,
field said: At about six o'clock the storm
struck Springfield, where live, and which i
twenty-four miles southwest Oh Marshfeld
There was high but not dangerous wind
but one of the most violent haistoIms fell that
was ever experienced in that section. 1t was
actually blindinL in its force, and was still
raging when our train lett Sprins field at half
| past seven. We arrived at Marshfield al
| thirty-seven minutes past eight, and thel
learned what terrible thing had happened
| The rain was falling fast and the wind was
blowing fiercely. Two men were at the dc
| pot; one Of them was bareheadea and the fact
| OF the other was covered with blood. They
came on the train, and the one with the bare
head said: " For Gods sake is there docto
on board? Our town has been blown dov
| by the tornado and is on fire. More tnal
seventy-five OF our citizens have been killeC
and over two hundred wounded We havt
but two doctors who are able to do anything
| We must have help, for the wounded are dying
and the living are impris ned in the burnin.
| buildings. Can some OF you help us |" 1ht
man was terribly excited, and his feeling com
municated itself to all on the train. From
the cars we >ould see that the entire west sid,
of the town was on fl e, and the flames were
fairly leaping before the gale. The man will
the bloody face told us that the coult -houst
had fallen and was burning, and that every
business house inlthe town was Frustrated.
Marshfield is the county seat OF Web5e
county, and is situated on the St. Louis ant
san Francisco railroad, 2l7 miles distant from
ST. Louis. 1t is the oldestplace in the county
having been settled in 1880. Its population i
between 1900 and 1000. The number OF per
sons killed in Marshfield and vicinity wa
given, the day after the disaster, as over 100
while the injured numbered twice as many.
At other points i'll the surrounding countr,
| the ravages OF the tornado were disastrous I,
| property, although not attended with sucl
fearful loss OF lite as at Marshfeld. In Davi
county, Iowa, there were two tornadoes il
succession. One passed through the town O
Stiles, unrooang houses and barns, destroying
outbuildings, and prostrating fences an,
orchards in its track IT left a path of destruc
ton about twenty miles long and varying iron
| fifty to three hundred yards wide, and was &c
| companied by terrific thunder and Lightning
heavy hail and great foods OF rain. The othe
passed four miles north OF Bloomfield, and it
track was marked with the same scenes @
| destruction.
The storm was in the form OF a violent tor
nado, leaving in its path complete wreck O
al buildings. Where there was timber it lev
eled everything to the ground. The larges
trees were torn out by their roots and Stripe,
of limbs and bark, and atterward shivered in
to splinters by the violence OF the wird
Trees three feet in diameter were torn en-
tirely out of the ground. The force OF tn
wind stripped the bark from the trees. Tele
| graph poles and wires were carried hundred
OF DDS into the woods, and tied and knotte
among the limbs of trees as though they wer
cotton strings. Leaves and sticks were car
ried by the wind for miles, and ut Springfield
fell continually, like rain, for an hour ate
the storm had passed. AS one instance,
piece OF wood weighing thirty two pounds wa
carried several miles, falling near the town o
Aurora, in Lawrence county, Mo. The hail
storm was very disastrous to fruit and glass
much of the hail being so large as o last fou
hours before melting and measuring from sil
to eight inches in circumference.