The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-02-25

\ dispatch of the e0th from Evans
ville., Ind, says: At 4:50 cyclone
struck Mt. Vernon, H., from the north
west, and sweeping around in a half
circle leveled half the town to the
ground. The remainder caught fire and
as there was a strong wind blowing; the
flames soon got beyond The costtr0l OF
the fire depastment. The situation was
a startling one. High above the whist
ling of the wind and the fierce crack
ling of the flames could be heard the
shrieks and groans ofthe dying. Ali over
the ruined part of the town could be seen
bodies, half buried beneath the ruins.
The survivors, who realized the destrucs
ton fully, set to work like giants, Tte
Western Union offcs was bufned and
nearly all connections were destroyed,
the only line remaining being the Louis
vile x Nashville wire to Evansville The
following message was flashed TO this city:
"Te Mayor Durncteii. Town struck by cy-
clone, 100 persons killed end wounded. The re-
mainder o. the t6wn Is on FIRE aud beyond con-
trol. Send Us two ire engines and as many
physicians as you can. WAMELL"
The Louisville & Nashville made up
train and two engines with their crews
and twelve physicians We're sent to the
relief of the burning city.
The tornado came from the SOUTH
west and the whole southwest portion of
the town was leyeled, the north
ern portion remaining intact, but
threatened every moment with
flames. So far there are thirty
reported killed and 250 injured. Twen-
ty-seyen dead bodies have been recov-
cred up to o'clock. About $50 are
wounded. At $50 the fire was under
control. A fire eng ne from Nashville,
H., arrived AT $50, and has done good
service.
Not house is left standing on the
east, west and south sides Of the public
square. At midnight twenty-nine
deaths are known, and the list is incom-
plete, while several others are dying.
There will be probably forty deaths
Every church in the city is destroyed
except the Catholic and Presbv-
terian. Under the burning debris are
men, women and children, some dead,
others injured and the flames are com
ing up on the poor creatures whom 9th
ers are powerless to aid Add to this
shrieks of women, the groans of the
injured, the pleadings of those pinioned
under the burning ruins, and you will
have some idea of this terrible calam-
ity. The loss viii probably reach 81, ,000,-
600 and 500 buildings are totally de-
stroyed, some burned.
The following are among the killed:
Mrs. Russell Dewey, Mrs. John L.
Waters and baby, Henry Waters, David
f. Nearwood and wife, John c. Murrav,
Mr.. Cummings, an engineer, Mary
Westbrook, James Bearson, Mrs.
Holcomb, DR.. John Yearwood and
wife, Samuel Yearwood and wife,
George Purcell, Mrs William Jones and
child, John Dodgson, Miss Josie SUM
mons, John Shews, Mrs. Col. Cooper,
Ed. c. Maxey, ). J. Waters, George
Pierce, Mrs L. f. Leleg, two telegraph
operators, a blacksmith, name not
known. Among the fatally injured are:
Lawler E. Legg, Mrs. Henry Waters,
Miss Laura Lisenby, Charles Ellis, Mr..
and Mrs. c. s Galbraith, Charles Weir,
Mr.. and Mrs. Westbrook, Amanda
Bearden, W. III. Hinman, Lizzie Ben
nett, ]. c. Handrick, Charles Pool. Miss
Corinne Pambrick, Brownlow Haw-
kins, Miss Albright, Henry Ellis, Mr..
Millicroft, Joel Howard, Mr.. and Mrs.
Calvin.
Mt. Vernon is the capital of Jefferson
County, IL, and has a population of
about 2,1C1. 1t is about twenty miles
southeast of Centralia and contains
courthouse, two newspaper offices, two
steam -four mills, WOODEN mill, sawmill
and several railroad machine shops.