The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-04-27
DESTRUCTIVE STORM.
A Town Demolished in an Instant-Eight
Persons Killed and Fifty Others Injured.
BRowSsvrILE. No, Aprfl 10.

A Town Demolished in an Instant-Eighi
Persons Killed and Fifty Others Injured.
BRowNsvILLE. Mo-, April1a.
About four o. 'clock yesterday afternoon a
slight wind commenced blowing and a show
er of rain fell Almost Immediately the at
fnosphere grew very heavy and n deep,
murAy darkness seemed to envelop every
thing. Two large blush -coIored, angry
looking clouds were seen rising. one in the
south and the other in the southwest. The
clouds were apparently several miles dIs-
tant and seemed to be driving toward each
other at a fearful rate of speed. When
about two miles from town the two
monsters came together with a loud noise,
and then approached with lightning velocity.
Immediately after the clouds joined each
other, loud roaring, similar to the distant
rumble of a locomotive, was heard, and whom
the storm struck the town the roar was al
most deafening, accompanied at intervals by
loud reports similar to the discharge of a
cannon. Before the clouds united it was no
tced that both seemed to be reeling in a very
peculiar manner. but az soon as they came
together they assumed the shape of large in
verted funnel, the mouth hanging close
to the ground and the stem running
high into the air. The center of the fun
mel was dark blue in color, while around the
edges it was a murl1y, yelowish cast. the
flashes of lightning, which rendered the spec
tacle only the more frfghtfuI. The storm
clouds seemed to travel in a zigzag motion.
at the rate of at least hundred miles an
hour, as scarcely five minutes elapsed from
The time the first cloud was seen until the
place was in ruins. On account of the threat
ening appearance of the weather during
the early part of the afternoon but few peo-
pie were on the streets, and scarcely half
dozen persons saw the clouds or had
any intimation of the approach of the
storm until it was upon them. Those
who did see its approach were so thoroughly
frightened by its terrible appearance TINT
they were rooted to the spot on which they
stood, and not more than two made any effort
to seek place of safety. The first place the
cyclone struck was tho two story brick build
ing on the corner of Main and Spring streets,
occupied by Myers & Duensing, dry goods:
Thos. Andrews. clothing; A. Helsea, grocer
les, and A. S. Reinbert, hardware, all OF which
were lifted from their foundations and hnrled
into the middle Of the street. Several persons
in each store were buried in the debris, ahd
three persons killed outright.
From this point it continued northeast, de-
m0lishing number of dwellings on the way to
the brick block on Lexington avenue, known
as NewtOwn here. The work of destruction
was most terrible, both to life and property.
Seven two story brick buildings were totally
destroyed, and three others badly damaged.
The Brownsville Hotel, a large 2-story frame,
was completely carried away and the timbers
scattered for hundreds of yards around. Five
persons are known to have been killed in this
block, and at least twenty-five others more
or less injured The Star mill, half block
northeast, was half destroyed. Persinger &
Beatty and Russell slivery stables were Ieveled
to the earth; stock uninjured. The brickpublic
school building was cut down to the top OF
the first windows. School had been dismissed
about fifteen minutes prior to the storm. The
Christian Church was also entirely demol
fshed. About twenty frame and several brick
dwellings were destroyed. The force of the
wind was so great that the heavy brick build
ings were lifted clear off the foundations and
frame buildings were picked up bodily aud
crushed and twisted into splinters. Sections
OF sidewalk were carried through the air over
one hundred yards. Carpets and furniture in
dwellings were carried entirely out of town
and lodged in the tree-tops and timbers from
the lumber yards scattered all over the coun-
try; several pieces have been picked up over
one mile distant. A horse was picked up and
cqrried about fifty feet and hurled to death
against brick building, and fence rail was
driven entirely through the body of COW.
Following is a correct list of the killed, SO
far as known: Matt. Williams, George Payne
and A L. Scruggs, farmers; w. E. @. White,
City Marshal; James Miller, clerk; Claus
Meyers, dry goods merchant; Dick Ferguson,
Slerk; E. j. Arthur, travelling man from Pitts
burgh, Pa. Seriously wounded: Jesse Jack
sonby, spine injured. Perry Wilson. shoulder
fractured. @. NJ. Kelly, both legs broken;
terribly bruised; condition critical S. Chap
line, right eye terribly hurt and head and
body bruised john Lamkin, serious cut on the
head. A four-year- old child badly bruised.
J. l.. Wilson, blown against a building and
severely cut and bruised. Mr. and Mrs. j. G..
Mailer, Mrs. JEFF Eccles. James Matthews. SER
fous bruises. w. H. Steers, face and head ter
ribly cut w. G. Parsons, injured internally
will die. At least fifty others are slightly in
1ured. The home physicians have been
Heved by others from Sedalia and other ad-
1acent towns, and the wounded have now
been nearly all attended to. A large number
of people are rendered homeless, but the
for them for the present, at least, without as
sistance. Parties who have lost most heaV-
lily declare their intention of rebuilding right
away. The total damage to property can
scarcely be calculated, but will not be less
than Sl50000.
A singular phenomenon of the storm was
that everything in its path was charred and
smelling mud.
The brick dwelling of JEFF Eceles was lifted
from its foundation. The fzmily, including
the baby in cradle in the front room, were
all covered by debris and more less injur-
ed, except the baby, which had not received
The Pacific Railroad ran large excursion
train from Sedalia, donating the gross pro-
ceeds to the sufferers.
After leaving here the storm cloud raised
some distance in the air and began the de-
truction of fences.