The gale., 1888-03-03
SUNDAYS Cyclone.
MT. VERNON, w., A PICTURE OF
DEsOLATION.
Awful aud Affecting ncidcnts Along the
Liuc-Loss NotLe u Than One MILL
ion Dollars.

cyclone struck Mt. Vernon, H. and lef
1t in ruins, and killed fifteen to twcnt,
| people, and it is feared many more thai
are known to have been killed viii b
found among the ruins of the buildings
| Fire Immediately broke out all over TIN
city amid the ruins, spreading rapidly
owing to the damage done to engines b,
the wind. The storm passed from th'
southwest and had rotury motion. l
swept down with fearful fury, striking
first just South of the city hall, then car
ried away the third and fouith stories o.
the Mt. Vernon MILL From there il
swept on in path five hundred yards
wide. The Methodist church fell. Just
few minutes before $50 people left the
Sunday School room. The Commercial
house lost its third story. Next the vino
struck the county courthouse, and ren.
| dered it a heap of ruins. BY rare luck,
| however, the county records were saved
| Crews block, on the south side of the
square, is levcled with the earth, and un-
der it was found the body of John Crew,
the owner of the block, formerly of Chi
cago. The roof and second story of STRAIT
ton & Co.'S hardware store was blown
away. A large two story brick school
house did not withstand the terrible
shock any better than the smallest house
in the track of the cyclone. The large
two story frame house of George Ward
was picked up and carried about twenty
feet, and left unhurt, while the two brick
buildings within ten feet were left in
ruins. The loss cannot be estimated, but
not less than million dollars worth of
property has been destroyed by the cy-
clone and fire in that neighborhood. The
sky has cleared, and no clouds give any
intimation of the disastrous storm of a
few hours ago. 1t is growing colder, and
many homeless people will suffer if the
weather becomes severe.
Reports are coming in from the coun-
try, and the storm seems to have swept
of life and great suffering will follow, I'M
less outside assistance is given to Mayor
G. ii. Harnell, who will give it to the
proper committee. A meeting of bust
ness men was held, and committees ap-
pointed to care for the dead and wounded,
and to protect property rs much as pos
sible. Many people who escaped with
their lives have nothing besides. Many
are walking the streets with no home to
20 to. The north side of the courthouse
'quare is injured considerably. No build
ngs were wrecked except Howard &
Stratton's. The wounded are being cared
or by the physicians in the best possible
manner. The railroad shops were badly
damaged, and a great number Of homes
destroyed. The people are out doors who
4 Il. l. -, H.,
md the dying are scattered throughout
he city All the doors of the remaining
houses have been thrown open to the less
fortunate.
Three-fourths of the business portion of
the city is ruined financially The public
square is in the center of the town. The
courthouse is in the center Of the square
The school building is in the northwest
part of the city, and all the dwellings in
that part of the city are destroyed, and
the ruins of some are still burning. In
all, five hundred buildings are destroyed,
and many others injured. The dead are
now being gathered at the supreme court
house, which has been converted into
hospital for the dead and wounded. This
building is also damaged, but not seri-
ously. The last reports show twenty nine
dead and about 100 injured, some of when
will die before morning. Later reports
say two more have died. They are Eddy
Mickey and Mrs. Colonel Cooper.
A number of men who we're struck by
falling timbers and whose names cannot
be learned at present, are reported badly
injured and dying. The storm was pre-
ceded by hail, but not more than five
minutes elapsed until the fearful
destroyer had swept over the doomed
town. 1t came from the southwest The
buildings were wrenched and twisted,
and then dashed into pieces, total
wrecks. The storm passed little
south of the city hall, missed Joe
Chances house, swept away the third and
fourth stories of Mount Vernon mill, and
destroyed nearly every house from the
mill north for space of about fifty yards.
The entire west side of the square was
wrecked. The county house was struck
and the building reduced to a
massive pile of ruins. The clerks
have worked into the records,
and they are saved. r. e. Ryan escaped
in manner almost Incredible. He was
standing by J. G. Murray, in Crews
block, and told him to run, but Murray
remained and was killed. Ryanran west
and finding the street full of flying tim
bers, jumped into the doorway, held tc
the latch and the building against which
he was standing, fell around him, but hi
escaped untouched.
A. b. Coxs store, G. w. Morgan's jew.
cry store, Maxey, West & Swifts store,
and Jackson's saddlery store, are in ruins,
and ON the south side of the square,
frame buildings, though injured, escaped
destruction. Hasserman's bakery, the
Baptist church, Cooks drug store, Man
ions saloon, Perry's hotel and Stratton q
Johnson's brick store, were leveled with
the ground The entire east side of the
square is destroyed, and in one of the
buildings John Walters and child lost
their lives, as did Henry Waters, father
of John. Mrs. Waters was found with
her babe in her arms, both dead. On
the northeast corner of the square How
ard Bros. & Co.'S grocery was blown
down and the roof and second story ol
n 4 Q<rattop a. M e hard ware store