Morning journal and courier., 1880-04-21

| DeSCEsPtAOn OH Lue kOFhhOO- | Ghastly Record of Death and ESuin- | People AyvOEke to Death-Unfcrtunate | Victims of the Flames.
 ST. LOUIS, April 20.-The first dispatch direct from Marshfeld was received late last night by the Globe Democrat, and gives the
 following description of the storm: This town and county were visited by one
 of the most destructive cyclones on record ! last evening. After passing through several ! miles of country in Christian, Green and Webster counties, destroying everything in | it's pathway, levelling houses, barns, mills and timber, it struck this town about 6 o'clock. Eyewitnesses of the pproaching g | storm say it was a frightful looking black cloud, lined with fescy white, funnel-shapsd, and moving in the manner of screw pro peller. It moved with wonderful velocity, literally destroying and blowing away every thing in it's path, whi oh was about half mile wide at this point. Trees were twisted off, telegraph wires snapped and the bark was literally peeled from small trees houses were blown from their foundations; cattle, hogs, sheep, horses and poultry were whirled into the air and carried a great distance. The noise of the storm, the crash of falling houses and the cries and screams of terrified people made scene Of horror that beggars description. What was beautiful peaceful town of eight hundred inhabitants 24 hours ago is now a waste Of desolation. Out of two hundred dwelling houses not more than twenty are left standing, and but few of those remaining are unin njured. Of business houses around tho public square all but three utterly demol- ished and their contents blown away, burned or badly damaged About three o'clock freight train from Springfield brought about three hundred persons with provisions and medicines for the wounded As rapidly as the bodies Of the dead could be extricated from the ruins they were prepared for inter ment.
 The wounded were conveyed to the only available structure left standing, the public school building, which was not badly dam aged. It was turned into hospital and there are nov fifty wounded in the building under the care of the noble women from Lebanon and Springfield, who are doing all in their power to alleviate the sufferings of those der their charge.
 The loss by this terrible calamity is estim- ated at from $35O, GOO to $4OO, ,O0O- Every business house in the place is in ruins and the stocks are all destroyed except two. Of the eight hundred inhabitants of Marshfeld who yesterday had happy and comfortable homes, seven-eighths are without houses, clothing, food or means to procure them The desti-
 
 many bodies are lying in the court house. Of the total number killed, which is not far short of one hundred, not more than dozen have been buried Nothing like complete list of the killed and wounded can bs obtained to- night.
 The news from Marshfeld to-day is very unsatisfactory. It is almost impossible to get telegram through. The wires are kept busy carrying messages from the afflicted people. One of the latest dispatches says the number of deaths resulting from the dreadful calami ty cannot fall short of hundred It is re- ported that two women died of fright, their bodies bearing not the slightest marks of vio lenoe. Several of the houses were turned completely upside down, and in many cases whole families were found beneath the ruins The most horrifying spectacle witnessed by the survivors was the burning to death of number of persons who had been imprisoned in the ruins, but were apparently only slight ly injured. Their screams could be heard from the midst of the blazing imbers, but part ly because of the panic which took possession of the people and partly because of their seem- ing inability to render assistance many were allowed to die in the flames. The remains of victims ara being constantly dug out of the ruins. A large number of the injured are in a critical condition and many will die. The number of persons which the disaster has crippled for life is great. dispatch from Springfield states that assistance is being tended to the Marshfeld sufferers by the peo- pie of the Southwest generally. Provisions, clothing and money are being sent by every means of communication. A subscription of over $2, 200 was taken up to day on Change in this city More will be raised here. Cloth ing, medical stores and other necessary sup plies will also be sent
 The storm extended over 2 very large DOT tion of the State, but the greatest loss of life and destruction of property occurred within a radias of fifty miles of Jefferson City. It is reported that great damage and loss of life oc cured at Russellville, thirty-fiye miles south nothing definite has been received A report from Texas county says that the town of Lick ing WAS very badly torn up, one-half of it be- ing destroyed.