The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-21
EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT.
How IL Impressed Those Who Saw the
Monster DESTROYER.


ST, LOUIS, No., Feb. 20.-Mr, II. S.
Beardon, conductor OF the Louisville and
Nashville train which was caught in the
cyclone at Mount Vernon, H., last evening,
and who had shoulder dislocated by hay
ing big trunk hurled against him by the
wind, arrived here last evening and gives
the following brief account of the scene:
at was all over in minute" said he.
1.-THE thing that most impressed me was
the destruction Of the county courthouse,
a magnificent three story brick building.
The courthouse stood in a prominent
place, and could easily be seen from the
tower to the ground. II looked TO me rs
though huge pile Of brick and mortar
had been struck by gigantic battering-
ram, or, II you please, by big club in the
hands Of power strong enough to knock
il down at n single blow. II seemed 10
collapse at once, spread out, crush and
bury the buildings surrounding IT,"
Marcus Aarons, drummer, for Phila-
delphia house, who was passenger on
the train, says: at wasa terrible calamity;
never witnessed anything so dreadful
in my life. On reaching the Mount Yer
non station II began TO thunder and light
ming. Presently il began 10 rain and hail,
driving every one 10 shelter. Just about
this time portentous black cloud, funnel
shaped, was seen over our heads Some
OF the people knew in q moment what was
coming, and began TO cry out words u
warning. The cloud burst in q minute
after forming. IL came with the roar and
crash OF mighty battle. Houses OF all
descriptions went down like wheat before
the fail. Men, women and children ran
hither and thither, screaming and praying
in their peril and fright. The county
courthouse was utterly wrecked, and n
three-story mill was blown across the
track Just behind us. Our train was lying
in the track Of the cyclone, and IL was
taken at a flying rate down the track.
The engineer could not control the train,
and, fortunately for us, the brakes were
not on. Trees were uprooted and cars
lifted clearly of their wheels. The passage
OF the cyclone must have occupied nj
least two minutes. think that fully half
the town was totally wrecked, and, TO add
10 the horror Of the wind, many fires broke
out among the ruins From the train we
could see the smoke and flames rising from
dozen different houses. Our train did
not wait long enough In the town for ms 10
learn the accurate loss Of lite and property,
but the devastation was terrible. A strange
thing was that three minutes after tho cy-
clone the sun was shining brightly and Sc
rcnely over the scene Of desolation."
J. W. Wallace, agent Of the Southern
express at Shclbyville, Tenn, also saw the
storm from n train window and described
It thus 81 bchcld n fearful black cloud
coming from the northwest. II was In the
shape Of n large inverted cone, and Il could
be plainly seen TO he revolving around an
imaginary axis, and nj the same time 10
be bouncing up and down through the air,
with wonderful and irigh,ful speed. II
grew dcnscr, aud the blackncss assumed n
iierccnes that was appalling. The wind
In our immediate vicinity Was now blow
ing with an almost incredible velocity, as
the cloud was approaching, causing the
standing coaches 10 rock and sway on
their trucks like n cradle. Men aud
women on the streets were blown 10 the
ground. In moment the whirling cloud
arrived at the town aud II could he scen
dipping down here and there and tearing
off house roofs, and then rising higher into
| Ule MI Ngllu lht rNANluk bAh-
loon, Il would flow along with light
ning-like mpidiiy, but soon swooped
down again upon the dcfcnscless little
town IN another spot, razing the houses
and trees, licking the sides Of buildings
and tearing holes In them. and leaving
desolation along every part Of lis course.
Parts of houses, roofs, trees, brick.bnts,
with all kindsoi debris, were flying through
the air nj a fearful rate, and left piled In
incongruous heaps along the track Of the
cloud. The passengers ON our train were
frightened, and veritablc panic ensued.
Women screamed from fright and rushed
into the arms Of their husbands aud es.
corts for protection. The cloud dipped
down on the north side Of the train and
demolished a house, but Just before II ar
rived at our position Il arose and passed
over us with magical swiftness and dropped
down ON the earth 10 the south Of tho
train, whcc II completely destroyed an.
other building, aud passed ON through the
town in It's work Of destruction. Thu.
you can see that our train had miracu-
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