Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-22
A CYCLONE IN ILLINOIS,
The Town of Mt. Vernon in Ruins Fort,
Persons Killed

A dispatch of the Goth from Evans
vile, Ind +, says: At $3.50 a cyclone
struck Mt. Vernon, ILL.,, from the north
west, and, sweeping around in q half
circle, leveIed half the town to the
ground. The remainder caught fire and
as there was a strong wind blowing. the
flames soon got beyond the control OF
the fire department. The situation was
a startling one. High above the whistIing
ofthe Wind and the fierce cracking oil the
flames could be heard the sbrieks and
groans ofthe dying. All over the ruined
part Of the town could be seen
bodies, half buried beneath the ruins.
The survivors, who realized the destruc-
ton fully, set to work like giants. The
Western Union office was burned and
nearly all connections were destroyed,
the only line remaining being the Louis
vile q Nashville wire to Evansville. The
following message was flashed tothis city:
t7o Mayor DGundteU Town struck by cy-
clone, 100 persons killed and wounded. The
remainder OF the town is on fire and beyond
control. Send us two fire engines and as many
physicians as you can. ''WAMELL"
The Louisville q Nashville made up
train and two engines with their crews
and twelve physicians were sent to the
relief of the burning city.
The tornado came from the south
west and the whole southwest portion
of the town was leveled, the north
ern portion remaining intact, but
threatened every moment with
flames. So far there are thirty
reported killed and $50 injured Tween
ty-seven dead bodies have been reeov-
cred up to s o'clock About 250 are
wounded. At $3.50 the fire was under
control. A fire engine from Nashville,
OnH.IHr nd OF 81 Hoy Il Il
service.
Not house is left standing on the
east, west and south sides of the public
square. At midnight twenty-nine
deaths are known, and the list is in
complete, while several others are
dying. There will be probably forty
deaths. Every church in the city is de-
stroyed except the Catholic and Presby-
terrain. Under the burning debris
men, women and children, some dead,
others injured and the flames are com
ing up on the poor creatures whom 9TH
ers are powerless to aid. Add to this
shrleks Of women, the groans of the
injured, the pleadings of those pinion-
ed under the burning ruins, and you
will have some idea of this terrible ca
lamity. The loss will probably reach
81 ,000,0 900 and O buildings are totally
destroyed, some burned.
The following are among the killed:
Mrs. Russell Dewey, Mrs. John e.
Water and baby, Henry Waters, David
+. Gearwood and wife, John G.. Murray,
Mr.. Cummings, an engineer, Mary
Westbrook, James Bearson, Mrs
Holcomb, DR.. John Yearwood and
wife, Samuel Yearwood and wife,
George Purcell, Mrs. William Jones and
child, John Dodgson, Miss Josie Sum-
mons, John Shews, Mrs Col. Cooper,
Ed. Z. Maxey, s. J. Waters, George
Pierce, Mrs L. E. Leleg, two telegraph
operators, blacksmith, name not
known. Among the fatally injured
are: Lawler E. Legg, Mrs. Henry Waters,
Miss Laura Lisenby. Charles Ellis, Mr.
and Mrs. G. S. Galbraith Charles Wier,
Mr.. and Mrs. Westbrook, Amanda
Bearden, w. III. Human, Lizzie Ben
nett, j. G. Handrick Charles Pool, Miss
Corrinne Pambrick, Brownlow Haw-
kins, Miss Albright, Henry Ellis, Mr..
Millicrott, Joel Howard, Mr.. and Mrs.
Calvin.
Mt. Vernon is the capital of Jefferson
County, ILL.,, and has population of
about 2,100. 1t is about twenty miles
southeast of Centraia and contains a
courthouse, two newspaper offices, two
steam flour mills, wooden mill, sawmill