The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-02-24
SWEPT BY A CYCLONE.


Halfof the Town of Mount Vernon DemoI-
Saskatchewan Thirty and Forty Lives
Lost and About $50 Persons Wounded
The Pecuniary Loss VIII Reach ST.
100000.
EVANSVILLE, Ind, Feb 20-At 4:50 p
m. yesterday cyclone struck Mount Yer-
non, Ill, from the southwest. Sweeping
around in a half-circle it leveled half the
town to the ground The remainder caught
fire, and as there was a strong wind
blowing the flames soon got be-
yond the control of the fire de-
partment The situation was
startling one High above the whistling
of the wind and the fierce cracking of the
flames could be heard the shrieks and
groans of the dying. All over, the ruined
part of the town could be seen bodies
half-buried beneath the ruins. The sur
vivors who realized the terrible destruc-
~tion fully set to work like giants.
The tornado came from the southwest,
and the whole southern portion of the
town was leveled, the northern portion re-
naming intact but threatened every mo-
ment with flames So far there are thirty
five reported killed, and up to 8 O'Clock
twenty-seven bodies had been recovered.
About 250 were wounded. Among the dead
known are:
Mrs. Russell Dewey, Mrs John U. Walter
and babe, Henry Waters, David F. Yearwood
and wife, John c. Murray Charles Cummings,
an engineer, Mary Westbrook, James Bearson,
Mrs. Holcomb, DIR. John Yearwood and wife,
Samuel Yearwood and wife, George Purcell,
Mrs. William Jones and child, John Dodson,
Miss Josie Sutton, John Shew, Mrs. Colonel
Cooper, Eddie Massey, S. J. Waters, George
Pierce, Mrs. L. F. Legge. A blacksmith, name
not known
Those known to be fatally injured are:
Lawler e. Legg, Mrs. Henry Waters, Miss
Laura Lisenby, Charles Ellis, Mr.. and Mrs c.
Galbraith, Charles Wier Mr.. and Mrs. West
brook Amanda Bearden, w. H Human, Liz
zie Bennett, H. c. Hanhrick, Charles Pool, Miss
Connie Hanbrick, Brownlow Hawkins, Mrs.
Albright, Henry Ellis, p. Lillicrop an engineer
Joel Howard, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin.
The destruction is much greater than the
Mount Carmel cyclone of several years ago.
The freight and passenger depots of the
Louisville & Nashville are slightly damaged,
the round-houses and shops have lost their
roofs and the sides and ends are crushed in.
The store-rooms are totally wrecked and
the contents damaged Two caboose cars
were blown off the track and turned bot
tom side up.
The south portion of Mount Vernon is the
newest portion of the city, and has many
large and fine buildings The court-hous
has not been injured, but it stands alone
All about it is ruin and desolation, and it is
now being used as a hospital for the
wounded. Many are suffering greatly
ST LOUIS, Feb 20-The cyclone which
struck Mount Vernon, Ill, yesterday after
noon was preceded by hail, but not more
than five minutes elapsed until the fearful
destroyer had swept over the town. 1t
came from the southwest, but the rotary
motion was present and buildings were
wrenched, twisted and then dashed to the
earth a total wreck The storm passed a
little south of the Casey hill,
missed Joe Chances house, swept
away the third and fourth stories
of the Mount Vernon mill, destroying
nearly every house from the Evans & How
ard mill north for a space Of about 500
yards The Methodist church fell, and
only few minutes before the building fell
257 people left the Sunday school The
Commercial Hotel lost the third story. The
entire west side of the square was wrecked
The county court house was struck and the
building is massive pile of ruins The
they are saved The Crews building, on
the south side of the square, was leveled to
the earth and under it was found the body
of John G. Murray, the owner of the block,
formerly of Chicago Howard Bros Il
Co.'s grocery store was blown down and
the roof and second story Of r. L. Stratton
& Co. IS hardware store were blown away,
while two-story frame hotel adjoining it
was uninj ured.
Across toward the northeast portion of
the city swept the storm, and number Of
people were killed and the school building
blown down. The building wasa large two
story brick, but it did not withstand the
terrible shock any better than the smaller
houses in the track of the cy-
clone The large two-story frame house of
George Ward was picked up and carried
about twenty feet and left intact, while two
brick buildings in hundred feet were left
in ruins.
Reports are coming in from the country,
and the storm seems to have swept every
thing for miles
MOUNT VERNON, ILL.,, Feb. 20.-The path of
the cyclone is scene of destruction. Not
house is left standing on the east, west
and south side of the public square. OF
the fifty business houses only six are
left standing and the debris is burn
ing. Under the burning debris lie
men, women and children, some
dead, others injured, and the flames are
fast coming upon the poor creatures whom
others are poWerless to aid. Add to this the
shrieks of the women, groans of the injured
and the pleadings of those pinioned under
burning ruins and you will have some idea
of this terrible calamity.
A partial list of the business houses de-
molished is as follows: Georg3 W. Evans &
Co. IS bank, and the stores of Hudspeth &
Co., Louis Rober, Howard Bros & Co, r. A.
Ryan. Stratton & Co., Hill, Williams & Co.,
J. E. Ferguson Il Co., A. C. Johnson, A. B.
Cox Powlson & Co., Jackson & Co., G. W.
Morgan and Maxey, Westcott & Swift.
No goods We're saved and the debris
is burning. The saloons of Ellis s.
Guthrie and J. j. Manion are wrecked and
burning. The Commercial Hotel is a bad
wreck Every church in the city is totally
destroyed, except the Presbyterian and
Catholic. Over 500 dwellings were totally
destroyed and some burned The loss will
not fall short of 81, 000,O0 People here
will suffer if outside help is not forthcom-
ing at once.
LATER--The fire is now under control. At
q meeting of business men last evening
Morris Emnerson was made chairman, and
committees were appointed to look after
the wounded and homeless. Tie citizens
ale working nobly for their relief, but it will
be impossible for them to meet the demands
of the occasion
mount Vernon is the capital of Jefferson
County H., and has apopulation of about 2, 100
1t is about twenty miles southeast of Centraia
and contains courthouse, two newspaper Of
fees, two steam f1our-mills, a woolen-mill, saw
mill and several railroad machinc-shops.l
Sheridan Won't Run.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 The Washington
agent of che Associated Press SOUGHT an in