The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-02-23


will drop you few lines occasionally.
A. T. DUNLAP.
CRUSHED BY A CYCLONE.
The Fearful Fate of a Small Town In I'LL
CHICAGO, February ia cyclone
struck Mount Vernon, ILL.,, to day. The
town was virtually destroyed. A mum.
ber of lives were lost and many persons
injured. Mount Vernon is situated in
the southern part of the State, about
sixty miles east of St. Louis in almost o
direct line:
Reports, apparently we'll founded,
place the number of killed at thirty
eight.
A dispatch from Evansville, Ind, says
that over 100 persons we're killed in the
cyclone at Mount Vernon, Ills. Tele.
grams were received this evening at
Evansville from Mount Vernon asking
for help. A train with two engines was
at once sent, having on board a surgeon
and such other assistance as could be
hastily gathered.
a special to the Daily Nsws from
Evansville, Ind, says: The cyclone
struck Mount Vernon, Ills, at 4.45 to.
day from the Northwest, sweeping
around in half circle and levelling half
the town. The remainder of the place
caught fire. AID as there was a strong
wind blowing, the flames soon got
beyond control of the fire department.
A Times Centralis, Ill, special says
that high southwesterly wind has been
blowing at Centralia all the evening. It
is feared that damage has been done at
other points besides Mount Vernon.
The latter place is about twenty miles
southeast of Centralia.
Above the roar of the winds could be
heard the, shrieks and groans of the
dying. Bodies half buried in debris
could be seen on every hand.
A Centralia special to the Nsps says
two.thirds of the town was wiped out.
CHICAGO, February 90 a. m.-The
following dispatch has been received by
the Times,
MOUNT. VERNON, ILL.,, February 10.
AT about 5 o'clock this afternoon q
cyclone struck this town and left it in
ruins and killed fifteen to twenty people.
It is feared that many more than are
known to have been killed will be found
among the ruins of the buildings.
Fire Immediately broke out all over
the citv amid the ruins, spreading rap
idly owing to the damage done the
engines By the wind. The storm passed
from the southwest and had rotary
motion. 1t swept down with fearful
fury, striking first just south of the city
hall, then carried away the third and
fourth stories of Mount Vernon mill.
From there it swept on in path 500
yards wide.
The large two.story frame house Of
Geo. Ward was picked up and carried
about twenty feet and left unhurt, while
two brick buildings within one hundr
feet were left in ruins.
The loss cannot be estimated, but not
less than million dollars worth of prop.
erty has been destroyed by the cyclone
and fire, in that neighborhood. The sky
has cleared and no clouds give any init.
nation of the disastrous storm of few
hours ago.
1t is growing colder, and many home.
less people will suffer if the weather
becomes severe.
Reports are coming in from the coun-
try and the storm seems to have swept
everything for miles. Incalculable loss
of life and great suffering will follow
unless outside assistance is given to
Major @. H. Harnel, who will give it to
the proper committee.
a meeting of business men was held
and committees appointed to care for the
dead and wounded and to protect prop
erty as much as possible. Many people
who escaped with their lives have moth.
ing besides. Many are, walking the
streets, with no home 10 go to. The
north side of the Courthouse square is
injured considerably. The buildings
were wrecked, except Howard & STRAIT
toms.
One hundred persons are being cared
for by physi. ans in the best possible
manner. The railroad shops were badly
damaged and a great many homes
lived in the track Of the storm The
dead and dying are scattered throughout
the city. The doors of all the remaining
houses have been thrown open to the less
fortunate.
Three-fouiths of the business portion
of the city ia ruined financially. The
public square is in the centre of the town
and the courthouse is in the centre of the
square. The school building is in the
northeast part of the city, and all dwell.
'ings in that portion 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 storm was preceded by hail, but
not more than five minutes elapsed until
the fearful destroyer had swept over the
doomed town. 1t came from the south.
west. 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 the Mount Vernon
mill and destroyed nearly every house
from the mill north for space of about
FIVE hundred yards.
The Commercial Hotel lost the third
story. The entire west side of the square
was wrecked. The county courthouse
was struck and the building reduced to
massive pile of ruins. The clerks have
worked into the records and they are
saved.
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 Walters, the father of John.
Mrs. Walters was found with her babe in
her arms, both dead.
On the northeast corner of tie square
Howard Bros. & Co.'S grocery was blown
down and the roof and second story of O.
L. Stratton & Co.'S hardware store was
blown away, while frame hotel adjoin-
ing was unharmed. Across toward the
northeast portion of the city, number
of people were killed and the school
building was blown down.
Twenty.seven dead bodies have been
taken from the ruins and 250 are injured
,nJ ,o;es;pr