The Meeker herald., 1888-03-03
4 rn.nna. NI.I,.tiilnel..

ON tie afternoon uf the 10Th uli a
tornado struck lie town 81 Mount N'r-
non. Illinois. aud ltfl i, iu ruins. tili.us
about ihly,Y.ilyo people, while twir"
IpBt.-is,a.E.aa ..-i.i --s = -
ia,a'ly. tbs storm lasisii hut tHn m!u
utcs. Fnd nli"r three hundred hHi'd.nrs
brick ls wrIl lg frame. hai brn slH;
teryI. the nnmCa got .u ;heis WORK. TbF
massive court huulr, which Cccup.gi
thr public sluIpf, Vs. literally trm "a
pieces, a5 were other prominent build
ing which happened o. hr .u Ilc path
0g tbr storm. Tho ulmrs ui tlips Killed
are: David lyHfHuHl, NU4 j IS.
Waters aud late. j. e. Nauly Ma,
Hgael Dewey, Mary ~, ilglIS. Henry
Waters, jane l.u-1g. CaIfir Conn
mings. Nr. Calvin CrWrf. George
P.'r1u aui suu Ir"'w.l 'ia. william
Jones anJ CHILD. A.ss E.ym Nlii.u
colpfUi. john i.aFNnJ. sHu Year
wood sud wife. FmuS CtsIiulr. NJH
Hopper .splprrI. M.ls Jut.r Sutton.
John Duil"n, j., jusfpI Show. Mr.
John Sbeilpu. dFi Cilfirs Hutchinson,
Miss Irwin. Nriiic Shields. Amanda
Rcarluu. Mrs. l., L. Legar, George
Jones Youngest child anil an unknown
man. The aggregate property loss b,
placed at S"J,U0I, aud rs none %; the
buildings have Insurance. asIius; storms
thc loss Is total.
Au eyewitness who saw tie tornado
from u Louisville y Nashville train de-
ssribrs It thus: II bslc.i n fearful
black cloud coming from tic northwest.
II was In the shape nf large inverted
coma aud could be plainly srpu revolving
around an imaginnrs axis aud at the
same time to be- bouncing up and down
through the air with wonderful aud
fhghtful speed. II grew dcnscr and
the Llackncs5 assumed lrrccncss
which was appalling. The wind In our
immediate vicinity was now blowing
with incredible velocity. and men and
women on the streets were blown 10 tho
ground. In moment the whirling
cloud arrived at the town and 1t could
~ 1uu't u"'t''- -is....-- 49, --.-.' .@-.-.
tearing on the house roofs and then ris-
ing higher in the air again like "a swag-
ging balloon. II would lnat along with
lightning.likc tap'dity hut soon swoop
down again upon the dcfcucelcss little
town In another spot raising the houses
and the trees. licking the sides Of the
buildings and tearing great holes In
thum and leaving devastation along
every part nf It's course. hs the cloud
would dip down and rise again tt would
carry the trees upward IN the air and
throw them To the ground with u
mighty force. \ hundred yards away
part of the house roofs. trees. boards.
bricks, with ali kinds of debris wore
nying through the air at fearful rate
was piled IN heaps along the track OF
the cloud. The passengers ON Our train
were frightened aud veritahlc panic
euHcd, the women screaming with
fright Tic cloud dipped down on the
north side of Tie train aud demolished q
house. but inst before IL arrived 20 orr
position Il arose and passed over as with
sWlllncss. and dropped down
on earth tD the south of the train, where
IL completely destroyed another build.
ing aud passed on in its work uf dcstruc-
ton. The passage of the tornado orCu.
pied about two minutes. Fully half thr
town wHs totally wrecked. and 10 add
iO the havoc Of tie wind many fires
broke uut among the ruins. From the
train we could see the smoke and flames
riglng from n dozen different houses. I
One strange thing was tuJt three min.
ltcs after the tornado passed the sun
was shifting brightly and atFCuGly OF
4 scene OF dc5J.at!gg.