Hillsboro recorder., 1888-03-01
A CYCLONE, s'...s -

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rIsdA aaslaAxr~rr~ou 80 SD
evJsITs AN / ILLIydLsaT0VNfxND
~ fNhsA fNAKEs haEFsit iitofiiiBLE liFllBtL. Eflt ltAEoG
|, ..,ah ~. lriaTT - .ssaal aoi III
and Hotels Laid Low Fire added %
10 tho Horrsrs1 Olhsr sIceafss.
AT about O'clock ii, the afternoop
etelone stuck MD. ] Vernon, III, and left
Y ia, ruins apd bitleasBaecD oitWanty'
people, and II Is fclrea .nlany ,snlore than
Ialse kibwh'tos hayesbceh kiiiosd win be
found aInoag theiisilsaofl the bailaisgs.i
Fire iInmediately broke, out all roysrsBhe
Heitysaiiiid the piihs, SPREADING rapidly,
! oasinAty tho dmiage dbns 10 che efnes by
shs vim wind; II, rhs storm opasas'b dsola ithe
southwest and hadFd rotury motion. i It
swept down with fearful fury, striking
first just South Of the city hall, then car1
ricd away the third aud fontth stories, of
the Mt. Vernon mill. From there it
swept on in u path five hundred yards
vide. The Methodist church fell. Just
few minutes before $50 people left tho
Sunday School room. The Commercial
house lost its third story. Next the wind
struck the county courthouse, and rem
dered it heap Of ruins. BY rare luck,
however, the county records were saved.
Crews block, on the south side of the
square, is leyelcd with the earth, and un-
der it was found the body of John Crew,
the owner of the block, formerly of Chi
cago. The roof and second story Of STRAIT
ton u Co.'S hardware store was blown
away. A large two-story brick school
house did not withstand the terrible
shock any better than the smallest house
in the track Of the cyclone. The large
two story frame house of George Ward
was picked up and carried about twenty
feet, and left unhurt, while the two brick
Buildings within ten feet were left In
ruins. The loss cannot be estimated, but
not less than million dollars worth of
property has been destroyed by tile cy-
clone and fire in that neighborhood. Tho
sky has cleared, and no clouds give any
intimation of the disastrous storm Of d
few hours ago 1t is growing colder, and
many homeless people will suffer if the
weather becomes severe.
Reports are coming in from the coun-
try, aud the storm seems to have swept
everything for miles. Incalculable loss
of life and great suffering will follow, un-
less outside assistance is given to Mayor
u. III. Hafncll, who will give it 10 the
proper committee. A meeting Of busi-
ness men was held, and committees APP
fnl
and to protect property as much as pos
sible. Many people who escaped with
their lives have nothing besides. Many,
are walking tine streets with no home to
go to. The north side Of the courthouse
square il injured considerably. No build
ings were wrecked except Howard &
Stratton's. The wounded are being cared
for by the physicians in the best possible
manner. The railroad shops were badly
damaged, and q great number of homes
destroyed. The people are out doors who
lived in the track of the storm. The dead
aud the diving are scattered throughout
the city. All the doors of the remaining
houses have been thrown open to the less
fortunate. .E@3
Three-fourths Of the business portion Of
the city is ruined financially. The public
square is In the center Of the town. The
courthouse Is in the center Of the square.
The school building Is In the northwest
part Of the city, and oil the dwellings in
that part Of the city are destroyed, and
the ruins Of some are still burning. In
all, five hundred buildings are destroyed,
and many others injured. The dead arc
now being gathered at the supreme court
house, which has been converted into h
hospital for the dead aud wounded. This
building is also damaged, but not seri-
oiisly. The last reports show twenty-nine
dead and about 100 injured, some Of when
will die before morning. Later reports
say two more have died. Theyare Eddy
Mickey and Mrs. Colonel Cooper. Il.
A number Of men who were struck by
falling timbers, and whose names cannot
be learned at present, are reported badly
injured andglying. The storm was pre-
ceded by hail, but not more than five
minutes elapsed until the fearful
destroyer had swept over the doomed
town, II came from the southwest. The
buildings were wrcnched and twisted,
and then dnshcd into pieces, total
wrecks. The storm passed little
south Of the city hall, missed Joe
Chances house, swept away the third and
fourth stories Of Mount Vernon mill, and
destroyed nearly every house from tho
mill north for aspacc Of about Fifty yards.
The entire west side Of the square was
wrecked. The county house was struck
and the building reduced to n
massive pile Of ruins. The clerks
have worked into the records,
and they arc saved. R. Z. Ryan escaped
in manner almsst Incredible. lie was
standing BY ]. g. Murray In Crews
block, and told him TO run, but Murray
remained and waskillca. ''~ .@D.
Il sea## H. ##@M# H *+G# #5