The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-21
STRUCK BY A CYCLONE.
An Illinois Town Swept Out of
Existence.
ONE HUNDRED PERSONS KILLED.

virtually destroyed, number of lives were
lost and many persons injured Mount Yer
non is situated in the southern part of the
state, about sixty miles cast of st. Louis in
an almost direct line.
Reports, apparently well founded, place tho
number Killed at twenty -eight.
y dispatch from Evansville Ind, says over
orc hundred persons wei killed in the cyclone
at Mt Vernon, Ill. kilograms were received
this evening at Evansville from Mt. Vernon
asking for help. A train with two engines
was at once sent, having on board surgeon
and such other assistance as could be hastily
| gathered
\ special to the Daily News from Evans
! Vile, Ind, says: The cyclone struck Mount
| Vernon, ILL.,, at 40 today from the north
west, sweeping around in a half circle and lev
cling half the town. The remaner of the
! place caught fire, and as there was strong
! wind blowing, the flames soon got beyond con-
| troll OF the fire department. Above the roar
of the wind could be heard the shrieks and
| groans OF the dying. Bodies half buried in de-
hris could be seen on every hand. y Contra
| liza special 10 the News says tWo-thirds of the
town was wiped out. A st. Louis dispatch
! says the following is list, as far as konWn, OF
the killed and seriously wounded
Killed-Mrs. Russell Dewry, Mr.. Jno. Water
and baby, Henry Water. David f. Yearwood
and wife, Jno. G. Murray, Mr.. Cummings, an
| engineer; Mary Westbrook, JAS. Bearson, Mrs
Hocomb, Dir. John Yearwood and wife, sam.
uel Yearwood and wife, Geo Purcell, Mrs.
| VIM. Jones and child, John Dodson, Miss Josie
| Sutton, Jno. Shaw, blacksmith, not known,
Fatally injured-Lawler T.. Segg, Mrs. III
Y. Waters, Miss Laura Lesinby, Chas. Ellis,
Mr.. and Mrs. G. G. Albraith. Chas Wier, Mr.
and Mrs. Westbrook, Amanda Bearden, w. II.
Hinman, Lizzie Bennett, J. G. Hanbricll,
low Hawkins, Mrs. Albright, Ii. Fry Ellis
| Mr.. Milicropt, Joel Howard.
The Times, Centralia, H., special, says
High southwesterly winds have been blowing
at Centralia all the evening. 1t is feared
| damage has been done at other points besides
Mt. Vernon. The latter place is about twenty
| miles southeast of Centralia. 1t has popula-
| ton of 1900
Full Account of the Disaster.
| The Times Mount Vernon dispatch says.
| AT about o'clock this afternoon q cyclone
| struck this town and left it in ruins, and
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 city amid the ruins, spreading rapid
| ly, owing to the damage done to
engines by the wind. The storm passed from
| the southwest and had q 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 the Mt. Vernon
| mill. From there it swept on in path five
hundred yards wide. Tho Methodist church
fell. Just few minutes before $50 people left
| the Sunday school room. The Commercial
house lost its third story Next the wind
| struck the county courthouse and rendered it
| heap of ruins. BY rare luck, however, the
| county records were saved. Crew S
| block, on the south side of the
square, is leveled with the earth,
and under it was found the body Of John
| Crew, the owner of the block, formerly of
Chicago. The roof and second story of STRAIT
| n q hardware
! A 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 frame house
about twenty feet and left unhurt. while the
two brick buildings within 10 feet were
| left in ruins. The loss cannot be estimated,
| but not less than million dollars worth OF
property has been destroyed by the cyclone
| and fire in that neighborhood. The sky has
cleared, and no clouds give any intimation
| of the disastrous storm of few hours ago. 1t
is growing colder and many homeless people
| will suffer If the weather becomes severe.
Reports are coming in from the country and
| the storm seems to have swept everything for
miles. Incalculable loss of life and great
| suffering will follow, unless outside
assistance is given Mayor G. II. Harnell, 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 property as much as
with their lives have nothing besides
Many are walking the streets with no home to
go to. The north side OF the courthouse square
were wrecked except Howard & STRAIT
toms. 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
i'll the track of the storm. The dead and the
| 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
! i'll the center of the town. The court house is
| i'll the center of the square. The school build
ing is in the. northwest part Of the city and all
the dwellings i'll that portion Of the city are de-
stroyed, ana the ruins Of some are still burning,
In all five hundred buildings are stroyed.
and many others injured. The dead are now
being gathered at the supreme courthouse,
which has been converted into hospital for
the dead and wounded. This building is also
damaged but not seriously The last reports
show twenty-nine dead and about 100
injured, some of whom will die
before morning Later reports say
two more have died. They are Eddy Mickey
and Mrs Colonel Cooper.
A number Of men who were struck by falling
timbers, and whose names cannot be learned
at present, are reported badly injured and
dying. 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 southwest. Tho buildings were
wrenched and twisted, and then dashed into
pieces, total wrecks Tho storm passed a little
south Of the city hall, missed Joe Chance s
house, swept away the third and fourth stories
of Mt. Vernon mill, and destroyed
nearly every house from the mill
! north for a space OF about fifty yards. The
Commercial hotel lost its third story. The
entire west side of the square was wrecked.
The county house was struck and the building
reduced to o massive pile Of ruins. The
clerks have worked into the records,
and they are saved. II. Il. Ryan
escaped in a manner almost incredible. lie
was standing by j. G. Murray, in Crews
. block, and told him to run, but Murray re-
NAMED and was killed. Ryan ran west, and
finding the street full Of flying tinbcrs, jumped
into the doorway, held to Jhe latch and the
building against which he was standing, fell
around him, but no escaped untouched.
a. b. Cox's store, q. w Morgans jewelry
store, Maxey, West 10 Swiits store, and Jack
som saddlery store are in ruins, and on the
south side of the square, frame buildings,
though injured, escaped destruction. IIasscr-
mans bakery, tho Baptist church,
Cooks drug store, Manion's saloon,
prrlv'g hotel aud Sfrnttou x, JOIneon 81