The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-20
ESTABLISHED 1880.
l. Fl. ESTILL, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
HORRORS OF A CYCLONE
OVER THIRTY LIVES REPORTED
LOST IN ILLINOIS.

received the following special:
NouYr VERNON, ILL, Feb. 19.-About 5
o'clock this afternoon cyclone struck this
town and left it in ruins, killed fifteen to
twenty people, and it is feared many more
than are known to have been killed will be
fonnd among the ruins of buildings.
Fire Immediately broke out all over the
city amid the ruins, spreading rapidly,
owing to the damage done to the engines by
the wind.
FEARFUL FURY.
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, and then carried away the third
and fourth stories of the Mt. Vernon mill.
From there 1t swept on IN a park 0UO yards
vide
The Methodist church fell just a few min
utes before 250 people had left the Sunday
school room.
HOTEL UNROOFED.
The Commercial Hotel lost its third story
Next the wind struck the county court
. house and rendered it a heap of ruins. BY
rare luck, however, the county records were
. saved.
Crews block, on the south side of the
| square. is leveled with the earth. and under
. il was found the body of John Crew, the
owner of the block, formerly of Chicago.
The roof and second story of Stratton g.
| Co hardware store was blown away.
THE SCHOOL HOUSE GONE.
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 frame 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 81 900, 900 worth of property has been
destroyed by the cyclone and fire.
A SMILE AFTER THE FRowN.
The sky has cleared and no clouds give
any intimation of the disastrous storm
ola 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 every
thing for miles. IncalNIlable loss of life
and great suffering Will follow unless out
side assistance is given. Mayor G. H.
Harnell, who will give it to the proper COM
mittee.
LOCAL RELIEF MEASURES.
Ameeting of business men was held and
committees appointed to care fo. the dead
and wounded, and protect property as much
aspossible. Many people 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
bnjured considerably. No buildings were
wrecked, except Howard & StrattOn's.
CARING FOR THE WOUNDED.
The wounded are being cared for by ply
scans III the best possible manner.
The railroad shops were badly damaged
and grea3 number of homes destroyed.
The people - out doors who lived in the
track of 0le "; n.
The dead and d Jlng are scattered through
out the city
The doors Of all the remaining houses have
been thrown open to the less fortunate. .
Ihree-fourths of the business portion of
the city is ruined financially.
The public square is in the center of the
town. The court house is in the center of
the square
The school building is in the northeast
part Of the city, and all the dwellings, in
mat portion of the city are destroyed, and
NE ruins of some are still burning.
800 BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
In all 800 buildings are destroyed and
many others injured
lhe dead are nov beip, gathered at the
IouTt House, which has been con-
erted into receptacle for the dead and
'ounded This building is also damaged,
Nt not seriously.
THE DEATH LIST INCREASED.
Ihe latest reports show twenty-nine dead
Ad about 100 injured, some of whom will
ue oelOre morning.
Later reports say two more have died
4hey are Eddie Mickey and Mrs. Colcooper.
a number of men who were struck by
aillrg CImbers and whose names cannot be
earned at present are reported badly in
uIed and dying.
Inc storm was preceded by hail but not
nore man five minutes elapsed until the
eariul destroyer had swept over the
.'1;I o2ned town. Buildings were wrenched and
"Nleu and then dashed into pieces total
wrecks The storm passed little south of
ne clIy hal, missed Joe Chances house,
wv away the third and fourth stories of
Iunt ue Mount Vernon Mill and destroyed nearly
oFeIy mousse from the mill north for a space
Ol about 500 yards.
Inc County Clerk has worked into the
'0',rdS and they are saved
A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
~ r. Ryan escaped in a manner almost
maedl6le nal He was di,tr,l.ng by j. C.. Muir
lazy o,t NJ NJ crews block and told him to run;
W.. SuY Murray remained and was killed. Ryan
- anu uuuluS Une SUreeU lull Oh
,99!uIR Illnbers jumped into a doorway, held
Vlle latch and the building against which
~ was standing fell around him, but he
"'aped untouched.
RUINED STORES.
coJ col the west side of the square, A. B.
store, q. w. Morgan's jewelry store,
M1' ~11ey, West & Swlft's store, and jack
sr., Sauqlery store are in ruins. On the
hg, hrsn SIDE of the square, frame build
Hss uloush injured, escaped destruction.
Cn,gS,ll man IS bakery, the Baptist church,
got1 uIug store, Manion's saloon, Perry's
To. ana Stratton Il Johnson's brick
were leNelled with the ground.
n KILLED IN A STORE
rro,oi a~c entire east side of the square is de-
W,Iooau' ana IN one Of the buildings John
H@'r' ana a child lost their lives, as did
Rsi,S. walters, father of John Mrs
,nn. was found with her babe in her
NJ G, S,,,', ",,h dead, on the northeast corner Of
DOWN. %1"arl VAR, Bros, &, Co.'S. grocery was blown
tss g. S"',l ~ lhe roof and second story of STRAIT
lsa, ,'s. hardware store was blown
ubgyr,,." "uIIo The frame hotel al Joining was
DoriI,. Across towards the northeast
huul., VI lhe city swept the storm ana "A
bldi,.H people were killed and the school
TL'f blown down.
tsv, 'ulh portion of Mount Vernon is the
thd N, r', ~ the city and has many large
t1f h.'' '1ldings The court honse has
trl4l.I :. IJurei, but IL stands alone. All
hlH L..,. rAin nnd desolaiion, and " ~