The Globe-republican., 1891-05-27
TORNADO Ruin.
A Fearful Cyclone Sweeps Over
Audrain County, Mo.
Dwellings Destroyed and People Killed
and Injured Devastation to Crops
Orchards and Groves Swept
Clean.

i
Orchards and Groves Swept
| Clean.
MEXICO. Mo-. May 21.-A terrific CT
clone passed three miles northeast Of
here about three o'clock yesterday
afternoon, striking the Bean creek
neighborhood about six miles north
east of this city and going in a zigzag
direction northeast 1t laid waste the
country as far as discovered fOv ten OF
twelve miles, carrying everything be.
fore it. 1t was the most terrible tor
nado that has ever swept over this
county and carrying death and de-
structiOn in its wake.
The first news of the disaster was re-
ceived in this city about o'clock in the
shape of a call for doctors and help
All the doctors of the city reported
The first house visited was Mr.. Duff 3,
half mile south of the path of the
cyclone where were found six victims
from one house in the storm district
the family of John Doerger.
The six-year-old son was killed in
stantly. He was fearfully mangled al
most beyond recognition and covered
with mud.
| Mr.. Doerger and his daughter, about
12 years of age, were in one bed. The
daughter is fatally injured with a large
hole in her side, one leg broken, several
severe cuts in the head and body.
Mrs. Doerger was in another bed
with two children both very seriously
and probably fatally wounded. Mrs
| Doerger is seriously wounded and pre-
sents a terrible sight, with head and
face cut and covered with blood. Mr..
DOerger had cuts on the head, body and
arms and was probably internally in
jured.
Doerger's house was swept from ex-
istence, nothing being left. The barn
was blown down and two horses killed.
The next house visited was William
Strauberg's. There were William Yost-
meyer and his wife, baby and little
girl. They were all seriously injured.
Yostmeyer's house and every thing on
the place was swept away.
The next place was E. B. Norris.
There we found seven injured people.
The first was Miss Gertie Fletcher,
| daughter of r. S. Fletcher. She is IA
tally wounded, her skull being broken
and her head laid open, producing con-
cussion of the brain.
Caleb Norris is badly, but not seri-
ously, hurt and his wife is seriously
hurt His son and daughter are very
seriously manglcd. The daughters leg
is broken and cheek cut to the bone.
Mrs. Emily Seal, widow, aged GO, was
fatally hurt and will die, and old lady
Norris is fatally hurt.
All these people were at F. S. Nor.
ris' house during the storm, and the
house was swept entirely away. The
cyclone seemed to be hardest there.
The house. bedding and furniture are
scattered over the fields for half mile.
The house of Valentine Erdle caught
fire and was burned His barns and
outhouses were demolished, but no
one was hurt
The residence of 7. B. Hall was blown
down, but his family were all saved by
going into a cellar. A horse was car
ried half a mile and dashed to pieces
The home of Boston Kunkle was
swept away, the wind being terrific
there. Mr.. kunkle was picked up and
thrown against a wagon and instantly
killed. His large orchard was picked
completely up and carried several hum
dred yards and deposited in the creek.
A farmer named Rogers was killed
and several others whose names could
not be learned injured or killed.
A farmer named Crane in a wagon
was caught in the storm and literally
blown to pieces.
Joseph Kcndalls house and barn were
blown down. Mr.. Kendall had a mar
row escape.
James billiards. house was blown
down as was also Frank Carter's new
barn, were there was a moving ma
chine carried about 100 yards and liter
ally torn to pieces. while large iron
roller weighing ZOO pounds was taken
up and carried 100 yards and broken to
pieces, and calf was taken up and
carried over quarter of a mile. Sew
cral horses were killed outright. TWEEN
ty-five chickens were plucked clean of
their feathers. A new wagon belong
ing to Mr. Kunkcl was literally torn to
pieces, the spokes being twisted and
broken.
The width of the cyclone was about
800 yards and. as far as heard from,
about twelve miles long. The people
of the neighborhood are mostly Ger
mans of moderate means and ought to
receive aid at once. for their houses are
destroyed, fences blown away, house,
hold goods and wearing apparel all
gone. stock killed and wounded and
crops destroyed. The loss will be- over
$50, 600.
HAVOC ABOUT CENTRArIA.
CENTHAI.IA. Mo-, May 2i.--About 8
o'clock yesterday afternoon 4 dcstruc-
tive cyclone passed a mile north of this
city. sweeping everything in its course.
Ten or twelve dwellings were totally
destroyed and many persons seriously
injured.
Horses. mules and cattle were killed
and barns and fences carried away and
large trees torn out by the roots