The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-20
DEVASTATION!
Mt. Vernon, ILL.,, Almost Destroyed.
About Thirty People Killed Out
right and Many Others Injured.
Over Five Hundred Houses Swept
From Their Foundations.
The County-House Is Nothing But
Massive Pile Of Ruins.
267 People Just Leave a Church,
When the Building Collapses.
Stone, Brick and Metal Seem Straws
Before the Cyclone.
'eople Rendered Homeless. Walk Aim
lessly About the Devastated Town
In the Freezing Temperature
Appalling Details of the
Storm Demons Awful
Work-A Partial List
of the Dead.
267 People Just Leave a Church,
When the Building Collapses.
Stone, Brick and Metal Seem Straws
Before the Cyclone.

CHICAGO, H., Feb. 10.--A Times special
says: About 8 O'Clock this afternoon a cy-
clone struck Mount Vernon and left il in
ruins, killed fifteen or twenty people, and
II is feared many more than are now known
to have been killed will be found among
the ruins OF the buildings. Fire immedi-
ately broke out all over the city amid the
ruins, spreading rapidly, owing 10 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 the
third and fourth stories Of the Mount Ver-
non mill. From there il swept on in n
path 800 yards wide. The Methodist
church fell Just n few minutes after $50
people had left the Sunday-school room.
The commercial hotel lost its third story.
Next the wind struck the county court
house aud rendered Il a heap OF ruins. BY
rare luck, however, the county records
were saved. The Crews block, on the
south side Of the square, Is lcvelcd with the
earth, and under II was found the body OF
John G. Murray, the owner oithe block, for
merly OF Chicago. The roof and second
story oi X. J.. Stralton 4 Co.'S hardware
slorr was blown away. The large two
story brick school-house did not withstand
the terrible shock amy better than the
smallest house in the track Of the cyclone.
The large ,wo-siory frame house Of Gregg
Ward was picked up and carried about
twenty feet and left unhurt, while two
brick buildings 100 feet away we're left in
ruins.
TIIE loss CANNOT M EsTINATED,
but not less than s5O0OOO worth
OF property has been destroyed by
the cyclone and fire In that neighborhood.
The sky has cleared and no clouds give
any indication of the disastrous storm Of a
few hours ago. II is growing colder, and
many poor people will suffer II the weather
becomes severe. Reports are coming In
from the country, and the storm seems TO
have swept everything for miles. The In
calculabc loss Of life and great suffering
viii follow, unless outside assistance is
given the mayor, who viii give II TO the
proper committee. A meeting Of business
mcn was held and commit
tees appointed 10 care for
he dead and wounded and protect the
property as much as possible. Many peo.
pie who escaped with their lives have
nothing besides. Many are walking the
streets with no home 10 go TO. The north
hde Of the courthouse square Is injured
considerably. No buildings were wrecked
except Howard & STATIONS. The wounded
arc being cared for by the physicians In
the best possible manner. The railroad
shops were hgdly damaged and a great
number OF homes destroyed. Tho people
arc out doors who lived In the track Of the
storm.
THE DEAD AND DYINo
arc scattered throughout the city. All the
doors Of the remaining houses have been
: thrown open 10 the less fortunate. Three
lourihs Of the business portion Of the city
. ruined financially. The public square Is
N the center OF the town, the courthouse
ls In the center Of the square, the school
building Il In the northeast corner Of tho
.ity, and all the dwellings In that portion
Of the city are destroyed and the ruins Of
,omo are still burning. In all 500 build.
lngs are destroyed and many Others
injured. The dead are now being gathered
At the supreme courthouse, which has
been converted into an hospital for the
dead and wounded. This building IL also
damaged, but not seriously. The latest
9 reports show twcnty-nine dead and about
100 injured, some Of whom viii die before
morning.
later reports say two moro have died.
They are Eddie Maxey and Mrs. Col.
Cooper A number oi the wounded arc
dying. A number Of men who were
struck by falling timben, and whose
names cannot be learned at present, are
reported badly injured and dying. The
storm was preceded by hail, but not more
than Eve minutes elapsed until the fearful
destroyer had swept over the doomed
town. II came from the southwest. Build.
ings were wrcnchcd and twisted and then
dashed 10 pieces, total wrecks
The storm passed little south Of tho
city hall, missed Joe Chances house,
swept away the third and fourth stories oI
tho Mount Vernon mill, and
DESTROYED NEARLY EVERY nousE
from the mill north for n space Of about
800 yards. The Commercial hotel lost III,
third story. The ontiro west side Of the
square was wrecked. The county court
house was struck and the building reduced
10 a massive pile Of ruins. The clerk
have worked into the records and thev arr