The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-02-24
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
Sweep Through an Illinois Town,
Leaving Many MOurners.

Leaving Many MOurners.
Mt. VERNON, ILL.,, February 10
This city was visited by a terrible cy-
clone day about 4:45 o'clock. 1t had
been laundering and raining for some
time. when suddenly a low rumbling
noise was keard. and a black, dense
cloud that seemed TO touch the earth
swept over the city. and it became very
dark AS soon as the cloud passed the
sky frightened and people realized the
shock and loss they had sustained.
Hundreds of houses were blown down
and many people were crushed in the
ruins.
Ii Is impossible TO estimate the loss, al
this time. At least half of the town is
in RUNS. The south and east parts o!
the square are completely destroyed.
The large bu Hiding known as the Crows
block, now owned by j. c. Murray, was
entirely demolished and caught fire in a
short time, and is now rapidly burning.
The VI. +. Church IS almost a mass of
rock, the roof being entirely gone, while
the lower part is badly damaged. The
Baptist Church is also a wreck, and be-
yond all hope of repair
The east end of the public schoOlhouse
is sad sight. The once mammoth
uO" IdL-u the
q heap of bricks aud stones are all that
remains TO tell the story. Hundreds of
houses are heaps of ruins. aud the city
in the cyclone-visited district presents
q scene OF the most horrible devastation
and ruin.
The town Is about two miles long,
east and west, and he course nf the cy-
clone took in about twO-thirds of the
east end, tha western portion of the
town escaping. 1t is impossible to be
gin to estimate the number OF houses
destroyed, but the number will run
away up into the hundreds. The lager
portion Of the busin6 sspaTr of the town,
knonw as The Square, is totally DESTROY
ed. Out OF a row OF buildings about
200 yards long there are none that are
not more or less injured, while most of
them are entirely consumed, or will be.
for the fire is raging now ia that street =,
and unless help soon arrives all will be
lost. These are all business houses, and
the goods are entirely DESTROYED.
The easIside az the square presents
even a more CHASTITY appearance, for
nothing is left here. This side is also
occupied as business houses. and moth
ing is ssved here, not single building
being left on this row. The nnrthside
is badly damaged, hut the wreck here is
very light compared to that on the east
and sou;hsides. The Odd Fellows
building is the worst damaged on this
side, but none of the buildings escaped
all being more or less Injured. The
west escaped more lightly than any, but
the buildings here are also in sad state,
being considerably shaken up.
The damage to the business part of
the town is so great that it is complete
ly ruined. The general appearance of
the town is horrible, and it looks as il
an earthquake had visited it. 1t is i'm
possible 10 convey any idea of how it
really looks, and people who have not
seen it can form no idea of its horror
The County Court House is one of .he
most complete wrecks in the city. 1t is
a two story building, and stood ic the
center OF the square, but being directly
IN the path OF the cyclone, is now utter
ly demolished. IJ was a very expen-
sive building, aud was an ornament to
the city. II will have TO be entirely
rebuilt. There is no alarm felt in re-
gard 10 the records, as they are easily
accessible. and unless a fire should
spring up in the ruins, they are perfect
~ safe. At this wriCing the fire is dy-
ing our, after stubborn conflict with
Llcu W III nave IlShtu luclE lives 10
eX.inguish II.
All OF the largest ard best buildings
seem TO have suffered the most. The
Commercial hotel is almost complete
y ruined, but none OF The guests or
others were injured, as far as known.
The damage to property is variously es-
timated from $500. 600 TO $1,000 900.
IL IS not known what damage has beer
sustained in the country. as DO news
has been brought in. II will be sever
al days before it vii! be possible TO tell
what the damage really is, but East
Main street. for a quarter OF a mile.
hardly house is left standing, and as
near as can be asceTtained this is the
case all over the city. from near the
center TO the east end. On all sides ruin
staTes one IN the face. The loss % life
is appalling, ard is variously estimated
at from - to 80. In the destruction OF
the Crows building. IL is surprising
mahy were not killed, as the upper
story IL occupied as a boarding house.
]. G. Murray, the owner of the building
peIished in the ruins, and although dill
igent efforts were made to save him, it
WAS impossible.