Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-04-27
A TERRIFIC TORNADO.
Brownsville, Missouri and Other Scr
tiOns or That state Visited by = Cy-
clone. Many Human Lives Lost and
Hundreds wounded,

Hundreds Wounded.
The following from Independence,
Missouri, gives the particulars Of the
storm:
A few minutes before 4 o'clock a
strong wind commenced blowing and a
slight shower Of rain fell. Almost i'm
mediately after the rain began falling,
the atmosphere grew heavy and dark
and clouds of a deep murky darkness
seemed to envelope the earth. Shortly
afterward there could be noticed two
large blueish-colored clouds rising one
in the south and one in the southwest.
The clouds were apparently several
miles distant, and seemed TO be driving
forward each other at a fearful rate of
speed. When about two miles from
the city the two clouds came together
with loud noise and then descended
WITH LIGHTING VELOCITY
directly upon the fated town. Immedi-
ately after the two clouds joined each
other loud rumbling similar to the
jumbling of distant locomotive was
heard which increased in volume as it
approached, and when the storm struck
the town the roar was deafeninp at
short intervals by loud numbering re-
ports similar to the discharge Of can
non. AS soon as the two clouds uni
ted they assumed the shape OF an
inverted tunnel, the mouth close to the
ground twisting and wrenching into
shapeless ruins everything in its path
and the stem extended high into the
air.
The tornado seems to have first
struck terra tirma near Brownsville,
and from there passed in northeast
erly direction through Saline County.
Within live minutes after striking the
town over fifty buildings
WERE COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED.
The scene to-day, where yesterday
stood one of the most beautiful and
hourishing towns of Western Missouri,
Is described as heart-rending. On the
site of their most stately business and
public buildings nothing remains but
confused mass of unsightly ruins. The
streets this morning were blocked with
an immense concourse of excited peo-
pie from all parts of Saline and adjac-
ent counties, who fiocked to the scene
of the disaster as soon as the report
was circulated. Since last night two
more dead bodies have been exhumed,
making in all nine persons known to
have persisted, and it is thought that
at least two more are dead. The bod
still remain in the ruins.
The work of clearing away the debris
and overhauling the confused mass of
ruins was commenced as soon as the
storm passed over, and has been kept
up necessarily ever since. 1t will prob
ably require several days to arrive at
any definite estimate Of the loss of prop
erty.
Up to 4:3O the body of M. Z. White,
who was missing, had not been found.
The last seen of him alive he was stand
ing in Kelly's drug store, and is sup
posed to be buried in the ruins. TWEEN
ty-elght brick business buildings were
demolished. The section
house, which was about 100 yards from
the depot, was blown across the track
and riddled to atoms. Mrs. Jno. Hal
pin and six children were occupants of
the structure at the time, and were
carried with it and suffered injury more
or less. Mrs. Halpin's right arm was
broken, scalp lacerated in several plac-
es, and shoulder dislocated. Anumber
of farmhouses in the vicinity of Browns
vile are reported to have peep blown
down. The total number OF persons
wounded and injured foots up over ] SO.
The City Hotel block is a complete
wreck, nothing being left but pile of
bricks, mortar and debris. The body
Of a farmer named Matt Williams was
taken from the ruins at 1:30. His
HEAD WAS MASHED.
At Mentrose, Henry county, last night,
the storm entirely demolished the Bap-
fist and Christian churches, and did
more or less damage to twenty other
buildings. The Farmers Institute
School building was struck by the cy-
clone, with thirty-tive children in the
and the structure was carried
entirely away, strewing the debris over
the prairie for a mile. Children ia
some Instances were carried long dis
lance and number of them seriously
hurt. The damages will be nearly
$4,000.
At Calhoun, Henry county, the pot
terry building was blown in and large
of stock damaged.
People from Saline county, just in,
say the destruction at Brownsville will
sum up over $4,000. The destruc-
ion of country property is not great,
out Is extensive.
THE LOSS.
About twenty frame and several brick
dwellings, were DESTROYED. The aggre-
gate loss is at least $3.50 600. The force
IF the wind was so great that heavy
prick buildings were lifted clear Of the
foundations and frame buildings were
picked up bodily and crushed and
visited into splinters. Sections of side
walk were carried through the air over
1ne hundred yards.
THE INJURED.
Among those mosl seriously injured |
are Jesse jackson, spine injured Perry
Wilson, shoulder fractured and leg
l ~ q II.