The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-09-10
A TOWN TORN TO TATTERS
AND SCORES OF PEOPLE PERISH
The Horrors of Cyclone in oAis.
Washington Court House Swept
Away-A Night of Death and
Destruction from Wind ard
water-The Victims.

Destruction from Wind ard
water-The Victims.
CLEVELAND, Sept. "a Leader
special from Springfield, Ohio, dated
last night, says: A terrible cyclone
struck Washington Court House, a
city of 1900 inhabitants, % miles east
OF here, at sp. M, and almost literally
swept it from tho oarth. II came from
the northwest and broke upon the
town at midnight,carrying everything
bsfore it, The tornado whirled up
Court street. the main business thor
oughfare, and ruined almost every
business block on 1t, u. least
40 or 20 in all. Hardly q private
residence in town oscsped, fully
400 dwellings going down. The Bap-
tist, the Presbyterian and the Cstho-
lic churches all suffered a common
fate. The Ohio Southern, the Pam
handle, the Narrow-gsuge and the
Midland railroad depots were blown
to smithereens and every building in
the vicinity was carried away, making
ingress and egress almost impossible.
Asevery wire within circle OF two
miles Is down, it Is utterly impossible
to get accurate details OF tho catastro.
pne. Tho only reports that can be got.
ten arc through an operator who tapped
wire two miles west of town, and Is
sitting in heavy storm to work his
instrument. The panic-stricken pee
pie were taken completely unawares,
and fled from the tumpling buildings
in every direction through the murky
darkness. A mad frenzy seemed to
seize them, and they hurried hither
and thither in their distraction, little
knowing where they were fleeing.
After the whirlwind, which lasted
about 10 minutes, heavy rainfall set
in. which continues unabated ut this
writing.
LOOKING FOR THE DEAD.
Al soon ~ u fow of tho cooler heads
recovered their senses, searching par
ties were organized and tho sad work
Of looking for the dead began. So far
10 bodies have been recovered from
the debris of the various ruined build.
ings and the dreary work is just be-
ginning to got under way. Probably
~ many more will be found. The
gimmer Of tho lanterns procured from
the farm houses in the vicinity and
from the few houses loft standing is
the only light they have TO work by.
Two or thres bodies have
been stumbled upon Ia the
middle of the street where
they were stricken down by flying
bricks or tlmbers. Cellars e houses
and every sort of refuge Vore filled
with shivering people hutdling to.
gethor in a vain attempt to keep warm.
One babe in arms had died from OK
posure. The morning trains will carry
plenty of assistance, hut, strange 10
say, nobody has yet though Of send
ing special train to the scene of the
catastrophe to night.
WIDESPREAD wREcKAaE.
CINCINNATI, Sept. a.-Ropcrts
from various parts in Ohio
and Indiana shew that Yesterdays
storm which dovasted Washington
Court house was widosproad. In
Miami county, Ohio, its course was
due east.
At Colesviile, In that county, two
barns were blown down and tho
dwelling OF Mr.. Wiutersteer was car.
ried ground and one sIde and
end blown away. Three membeys of
the family are seriously hurt.
On tho other ado OF tho Miami river
q grain house was blown away, and
Berry Ramsey's franc house was
blown from its foundation and
wrecked.
The path of tho storm wad 10 rods TO
a half m!ls wide.
AT Cambridge City, Indiana, W.
Shsnk's house was blown down and
Mrs. Shanks injured.
At Dublin, several houses were
wrecked.
At Seymour, Indiana, and at Napo-
leon, Ohio, much damage Is reported,
but no lives lost.
THE KILLED AND INJURED.
The Tinies-Star Was shington Coprt
House special says: Mrs. Matte Jones,
Edith Floyd, Ella Forsha, Jennie For
sha and Flora Carr were killed. Her
bert Taggert, James Jackson and
John q. Nanpelt are supposed TO be
fatally wounded Among tho killed
was little girl named Shackloiord,
aged 10 years. Among those seriously
injured are Judge Ana Gregg, w. w.
Sharp, Bowman Hess, Milton Aver,
Hugh Forsha, IL. II. Wholply.
The list of tho slightly injured is
very large. Fully 800 people were
hurs--too many TO mako 1t practicable |
TO give names. Tho loss will exceed |
VI, 100000. The city council has ap-
pointed relief committee and tie |
militia arc guarding tho stores, whose
contents are all exposed.
FROM THE SCENE DIRECT.
NAsulNuroN, u, sept. 0.-The cy- |
clono which camo upon this town last |
evening a 8 O'clock almost COM
plotoly demolished It., Not a single |
store facing tho central square out of |
40 IL loft In tho track, and majority |
OF them aro lovelcd. About 2oJ rosi-
donoes are destroyed and the
street 30 filed with debris |
that IL is almost impnsBiblo 10
pass. Sheriff Rankin ordered out the |
militia, which took charge, aud helped |
to Rot order out of chaos. An tho gas
went out when tho storm csme, aud az
tho works were destroyed, boniires
nau 20 puut IN the streets 70 give light
for tho soarchers. The total known 10
be dend ls 10, and about 80 arc injured.
One OF The latter was tho manager OF
me Telephone exchange, who was
hurled across the street and had one
arm and ono leg and his collar bone
broken.
Some house wore iiffo, N, md car.