The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-02-25
Destroyed by a Cyclone.


Noun VERNON Ill. Feb eo.-The BLACK revoiv-
ing cloud which fell from copperish sky in the
southwest at Ais O'Clock yesterday afternoon and
swept diagonaly through this city with roar like
the beating of heavy sea against rocky shore
left nothing but bleeding bodies and heaps ruins
in its track. For half an hour before the cloud
dropped to the Garth the atmospheric conditions
were such as 10 affect both man and beast Rain
and hail fell for fifteen minutes and then the still.
surcharged with electricity. peculiar, soft yellow
light fell upon everything. and sparrows that had
suddenly arose to great heights and after circiinr
around in the oppressive air dropped into trees
where they uttered the most discordant noises.
Meantime the clouds were passing through an
ominous transformation. From bleak gravish
color the great pillows became yellowish then
green, and finally turned deep copper hue. Dur
ing these rapid changes of color the clouds became
peculiarly agitated. From the earth, toward which
they were speeding with terrible swiftness. they
looked though they were locked in titanic
struggle. Persons who were out of doors watched
the elemental battle with mingled awe and fear.
such grand spectacle in the heavens had never
been seen before in the doomed city. Twisting and
rolling like corks in whirlpool. the clouds came
the EARTH until their ragged copper borered
edges seemed to be within an arms reach OF the
cross-tipped spires of the churches.
Ribbons of fire darted spitefully from the tum.
bling, grinding mass, and then one of the clouds
terrible in its aspect than all the rest suddenly
left the Others and fell TO the earth with that
startled every living thing Now black as night and
storm cloud, with its broad smoke-colored summit
buried in gold, and its narrow base dipping and
Before the roaring cloud the air was choked with
dustand flying bricks and timbers. Acushion of air
was sweeping in advance of the cloud. and as II de-
molshed the windows of houses and stores the sides
and roofs of the buildings burst open though they
had been shivered by explosions from within Thu.
storm cloud did the rest 1t caught the timbers in
its resistess fury ground them to pieces and then
left the wrecEage upon the dead and dying.
The search for the victims was prosecuted all
night, and when morning came thirty-two bodies
had been recovered. Nearly all the fatalities were
a hara mo nod IA.-
swaths Scarcely stick of timber remains standing
in the path of the tornado. and in some places the
tered for 200 yards around Sturdy shade trees were
uprooted and ground to fragments, picket fences
were broken as though they had been sticks of
caroni, and small outhouses swept out of sight
leaving scarcely splinter to mark the place where
they Stood
The horrors of last night cannot be exaggerated.
In the light of the eonaagration started by the col
lapse of the big buildings on thesquare the cast end
looked like a city riven by shot and she'll Faces
white and rigid lay exposed in the plain of wreck
age, while the air was burdened with the groans Of
the wounded and the cries of women whose rela-
tives were buried somewhere i'm the Widespread
ruin. Surgeons and policemen did noble work amid
these terrible surroundings but to the fremen is due
When the cloud had passed from sight innumer-
able tongues of flame sprang from the wreckage.
The upsetting of stoves started fires in the remnants
OF nearly every home and for hours ii looked as
though frightful fate awaited those pinioned to
the ground. But the heroism of the tiremen, it is
believed, spared every victim from the flames.
When morning came it found the searchers still
toiling among the ruins. Smoke was rising above
the backened ruins of several buildings but men
stood ready to extinguish the flames whenever they
should appear The dismantled Court House, with
its massive pillars and sirders strewn about as
though 1t had been shaken by an earthquake. was
now morgue. dozen bodies. swathed in white
sheets, Jay in of the rooms of the greatbuildng
Some of the victims were relatives of prominent
citizens whose homes had been demolished.
Grouped about the bodies were many men and
women. whose sobbing sounded peculiarly distress
mr. n n hat hanr flnE- ~ fla 40 win,
policeman stood guard at the door, while underta-
kers fitted in and out of the room. The homes in
The wounded, it is said. number over 100. Streams
of Grape fluttered from the doors of twelve houses
in the district spared by the cloud
New features and incidents of the calamity are
reported every hour. John Maxcy's misfortune is
overwhelming. The cloud tore his house into frag-
ments, and from the pile of timbers and bricks scat
tered in his dooryard the reseuers dragged his
children, all ofwhom We're covered with blood and
dirt Even Maxey himself did not escape. For an
hour he lay pinioned in the ruins while all about
him arose the cries of his children whom he could
not aid in any way. When the man was finally re-
legs are one mass Of bruises from the hips to the
ankles, and his face is badly cut All the children,
il is thought will recover
Mrs. Albright and her daughter were reading in
their parlor when the roar of the approaching cloud
alarmed them. The girl sprang to her mother. Be
fore either could speak the building collapsed and
mother and daughter were driven before the cloud
in a shower of timbers and brick. Neither was
blown from the other in their wild flight, and both
were found in each others arms a hundred yards
from the spot where they sat when the storm over
whelmed them. The daughter is still unconscious
and may die The mother will recover
The escape of passenger train bound for ST. Louis
was merely due TO the eecentricities of the Cloud
The train lay almost squarey in the path OF the de-
stroyer, and would have been hurled from the tracks
had not tho cloud lifted just il reached the rails
The passengers were in panic. They chung to one
another, but all were too scared to scream. The
cloud smashed building on one side OF the train,
and them rising above the roofs of the coaches,
dipped again and demolished another building on
n 10 fpr ittadf rov oil rail- md
cloud then moved in their respective directions.
The city officials are doirg all in their power to
relieve the sufferers but 1t Is feared the burden Is
too great There at least 900 persons in the city
tonight who are without homes, and many are in
pressing need of food and clothing Appeals for aid
have been sent TO the outside world, and il is hoped
there will be generous response. The interment
of most of the dead will take place tomorrow.
The Committee of Relief are In communication
with the large cities the country and systematic
appeal will be made to all persons to assist the city
in its affection, which is indeed beyond parallel
of western Missouri, jamestown and Washington
Court House did not equal the loss of this place.
Alighting at the Louisville and Nashville depot,
the visitors attention is rst directed to the Supreme
Court building a few yards from the depot without
dome or roof. but shredso Of tin hanging from its
side, marking pivot around which the storm SEEM
ed TO swing. All else in this direction is untouched
few steps eastward along the railroad dscoses to
the southwest an appalling sight of devastation.
built their little one-story cottages among the tim
Der, and here 1t was that the cloud first dropped
from the ground and mashed the homes Fat: then
gathering the cngng pieces. strewed them all along
the path, tearing down the fences and wiplng out
landmarks Scarcely can the direction of the streets
be traced for in this poorer quarter grading had
been attempted. How many houses were here de-
places TO mark the lots. Fifteen foundations still
remain. In six acres formerly well built up but
three houses are standing in the path of the Storm
and these wrecked. On the right and left of the
path the debris plunged like catapults
Looking northeast across the railroad the ruin ap-
ger. heavier and more compact. The wave made for
60 yards clean swath, tearing down fences and
trees. piled up debris on either side, and leaving
naked fence posts and foundation walls TO mark the
spots of residences. There still remain either side
OF the path dismautled outhouses half buried with
other roofs To the southeast stands the ruins of the
threestory brick flour mill the walls stripped down.
and the machinery exposed, and on the north par
TALLY surrounded by uninjured houses are the
crushed Baptist Church and the large brick Com
mercal Hotel unroofed and partly torn down. Six
hundred yards further on is the Postoffice corner
and in front stands the shattered Court House. with
dome thrown down over the entrance, the walls
cracked and partially tumbled down. and in the
supreme Court yard lie the tin and timber and roofs
In front of the Post Office across Bunton Street
brick building RACED TO the ground and nearly
all to the south and east Jared likewise but Uncle
SANS quarters were scarcely touched. The streets
here are broad but to-day they are filled with the
debris of the business houses of Bunton and Wash
one house remains standing. or even partially pre-
served. Unable 10 thoroughly tear asunder the
OF the buildings, they wore mashed and
twisted into useless masses and the roofs carried
away and the fronts and rear knocked out Several
brick blocks OF three stories gave air of substaI-
iiality TO these streets. The tornado ground the
walls to level and the furnaces set fire 10 the wood
work and destroyed the last plank The Evans Bank
On the corner, exhibits burning pit and the safe
has been cracked by the heat Under the ruins vet
lnearthed lie the eharred remains of J. c. Murray |
owner of the block.
Looking to the south and east from this corner the
spectator will see line of groggeries warehouses
md few reputable places leaning against each |
other, but still holding together. The wines and 1
liquors had been swept out. but the enterprsing !
hummer had headquarters and signs up long before
The excursonists began to pour in the ruins were
clear of their dead. The reputable portion of this
block, bakery, caught fire. and was consumed |
other bakeries were wiped out of existence and to-
lay not loaf of bread was to be purchased in the
own, nor VIII such state of affairs soon be RENEE
lied However, no one suffers for want of food |
shelter, clothing. Along Washington street inst
back of the court house, II was hard TO tell inst
v here one building began and the other left off |
Floors roofs sides of buildings and partitions were
hufled up in confusion aud crashed against the |
ew brick walls that still remained standing Every,
hing along here wra dead loss not even the pro-
ection of hre insurance being available.
Bunton street, east of Washington was completely
blocked by the walls of Strat.on & Johnson's fallen
block, from the rear of which the destruction of
arge warehouses and handsome residences appears I
much like an abandoned lumber yard and rubbish 1
OF There were buildings here. and the lumber 1
hows 1t, but the chaos Is complete. Where houses |
nave been torn asunde, and swept away and the !
imbers scattered hther and thither there not to