Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-09-10
HEAVY TORNADO.
The Town of Washington Court House,
Ohio, Blown to Smlthereeas - Five
Persons Killed and Fifty Injured.

CLEVELAND, O., Sept. 8.
Leader special from Springfield says
that terrible cyclone struck Washington
Court House. city OF 1000 inhabitants, %
miles west of here, at s o'clock Tuesda,
evening, and almost literally swept it from
the earth. 1t came from the Northwest and
broke upon the town very suddenly, carrying
everything before it. The tornado whirled
up Court street the main business thorough
fare, and ruined almost every business block
on it, at least forty or fifty in all. Hardly
private residence In town escaped, fully four
hundred buildings going down. The Bap-
tist, the Presb, terian and Catholic churches
all suffered the common fate, the Ohio
Southern. the Pan Handle. Narrow Gauge
and Midland depots were blown to
smithereens. and every building in the vicin-
ity WAS carried away, making ingress or
egress almost impossible. As every wire
within the circuit of the town is down, it is
impossible at this writing to get accurate de-
| tails OF the catastrophe. The only reports
! that can be gotten are through an operator
who tapped a wire two miles west of the
town and is sitting in heavy rain storm to
work his instruments. The panic stricken
people were taken completely unawares and
fed from the tumbing buildings in every
direction through the murky darkness. A
tbnu stcucu W scLc tuciu duu tucy
hurried hither and tsitber in their wild dis
traction, little knowing where they were
| fleeing.
After the whirlwind, which lasted about
ten minutes, heavy rainfall set in which
continued unabated during the night As
soon as few of the cooler heads recovered
| their senses, searching parties were formed
and the sad work of looking for the dead be-
gun. SO far fifteen dead bodies have been
recovered from the debris of the various
ruined buildings, and the dreary work is Just
beginning to get under way. 1t is probable
as many more will be found. The glimmer
of lanterns. procured from farm houses in
the vicinity and from the few houses left
standing, was the only light they had to work
by Two or three bodies were stumbled up
on in the middle of the street where they
were stricken down by the flying bricks or
timbers. Cellers of houses and every sort Of
refuge were filled with shivering people
budding together in the vain attempt to
keep warm. One baby in arms has died from
exposure.
! A special from Washington Court House
says: MRS. Mollie Jones. Edith Floyd, Ella
| Forsha Jennie Forsha and Flora Carr were
killed, and Herbert Iaggart, James Jackson.
and John c. Van Pell are supposed to be
fatally injured. Fully 800 persons were hurt.
The loss will exceed 81 900 900
WASHINGTON CoURr House, Sept. 9.
The tornado of last evening almost COM
| petely demolished this place, not a single
store facing Central square out of 40 is left
intact and the majority are leveled to the
ground. About 200 residences are destroyed
and the streets are so filled with debris, it is
almost impossible to pass through them.
Sheriff Rankin ordered out the militia which
took charge and helped to get order out of
chaos. All the gas lights in the city went
out when the storm came up and as the gas
works were destroyed bonfires had to be
built in the streets to give light to the search
ers. The total number of dead. as far as
known, is five, and injured abou; fifty. The
manager of the telephone exchange was
hurled across the street and had one arm, one
leg and collar bone broken. Some houses were
lifted up and carried bodily several hundred
feet and then dashed to the ground with ter
rife force, and The shattered fragments were
then whirled in some instances quarter of
mile A relief committee is at work, and
all the houses not destroyed are thrown open
| to the homeless. Farmers are coming in by
dozens bringing food and bedding. Every
hotel, bank, church and business house in
town is ruined and the utmost desolation
prevails. Persons coming in report findin g
debris 10 miles from town.