Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-20
The Town of Vernon, Ills, Nearly
 Wiped Out.
AN APPALLING DISASTER
The Loss of Life Estimated at Fully
 FOrty.Eight.

MOUNT VERNON, Ills, Feb. 2O.-This city was visited by terrible tornado about 4:45 D. m yesterday. It had been laundering and raining for some time, when suddenly a low rulnbling noise was heard 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. It is impossible to estimate the loss at this time. At least half of the town is in ruins.
 The large building known the Grows block owned by J. c. Murray, was entirely demolished and caught fire ill a short time. The Methodist Episcopal church is almost mass of ruins. The roof is entirely gone, while the lower part is badly damaged. The Baptist church is also a wreck and beyond all hope of repair. The east end of the public school house is a sad sight. The once fine building is now razed to the ground, and 8 heap of bricks and stones are all that remains to tell the story.
 The storm came just after the Sunday schools closed, or there is no telling what the loss would have been, as the Methodist and Baptist churches were totally destroyed
 Hundreds of houses are heaps of ruins, and the city in the tornado visited district pre- sents scene of the most horrible devastation and ruin. The town is about two miles long, east and west, and the course of the tornado took ill about two-thirds of the east end, the western portion escaping. It is impossible to begin to estimate the number of houses de- stroyed, but the number will run away up into the hundreds The larger portion of the business part of the town, known as the square, is totally destroyed.
 Out of row of buildings about 200 yards long there is none that is not more or less injured, while most of them are entirely burned and the goods destroyed.
 The east side of the square presents even more ghastly appearance, for nothing is left. That side of the square was also occupied by business houses, and nothing is saved, not a single building being left on the row. The north side is badly damaged, but the wreck here is very light compared to that on the east and south sides The Odd Fellows building is badly damaged on the south side, but none of the buildings escaped, all being more or less injured. The west escaped more lightly than any, but the buildings there are also in a sad state, being considerably shaken up.
 @The damage to the business part of the town is so great that it is completely ruined. The town looks as though an earthquake hao visited it. The county court house is one of the most complete wrecks. It is 8 two-story building and stood in the center of the square, but being directly in the path of the tornado is now utterly demolished. It was a very expensive building and was all ornament to our city. It will have to be entirely re- built.
 All of the largest and best buildings seem to have suffered most The Commercial hotel is completely ruined nppossible to say what the damage Pty. It is vari- tod %o It is not known whkt damag 1kas been sus- tained in the country, as no news has been brought in It will be several days before it will be possible to tell what the damage really is, but East Main street for quarter of a mile has hardly a house left standing, and, as near as can be ascertained, this is the case all over the city from near the centre to the east end.
 The loss of life is now estimated at fully forty-eight. In the destruction of the Grows building it is surprising that many were not killed, as the upper story is occupied as a boarding house. J. C. Murray, the owner of the building, perished in the ruins.
 Following is a list of the dead, as far as it has been possible to collect the names:
 J. c. Murray, Mrs Eunice. Dewey, D. F. Yearwood and wife, Mary Westbrook, Mrs. John T. Waters and child, Henry Waters, Charles Cummins (an engineer), G. W. Par sons (colored), Mrs. Col. Cooper, Mrs. William Jones (colored), and two children; Sam Year wood and wife, John Yearwood, John Dob son.
 It is impossible to give all accurate list of the dead and wounded at this time, but it is probable that the list of wounded will foot up fully 1OO
 The scene in the stricken city at midnight was peculiarly distressing Through the great heaps of ruins, men, women and boys were struggling in their efforts to reach those imprisoned beneath timbers and bricks Cries came from every pile of debris. In some of the streets where the great clouds swept with resistless force, the dead lay ill the warm rain which mingled with their blood. Above the scene of desolation the sky was red from the conhagration, and the wind, which was blowing from the south, was laden wi tn blazing brands.
 There was no means of identifying many of the dead and wounded All were so hor- ribly crushed and thckly distributed that some of the hysterical searchers bore their own dead without being able to distinguish their ghastly burden. hi some places the east end blocks of houses were blown down as though they had been made of cards.
 It was in this district that the most dis dressing scenes were witnessed. Whole famil- ies were buried under their roofs without warning, save that given by the storm cloud as it bounded over the earth like an immense rubber ball. The slaughter here was appall ing t ::
 Everything that can be done for the wounded is being done, and the hundredswhc are rendered homeless are being looked after Many families a1e likely to be destitute of food and clothing, as they have lost all they pos sessed in this misfortune.
 
 He Abstracted the Securities.
 NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 90.-Paupert, an em ploye of the Cotton Exchange, has robbed i, m of $21OO0 Paupert, who was under t3ht treasurer of the exchange, had access to itl securities. These he pledged with the asHdst anca of George Puser, using the money ir gambling. When he had pledged, all ths securities he could lay his hands on, and had gpent the money, be stayed away from thu office on the plea of sickness, and he ana P,,ser fed to New Mexico. A letter yesterday from him to the treasurer of the exchangy made known his embezzlen1ent. It was dis 66~apd tbat he had sbstrat4zal tho uucaufte3 tpbsti10An4 ot6hr tsbkt for tAeuA sssss z ssa:s v M N