Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-20
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE
And Immense Destruction Of Property
by an Electric Storm OF Impair
alIeled Severity.
Blocks of Brick Buildings Crushed TO
Atoms and Frame Houses Torn
to Splinters.

moments before the storm struck the atmos-
phere grew suddenly close and heavy and
darkness almost like night ensued. A few mo-
msnts after terrible roaring noise was
heard and the next instant a high, black,
angry fuHnel-shaped cloud was seen coming
from the southwest a: almost lightning
speed. The large part of the funnel was
downward, and it seemed to be Whirling in
a rotary motion and bounded along close to
the earth like a rubber ball. When the
funnel reached the southwestern portion of
the town it seemed to roll along within a
few feet of the ground, aad the houses were
RAISED CLEAR OFF THEIR FOUNDATIONS,
torn to atoms and the pieces hurled in every
direction. Trees were uProoted snd twisted
off close to the ground, and animals and
persons were picked up and carried for
yards through the air, then dropped bruised
and bleeding to the ground. The track of
the cyclone was about $50 yards wide and
extended from the southwestern to the north
eastern limits OF the town, totally destroying
over twenty OF the principal business houses
and dwellings. Two large business blocks of
two-story buildings in the northern part OF
the town were torn completely 10 atoms and
the debris scattered in every direction. Frame
dwellings were drawn into the vortex and
CRUSHED LIKE EGGsHELLs,
of yards. Among the stores destroyed were
c. NJ. Kelly's drug store, w. d. Rnmbert,
hardware; B. w. Robinson, dry goods; G..
Walters, confectioner; also the Central Hotel,
railroad depot and telegraph office, and most
OF the b'st business buildings in the town.
Telegraphic communication is cut of, and it
is very difficult to obtain information. The
Missouri Pacific railroad sent special relief
train from Ssdalia late last night, and sew
eral doctors went to
THE SCENE OF THE TERRIBLE CALAMITY
tie render aid to the sufferers. Besides those
reported killed last night, james Jackson
had his back broken, and will die; c. NJ.
Kelly, leg broken; Perry Wilson, leg broken !;
Dick Hickman, w. ii. STEERS and Schoelin
Chapman, severely bruised. Brownsville is
the oldest town in Saline county, situated on
the Missouri Pacific railroad, twenty-five
miles from Sedslia, and not far from Sweet
Springs. The hotel at the latter place was
not harmed.
Later.-A Post Dispatch special says: "At
Montrose, Henry county, last night the
storm entirely demolished the Baptist and
Christian churches ard did more or less
damage TO several other buildings. The
Farmers Institute school building was struck
by the cyclone. Thirty-five children were
in the building, and the wind carried the
structure entirely away, strewing debris over
the prairie for mile, and children were in
some instances carried long distance, a
number OF them getting seriously hurt. The
damage will be nearly $50, 900. At Calhoun,
Henry county, pottery building was
blown in and large amount OF stock
damaged"
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
The Repubtican's correspondent, writing
from Brownsville, the Inflated town which
was nearly destroyed yesterday afternoon by
a cyclone, gives further particulars of the
sion has reigned all day. The town was
crowded with people from the surrounding
country, who focked in to see the
devastation wrought by the cruel
wind. The Work of clearing away the
debris was commenced after the storm had
passed and has been kept up necessarily
ever since, but it will require several days
to thoroughly overhaul the ruins. Two
more dead bodies have been exhumed, and
it is thought there are still a woman and
child beneath the ruins. +. G. Biggerstoff
was on the street when the two storm clouds
united and made their terrible rush
for the town. He stood directly in
line OF the f1nnel-shaPed cloud, and thinking
to get out OF its way be started TO run, but
had not proceeded dozen yards when he
was enveloped, drawn up several feet above
the ground and hurled against a
brick building, but escaped without
even bruise. He says that while
he was up in the air, and within the
whirlirg vortex OF the cloud, he heard terri
BILE crashing sounds, and could see myriads
of sparks flying around, evidently electrical
The storm did not last more than a minute,
and when it passed, all that part of the town
which it touched was a waste.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
CHICAGO, April 19.-Adyices received here
the cyclone which visited Browns
vile, Mo-, yesterday say that the storm
minutes afterward a most fearful scene Of
death and destruction was visible on every
side. Large two-story brick business houses
were lifted from their foundations and the
ruins scattered in chaotic confusion in all
directions. Frame dwellings, were over
turned ard crushed into splinters, while
large trees were uprooted and carried long
distances by the force of the storm. Hogs
and other animals were picked up, carried
various distances and dropped lifeless along
the track of the storm. TIE frs; intimation
the people had OF
THE TERRIBLE DISASTER
was the appearance of low,
blush funnel-shaped cloud rising
in the southwest, which seemed 10 be whirl-
ing and rolling in all directions, assuming
every conceivable form and travelling at
most fearful rate of speed directly towsrI
the town. People became intensely excited
and many sought safety in cellars, but the
storm came with such velocity that no time
was given the people to seek places of safety.
Just before the iuDnel struck the town loud
roaring noise was heard, which was followed
by several
LOUD ELECTRICAL EXPLOSIONS.
At the southwestern limits OF the town the
fnnnel seemed 10 strike the ground and re-
bound few feet into the air, and kept in
close proximity 10 the earth during its en-
tire passage through the town. 1t seemed to
move in rapid rotary manner, and every
thing it came in contact with was drawn up
into its mouth only TO be dropped again a
few seconds later twisted and crushed out OF
all shape. Fifteen brick and two frame
houses, fifteen or twenty dwellings, the Mis-
souri, Pacific depot and the telegraph
office were entirely destroyed and numerous
badly damaged.
THE SEVEN PERSONS KILLED
we're p. Scruggs, prominent farmer; c.
Mayer, leading dry goods merchant; Ar
thur and Williams, two travelling men whose
residences are not known; J. P. Payne, Bap-
list minister; james Miller, a wellknown
young man; City Marshal White. Perry
and Jehu Wilson, father and son, were
fatally injured. The names of others
wounded are not obtainable. All, except
City Marshal White, were killed by falling
buildings; he was upon the street, and was
The most mutilated and disfgured OF any.
II is supposed that he was drawn into the
tunnel among the flying timbers, which
oecasioned the mutilation. The ground over
which
THE STORM PASSED WAS WORN SMOOTH,
and everything the cyclone came in contact
With was charred and blackened and covered
With blush sticky mud. Large deposits
If sand and gravel were also noticed scattered
along the path of the storm. The track was
n the neig hborhood of 200 yards wide, and
was EigEsg upon both sides. 1t swept
through the center of the town from south
west 10 northeast, and after leaving the city
limits
THE CLOUD RAISED HIGHER IN THE AIR
and continued on in a nortbeasterly direc-
storm which could be heard some time
after it had passed. 1t struck in
.he neighborhood Of Marshall, Saline
but no material damage has
been reported. The telegraph lines are all
down east and south of Brownsville, and
only one railroad wire is working west, So it
Is impossible TO get full details tonight.
Al MontrOse, NE.
SEDALIA, April 19.-Reports reached here
tonight to the effect that tornado struck
Montrose at $50 pm. yesterday, destroying
eighteen dwellings and four churches; no
lives Lost A schoolhouse four miles east of
Montrose was blown down, and all the in
mates we're more or less injured, two little