Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-23
STORM HAVOC.
People Killed and Injured and
Property Destroyed.

/
The entire country from south Of Vicks-
burg TO point one hundred miles north
Of Cairo, a stretch Of about 500 miles, has
been drenched BY rains and swept by tor,
nadoes during the past three days Night
before last rain and wind damaged
northern Arkansaw and Oregon county
southern Missouri, tearing down telegraph
wires, washing out railway entertainments
and delaying the movements Of railway
trains The whole Of southeast Missouri
has suffered severe losses Mckenzie
creek ovehowed and swept away mum.
Der OF houses, drowning, il is said, two
women and three children, also carrying
awaya number Of live stock. Saline
creek, in Madison county, went over its
banks, and swept away bridges and build
ings. A number Of breaks were made in
the Iron Mountain railway below Iron
ton, and the rain was
the heaviest which has fallen
over that section in years. The
whole Of Southern Illinois and Indiana
was flooded, and streams were carried
over their banks damaging crops in the
lowlands, stopping railway trains and in
undating coal mines At Centralia, ILL.,,
tho streets were turned into creeks, and
cellars Of houses were filed with water.
About Evansville il rained hard all of
yesterday. Over around Batesville, on
White river, in Northwestern Arkansaw,
a cyclone committed great havoc. 1t an
pears to have passed through Fort
Smith, where numerous buildings were
demolished; struck Melbourne, the county
seat of lizard, before dawn of Wednesday
morning, wrecking the Methodist and
Baptist churches, the Courthouse and sew
eTal stores; also Killing the Sheriff, John
NJ llinkle, and injuring several members
of bis family; also killing Mrs. Sheffield,
and almost destroyed La Crosse, a town
five miles north of Mellloin,, where the
academy and the churches are in ruins.
Only six houses and store remain stand
ing. Some seventeen persons, as far as
heard from were killed or injured In that
vicinity, and great distress prevails on ac-
count Of the disaster. In strip Of
country across the Kansas & Memphis
railway, south Of the Missouri line. the
timber " Frustrated, and general ruin
resulted in the track of the storm
Doubtless when the particulars are coll
lected vast amount Traditional damage
will be made public. At Helena, Ark,
on Wednesday night, violent blow
passed from the northwest uprooting
trees, and telling telegraph poles. Al
Coal Hill, North Ark, the wind struck
about 10 clock on Wednesday morning,
blowing a house down and scattering
fences broadcast, while on the mountain
tops near seven or eight houses are re-
ported as destroyed. Fort Smith was
visited about noon Of Wednesday, and
Millers block, the Riverside Hotel and
the cotton COMPRISES suffered serious
damage, while John Ma ,hus, an en-
gineer, was killed by the falling Of a
smoke stack Of furniture factory, and
workman named Dederioh was wounded.
Cotton open in the fields has been par.
tally destroyed In various localities. The
storm appears 10 have moved in strealxs,
and narrow strips Of country in
various parts have been laid
waste. The rain fall over
the entire section mentioned has been I'M
usually heavy, and the country berea-
bouts is thoroughly soaked. When the
full particulars Of the ravages Of the
storm are collected it will foot up an ex-
tensive list Of damages and perhaps
heavy loss Of life. From points so far re.
ported i appears that the tornadoes were
Of short duration, lasting generally from
3 70 10 minutes, but in that brief period
doing immense injury 10 life and prop
erty.