Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-04-28
FEARFuLLOsS OLE LIFE.

a tornado struck klrkSVllle, MO-,
at O'Clock yesterday evening, destroy
ing the east end of the place. Forty
dead bodies have thus far been taken
from the ruins. 1t is estimated that fully
one thousand persons have been more
or less seriously injured.
The storm seems 10 have been the
same one that did so much damage in
Iowa earlier in the day. Kirksville is a
CITY Of about seven thousand persons
The tornado cut broad, clean path
through the town nearly quarter OF q
mile wide.
A heavy rain followed the first rush
of the storm adding TO the confusion
and the difficulty OF rescue.
Kirksville is the seat of the Ameri
can School OF Oestopathy and the facul-
ty and students of that institution join
ed hands With the regular practitioners
in the work OF rescue.
From every locality the cry comes,
"Send surgeons. There are men, wo'
man, and children in agony"
Rescuing corps are lifting roofs and
searching the easements OF houses all
along the edge of the death track in
search of the injured. Cabs, express
Wagons, private conveyances anG
stretchers are all 10 service, and yet the
supply is wholly inadequate, and many
are crawling unaided out of the wreck
age and making their way as best they
can to asvlums.
Half dozen wrecked dwellings
took fire Immediately after the cyclone
had passed The fire bells were rung,
cut there was no one with time to stop
these isolated fires, and they were left
TO their own resources.
Lights from these bonfires illumed
the path of the storm and helped
the rescuers to carry on their errand OF
mercy.
Newton, Sullivan county, Mo, q
small place, on the Chicago, Milweu
kee and st. Paul Railway, felt the full
force OF the storm, being practically
wiped out. The dead number thirty.
seven, while the list of injured will
reach five hundred.
The Soldier River Valley, in Mono
ma and Crawford county, Iowa, was
swept by terrific tornado about twelve
o'clock last night. At least five per
sons were killed and many were in
lured. The property damage is incom-
Darably greater than anything of the
kind that has ever visited the State.
A severe haistorm which followed add
ed much to the work of destruction.
Eve witnesses testify that the air was
full of twisted trees, pieces OF houses,
and other debris Great quantities of
dirt were scooped up and carried along
like gunshot. The path of the storm
was nearly mile wide and is as clearly
defined from its entrance into Monona
county, along the winding course of the
Soldier river, for distance OF twenty
miles, as if cut by an army of men with
modern machinery and scoop shovels.
Trees two feet thick were twisted oil
by hundreds, and in many cases were
pulled up by the very roots and car
ried miles away.
The most remarkable freak of the
elements occurred in the destruction OF
the Ferne residence. Mrs. Ferne was
killed and her five daughters are not
expected to live. & foEr-year-old boy
was asleep by the side of his mother.
He disappeared and was supposed to
have been killed, until nearly noon
yesterday, when a searching party
found him last asleep on hay stack
nearly half mile from his homo. He
was frightened and after crying awhile
Law down on the hay and went to
sleep, where he was found.