Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1888-02-25
DEATH and DESTRUCTION
Mt, Vernon, ILL.,, Wiped Out by
a Cyclone.
Thirty.Five Persons Instantly
Killed.
Three Hundred Others Seri.
ously Injured.
Fire Lends It's Wrath to the
Horrid Scene.

AAOoNA V1hNON, A4sJ ISUs SVs-AllS
place Mas visited by a cyclone ut ~4:4O
yesterday afternoon, which tore a path
500 yards wide through the center OF the
town, destroyed nearly three hundred
residences and places Of business and
unhoused twelve to fifteen hundred
people. In the fall Of walls, many per.
sons were buried under the debris;
thirty-fiye were killed and three hundred
injured, many of whom so seriously that
their recovery is despaired of. A pre-.
oeding destructive wind and heavy fall
OF rain for half an hour drove all the in.
habitants TO shelter. This was followed
by a slight hailstorm. accompanied with
lightning, then q furious blow which
formed into a tunnel shaped cyclone
and struck the southwestern portion of
the city, unroofing everything in lis path
ind taking o diagonal course through
the business part Of the city, unroofing
and dismanteling the supreme court
building and depot and skipping along
to the Methodist and Baptist churches,
caving them into worthless masses. At
one point, the destructive element
jumped upward missing several stores
and residences. 1t soon pounced down
and began a career OF unparalleled feroc.
lty and destruction. The massive court
house that occupies the public square IN
the center Of the city wa literally
torn to pieces, the walls being twisted
and crushed. The tower wa lifted and
dropped westward, demolishing the
handsome pillars that supported the Ell.
trance. 4 three story brick block was
demolished and then taking fire, all the
inflammable material was consumed.
The owner of the building, c. R. C. MUIR
ray, was caught in the falling walls and
cremated. Ed. Hannal, his wife and
small boy in the basement. were buried
by the walls; the man burrowed his way
out of the ruins, making IL passage for
his wife and child. Across the street
ON Washington street, was IL row
of frame buildings with an &C.
casional brick. Brick buildings
caved in and the frames were
crushed out Of shape. The fires and
crushed brick buildings leave a path
which gave a good view of the destruc.
ton. Stores, dwellings, mills and store
houses went down in q general mass and
left the street INSTRUCTED. Tho storm
was over in three minutes, flames shot
up with deyilish mendacity and the fire
company, aided by citizens, began the
work of rescue which was carried on
systematically. The mayor called for
aid from the neighborlng towns. Fire
engines and physicians were wanted
and Centralia, Nashville and Evansville
responded quickly. Hout.s became hos.
pitfalls, while worthy l!uvses volunteered
their services. What was left OF the su-
preme court building was turned into q
morgue at MONDAY.
Following lis q list Of the dead:
David Gearwood, Mrs. !. T. Waters
and boy, J. c. Murray, Mrs. Russell
Dewey, Mary Westbook, Henry Waters,
Jas. Pierson, Chas. Cummings, Mrs.
CALVIN Cooper, George Pearson and son
lcolored,) Mrs. VIM. Jones and child,
Mrs. Z Martin (colored,) J. Gcarwood,
Sam Gearwood and wife, Franz Chight.
man, Ada Harper, (colored,) Miss Jessie
sntton, Jno. Dodson, Jr., Joseph shew,
Mira. Jno. Shelton, Mrs. Chas. Hutchin.
son, Miss Irwin, Nettie Shields, Armand
blerdon, an unknown man, Mrs: lie
'egRe, Geo. Jones' youngest child.
LATER
ST.. VERNON, ILL.,, Feb 2l.--The work
Of Sundays cyclone ID now summed
up as follows: Killed, 81; fatally in.
jured and dying, 8: seriously wounded,
but in no danger CT. About $50 houses
were destroyed and fully 1000 people
are homeless. The frat hurried es.
innate that placed the loss at 81, 600, 900
was abost correct and it will fully equal
that sum.
--AeSs
How 1t Works.
Editor Inter- Ocean:-A young man
with q small family was paying $40 per
month rent. a friend suggested that he