The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-20


Murray remained and was killed Ryan ran
west. aud, finding the street full of flying
timbsrs. jumped into door way, held to the
latch, and the building against which he was
standing fell around him, but he escaped I'M
touched.
A B. Cox's store. W. Morgan's jewelry store.
Maxey, West & Swifts store and Jacksons sad
dlery store are all in ruins. On the south side
of the square frame buildings. though injured,
escaped destruction. Hassermans bakery, the
Baptist Church. Cork's drug store, Mauning's
saloon, Perry's Hotel and the Stratton &
johnson brick store were leveled with the
ground. The entire east side Of the square
is destroyed, and in one of the buildings job y
Walters and child lost their lives, as did Henry
Walters, father of John. Mrs. Walters was
found with her babe in her arms, both dead.
The northeast corner of the square, Howard
Bros. 81 Co.'s grocery, was blown down, and the
roof and second story of r. L. Stratton & Co. 8
hardware store was blown away, while g frame
hotel adjoining unharmed
Across towards the northeast portion Of the
city swept the storm. and q number OF people
were killed and the school building blown down.
This building. q large two-story brick, did not
Withstand the shock any better than the small
est heuse.in the track of the cyclone.
The south portion of Mount Vernon is the
newest part of the city, and has many large and
fine buildings. The Supreme Court house has
not been injured butit stands alone. All around
it is ruin and desolation, and IL is now being
used as hospital for the wounded
Many are suffering greatly. 1t is now thought
that the northern portion OF the town will es-
cape the fire, which is confined to the east aud
south and west sides. and is being fought
manfully.
A pathetic incident of the disaster is the fact
that the operator at the Mount Vernon end of
Louisville g. Nashville wire, whose name is
Yearwood, had an uncle and cousin dead in the
ruins, and ths poor fellow with heart bursting
with grief is sitting manfully at his post OF
duty.
Four men in Evans's Bank were imprisoned in
the rnins of the building and burned to death.
Their cries of pain and distress were agonizing
in the extreme, but nothing could reach them.
Tbsir names could not es obtained. Physicians
to the number of twenty-one Joined the relief
train from Evansville. en- route. They arrived
shortly before midnight.
Before the tornado. thunder was heard, and
rain fell for some time, when suddenly a low,
rumbling noise was heard, and black, dense
clond that seemed to touch the earth swept
over the city and it became very dark.
Hundred of houses were blown down, and
macy people were crushed in the ruins.
The south and east parts of the square are
completely destroyed. The town is about
two miles long east and west, and
the course OF the tornado took in
about two-thirds of the east end the western
portion of the town escaping The business
portion of the town is completely ruined
The place looks as though an earth
quake had visited it. The county
courthouse is one of the most complete
wrecks. As write, the fire is dying out, after
ssseborn fight to extinguish it. The largest and
BEST buildings seemed to have suffered most.
The Commercial Hotel is completely ruined,
but none Of the guests were injured so far
kE0wn.
, fAtn1 A. NJ, the fires under control and
49, ara on 3duty over the goods. Nothing 2
thHt the limited resources at hand could provide
haH been neglected. An unearthly quiet is over
the place, aud only the occasional groans of the
dying, and the broad track made by the Cyclone
tell of the terrible catastrophe.