Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-03-01
MT. VERNON, ILL.,. IN RUINS.
Two-thirds of the City Wrecked ana
BurneJ.
FHRrfni Ios. ofIifr.


About 3 O'Clock on the afternoon OF Feb
10 cyclone struck Mt. Vernon, H., and
left it in ruins, killed 81 or 10 people, and
it is feared many more than are known to
have been killed will be found among the
ruins Of the buildings. Fire Immediately
broke out all over tGe city amid the ruins,
spreading rapidly owing to the damage
done to the engines by the wind. The
storm passed from the southwest and had
a rotary motion. 1t swept down with
fearful fury, striking first just south Of
the city hall, then carried away tine third
and fourth stories of the NJ Vernon mill.
From there it swept on in path 800 yards
wlde. he Method ST church fell Just
after 10 people had left the Sunday school
room. The Commercial hotel lost its
third story. Next the wind struck the
county court house and rendered 1t a heap
of ruins. BY rare luck, however, the
county records were saved.
The Crews block on the south side of tho
square is leveled with the earth, end under
IL was found the body of John Crews the
owner OF the block, formerly of Chicago.
The roof and second story of Z. J.. STRAIT
ton a Co.'s hardware store were blown
away. The 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
franc house of George Ward was picked
up and carried about twenty feet and left
unhurt, while two brick buildings within
100 feet were left in ruins. The loss cannot
be estimated, but not less than half "A
million dollars of property has been des-
troved by the cyclone or fire in that neigh
borhood.
The sky was clear and no clouds gave
any intiIuation of the disastrous storm
Inca culable loss ollie aud great suffering
will follow unless outside assistance Is
given. The mayor, G.. III. Harnell, will
give it to the proper committee. a meet
ing of business men was held and
committees appointed to care for the
dead and wounded and protect the
property as much as possible. Many per-
sons who escaped with their lives have
nothing besides. Many are walking the
streets with no home TO go TO. The north
side of the court house square is injured
considerably.
The wounded are being cared for by the
physicians in the best possible manner
The railroad shops were badly damaged
and great number of homes destroyed
The people are out doors who lived in the
track of the storm. The dead and dying
are scattered throughout the 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 court
mouse Is the COHbBT u Lnt UnG
school building is in the northeast corner
of the city and all the dwellings in that
portion of the city are destroyed and the
ruins of some are still burning. In oil 500
buildings are destroyed and many others
injured The dead are now being gathered
at the supreme court house, which has
been converted into a hospital for the
dead and wounded.
Across towards the northeast portion OF
the city swept tho storm, and a number
of people were XII led aud the school build
ing was blown down Not less than $500,
600 worth of property has been destroyed
by the cyclone.
The south portion OF Mt. Vernon is the
newest part of the city and has many
large and fine buildings. The court house
has not been injured but IL stands alone.
All around it is ruin and desolation and it
is now being used as an hospital for the
wounded. Many are suffering greatly.
A pathetic incident of the disaster is the
| fact that the operator at tho Mount Yer
non end of the Louisville q Nashville
wire whose name is Yearwood, had an
uncle, aunt and consin dead in tn ruins,
| and the poor fellow, with heart bursting
with grief remained manfully at his post
| of duty. Four men in Evans bank we're
| imprisoned in the ruins OF the buildin &
| and burned TO death. Their cries of pain
| and distress were agonizing in the ex-
treme but nothing could reach them.