New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-21
A CLOUD THAT JUMPED ABOUT
WHERE 1T DROPPED THE EARTH 1T "okhEp



DEsTRrCTION
St Louis Feb Poll S. Reardon, conductor
of the Louisville and Nashville train which was
caught in the storm at Mount Vernon, Ill, iast
evening and had his shoulder dislocated' arriNeo
here last night and gives the following Dfiei "c-
count of the disaster:
1t was all over in minute. The thing that
most impressed me was the destruction OF the
County Court House. fine three story DICK Dullu-
ing The Court House stood In prominent
place and could easily be seen almost from the
tower to the ground. 1t looked to me as though
the huge pile OF brick ard mortar had been struck
by a gigantic batterng RAM or by big clup ~
the hands Of power strong enoogh TO knock 10
down at a single blow 1t seemed TO collapse all
at once, spread out and bury the buildings sur
rounding it .,
Marcns Aarons. traveller for Philadelphia
house, who passenger on the tram. says
Houses went down like wheat before the
reaper. A thrce-story mill was blown across the
track Just behind us. Our train was lying N the
rate down the track. The engineer could not con
troll the train, and, fortunately for us the orakes
were not on. Trees were uDrooted and cars ilited
clean of their wheels. strange thing was Una, that
three minutes after the storm the sun was shlhlng
brightly and serenely on The scene OF desolatlon.
]. w. Wallace, agent of the Southern Express
at Shclbvville, Tenn, said: saw black cloud
coming from the Northwest. II was in the shape
Of large inverted cone and it could be plainly
seen revolving and at the same time bouncing up
and down through the air. II grew denser. ana
the hlackness assumed fercencss that was APP
palling. In a moment the whirling cloud arrived
at the town. and il could be seen dipping down
here and there and tearing off the house roofs,
and then rising higher into the air again like
swaying balloon il would float along with light
nng-lke rapidity only to swoop Gown again upon
the town in another spot razing the houses and
trees licking the sides OF buildings and tearing
great holes in them and leaving devastation along
every part Of its course. As the cloud would dlp
down and rise again. il would carry trees upward
in the air and throw them to the ground with
m iehtv force a hundred yards awav. Parts or
house roofs trees boards bricks. were carried
throu Oh the cir at fearful rate and left piled IN
incongruous heaps along the track OF the CLOUD.
The passengers on our train were in q panic.
women screamed from fright and rushed into the
arms Of their husbands and escorts for protection
The cloud dirpod down on the north side OF the
train and demolished n house, arose ana passed
over us with magical swiftness and dropped down
on the earth to the south OF the train. where II
com rletely destroyed another building and passed
on through the town in IFS work Of dcstructon."
Louisville Ky. Feb. 20.-At New-Haven. Nv,
tho wind blew down the BardStown and Green
River turnpike bridge, the original cost OF which
was over $1,000
CONNECTING THE STORM WITH sun SPOTS
Rochester. Feb. 20.-The recurrence OF the solar
disturbance which first appeared on December
and a. is reported by H. c. Maine The group OF
spots had fairly come into view hv the sun
rotation. when tho torn9do AT Mount vernon II
occurred on Sunday afternoon. Conslderaple
magnetic disturbance was observed here to-day