Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-07-07
Again Storm Swept.
AUDRAIN VISITED THE SECOND
TIME BY A TERRIBLE
TWISTER.
Sections South and West OF the City
Are Badly Damaged by Saturday
Nights Storm-Houses Blown
Away But No One
Killed.

swept along the southern outskirts
of this city. 1t travelled eastward,
swaying in its course not more than
two hundred yards. 1t seemed to
have started about ten miles south
west of Mexico; at least there is
where it first did any damage in this
vicinity. The first house it struck
was that of a MI. Sellars, who lives
nine miles west of town. 1t swept
the house entirely AWAY, not leaving
a board of it standing. It then
rolled on down through some woods,
breaking off huge trees and uproot-
ing others and taking fences with it
in its mad course.
The next place that lay in its way
was the country residence of Alex.
Davis, who lives about seven or
eight miles from town. Here it
completely destroyed all the build
ings and trees and injured every
member of the family, not seriously,
however. Then, rushing OMIT looked
as though itwould hit Mexico center,
but veering in its course a little to
the south it struck the home of a
Mr.. Garner, damaging his trees and
a few out-houses, but did not injure
the residence. Tie great rolling,
laundering mass then swept on
until it reached Ben Hills farm,
where it passed through the yard.
Persons who saw it say it literally
whipped the trees around the house,
but did not tear a dozen shingles
from the building.
A half mile further on it struck the
large two story house on the old
Shumate place, now owned by A.G.
Turner. The place was occupied
by John Showers, II of Audrain's
oldest farmers. Here it left one of
the worst wrecks on its whole path.
1t seemed to conae across the
meadow, just west of the house, in
a vast rolling mass of cloud, entire
ly obscuring the house in darkness,
which, when it came to light, was
only a fragment Of the original.
The house was torn all to pieces
except a few front rooms which
were lifted up and carried some six
or eight feet from its foundation.
If the window blinds on the east
side of the house had been unlocked
these rooms would have been also
carried away. The trees in the
yard were stripped and many were
broken square off or uprooted. 1t
carried a wagon for four hundred
yards, uncoupling it and tearing the
wheels all apart. The storm lifted
a smoke house, which covered the
cellar, up several feet and scattered
it over the adjoining field for a quar-
ter of a mile. Shingles were found
a half mile away which had been
carried by the storm from the Stow
ers residence. Then coming on
down through the dense wood
owned by Mr.. Lakeland, it tore a
path through it a hundred yards in
width, breaking off trees two feet in
diameter and pulling others out of
the ground and carrying them across
the road. The water-works plant
received its share next, giving up
its roof and derrick to the terrible
wind. The tornado then hit the
large barn of W. III. Turner and
then the barn of w. K. Potts, raz-
ing them to the ground.
A house that was being moved
and was then standing in the road
near the residence of Geo. A. Nor
ris was spread over the adjoining
field.
w. B. Edwards, who lives on the
Garth place, just southeast OF the
city limits, says the wind struck his
premises about 7 80 tore his orchard
to fragments and blew down all his
shade trees, but did not damage the
buildings.
Further on no account OF the
storm is known. 1t is thought that
here it spent its force and assembled
into the air. From good authority
it is learned that a similar wind
storm, which was more of a straight
blow, passed six miles north of town
in the same direction as its compan-
ion on the south. A few barns
were unroofed and several fences
were blown down.
Strange to say, no one was killed
All the family at Alex. Davis were
. injured, but none seriously. Al
Sellars' place Mrs. sellars was slight
!. " hurt At Ben Hills his little
!, daughter, Stella, was thought to b
dead for awhile, but was afterwart
found to be only in a swoon. A
Stowers' house the family just hat
:. gotten into the cellar as the smoke
, house which covered it moved
away. Mr.. Showers was Just II
: time, for as he descended the wint
carried away his hat. The celia
|, caved in on every side but the ives
. tern, where luckily the scared famil,
had gathered.
This tornado was rlearly as larg
=t-EX ---1 ~ 49,,