The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-09-10
The disastrous Cyclone.

/ CISCISNAII, september D. w sA71AA.16
ton Court House, the scene OF the most
disastrous visitations by the elements
last night, is the county seat of Fayette
County, 1t has had most extraordi-
nary business growth within the past
fifteen years, and being the centre OF a
rich agricultural district, with excellent
railroad facilities, it had grown to be q
business place OF considerable import
ance. To-day this prosperous town is
q. mass of ruins. Last nights expert
ence of its inhabitants has no parallel
in the experience of any town in
Ohio. A heavy rainfall began
about s o'clock last night.
! That and darkness drove everybody
! into shelter, so that while there are
some who say they saw funnel-shaped
clouds, ii does not seem possible that
there could have been much observa
ton of the heavens. Shortly after the
rain began, the wind came with terrify-
! ing sounds. ITS work was almost in
| stantaneous. People say it was over
in two minutes, but nobody could take
note of the time in such a fearful ex-
perience. The fierce roaring of the
terrible tornado, the crashing of
broken and falling buildings, the sharp
flashes of lightning, the rolling thunder
and pitiless rain, combined to pro-
duce sensations of the most horrify-
| ing character. This startling experience
was followed by a new feeling among
the scattered and terrified survivors,
more sickening than that through which
they had passed. 1t was the uncer-
tainty of the fate of friends and reia-
tives. All who escaped alive feel sure
that many lives we're certainly lost.
| When the fierceness of the storm had
passed and men could communicate
with each other, it was found that all
were in darkness. The gasworks were
destroyed, and all the street lights were
out. Only by thelightning flashes were
the frightened people enabled to catch
glimpses of the desolation that had
wrecked their little city. Friends called
| for friends, and as the answers came the
first shock of dread was relieved.
The number of deaths was miracu-
I, lousy small. The next duty was
to search for the imprisoned and
wounded. In this there was prompt
and whole hearted effort. Bonfires
were lighted and torches improvised,
and wherever cries were heard ready
aid was given. More than that, the
debris was overturned to see if any
more dead could be found. With a
cheerful welcome the doors of such as
were not destroyed were opened for the
houSeless ones driven into rain. In
many cases they were utterly bereft of
all their household goods. The night
was 4 fearful one, but it was full OF help
ing work for the stronger. The sheriff
called upon the militia to set guard
over the exposed stocks of all the bust
ness houses, for they were all broken
or destroyed; and prowling thieves
were not wanting, even IN the first
I hour OF the city's misfortune. OF course.
their number grew to-day. when crowds
Cs visitors poured in. With daylight
came the most dIsheartening spectacle.
The fair town of yesterday lay torn and
wrecked in disordered heaps. The
streets, well nigh impossible from trees
and parts OF houses cast into them. The
worst of all was the sight of the poor,
who had Jest all and who had no place
to lay their heads. They wandered
hopeIessly about, as if they were
strangers. Of course, people whose
houses were not ruined, began at once
to care for their unfortunate fellow
sufferers, but the farmers soon began to
pour into town, drawn by curiosity,
but at the same time bringing
with them substantial aid for
the destitute. Before the day ended
the Council had taken formal action by
organizing a relief committee, and by
night mnch can be done toward pre-
venting actual privation. The great
wonder is that more lives were not lost.
In Odd Fellows Hall, the members
were gathered at n Getting in the Sec
ond story when the storm came. The
building was literally blown down, yet
not one was injured. Thirty-one went
down with the ruins and escaped, while
nine clung to the walls of an adjoining
block and were rescued by ladders.
A Commercial Gazette's special says ::
The people wece not frightened until
| they heard the rattle of
signs threshing in the terrific storm. It
kept getting worse and worse, until the
largest and most substantial brick and
stone structures of the city heaved TO
and fro at the mercy of the steadily in
creaslng gale. Bricks and beams, roofs,
fences and almost every conceivable
thing that could possibly be wrenched
loose, flew through the air, scattering
death and destruction everywhere. For
eight long minutes the disastrous work
went on. The Music Hall was
filled with people attending Sal
vatIOn Army meeting. and as
portion of the roof and ceiling fell in, a
disastrous panic and stampede was pre-
vented with the greatest difficulty.
The list of killed has already been
sent and no others have been found.
| Among the seriously wounded are Mrs.
w. 2. Irving, badly injured: B. Hess.
wounded on the head Milton Hyer,
back injured; James Snapp, struck by
a falling telegraph pole; Mrs. w.
1 Thorp, blown across the street and
badly injured; Lulie Clifton, lower por-
| ton OF body crushed +; Herbert Taggart.
badly crushed; Charles Mercer, badly
injured; Mrs. James Bench and Miss
Sheets.
+ Following is q list of the losses
There was no insurance against this
sort of damage. Clogston & Beaver
$1,000, George Melvin $500, Rev
erend Norman Jones 81, GOO. Melvin,
Coffman & Hadley $1,000, the Court
Hoase $500, C. Burnett d Co. $1,000
NJ. Payey $1,000, Arlington House
1880, H. Hail estate 81 600, II. Held
brand $1,O0e, Willett $500, DR.. Rush
81 900, Garainger & Ird 81 900, James
Walton 5000. D. Kennel $500
Masonic Hall $4,000, Rice 81 900, Music
Hall 81, 900, Hon. Mills Gardner $40, COZ
B. Kelly 5000. Stimson Bros. q Co
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