Wrath Of The Elements

Deadly Work of Wind and Flame at Mt. Vernon, Ills.

The Little Town Almost Swept From the Earth by a Terrific Cyclone.

Shattered Buildings Take Fire and People Imprisoned Among the Debris Are Slowly Roasted to Death.

Fully Thirty-Eight Persons Lose Their Lives and Three Hundred Others Are More or Less Injured - Terrible Sights on the Streets - Some Thrilling Escapes - Aid Badly Needed for the Suffering Inhabitants of the Wrecked Town.

Mount Vernon, Ills, Feb. 20.- A terrific storm struck this city about 5 o'clock p. m. Sunday, and, in less time than it takes to tell the story, laid the greater part of it in ruins. The storm was of the genuine cyclone character, moving from Southwest to northeast, with the peculiar, deadly, rotary motion, and on its narrow circle swept every thing before it.
To add to its horrors, the ruined buildings along its whole track took fire almost immediately, and the little city fire department was utterly unable to check or stay the progress of the flames Even if the men had not been more or less demoralized by the terrible ruin spread so thickly about them on every side they would have been far from competent to cope with the fire, since the flames appeared in so many places at once. Many who were wounded, or perhaps buried unburnt among the ruins, are almost certainly burned to death.
[Image Description: Printing of ruined buildings catching flame, with a fleeing person in the foreground. Captioned "Onslaught of the Terror."]
The storm was preceded by a dash of rain and hail, and then broke suddenly with its full force over the city. Many people were in the streets. Two hundred and fifty people had just left the Methodist church Sunday school rooms and were scarcely more than safely beyond its walls when the building was dashed to pieces like tinder. Many who were in the streets were struck by falling walls or timbers, and either killed or more or less seriously wounded. Some were literally lifted off their feet and dashed against the walls or upon the ground, and many of them had most miraculous escapes from instant death.
The desolation of the situation at the time can not easily be described. Night was rapidly coming on, and the gathering darkness lent an added terror to the scene. The storm itself had enveloped the city in darkness while it did its destroying work, and after it had passed there was but little light of day left by which the survivors could look for lost friends or ruined homes. The flames from many blazing ruins, however, soon lit up the scene, but with a light that only added to the desolation and increased the difficulties of the search. Many whose friends were away from home when the storm struck, or who were themselves in the streets away from home, ran anxiously about looking for lost ones or helplessly appealed to those as helpless as themselves for information or assistance. The uninjured got to work bravely, however, and the dead were rescued from the flames, while the wounded were borne to places of shelter and safety, and physicians came to give them aid.
[Image Description: Print of survivors amongst burned out buildings as fires rage in the background, some searching through the rubble. Captioned "In the Midst of the Tornado."]
The wrecks of buildings along the path of the storm are as bad, perhaps, as were ever made by a cyclone. Many buildings are wrenched and twisted from their foundations and thrown down completely, while others of seemingly more fragile construction stand only partly ruined, and were picked up altogether and set down in some other spot.
The stormed passed a little south of the city hall, missed Joe Chance's house, swept away the third and fourth stories of the Mt Vernon mill, and nearly every house from the mill north for a space of 500 yards. The Methodist church fell, and only a few minutes before the building fell 250 people left the Sunday school. The Commercial hotel lost the third story. The entire west side of the square was wrecked. The county court house was struck, and the building reduced to a massive pile of ruin. The clerks have worked into the records, and they are saved.
The Crews block, on the south side of the square, is leveled with the earth, and under it was found the body of John C. Murray, the owner of the block, formerly of Chicago. Henry Ellis was covered by the brick of this building and escaped by a miracle. He was covered up, and Charles Ellis his brother, was seriously injured.
R. E. Ryan escaped in a manner almost incredible. He was standing by J. C. Murray in the Crews block, and told him to run, but Murray remained and was killed. Ryan ran west, and finding the street full of flying timbers, jumped into a doorway, and held to the latch, and the building against which he was standing, fell around him, but he escaped untouched.
The most heartrending sights were those witnessed in the residence portion of the town. The members of families who were fortunate enough to escape were rendered frantic by the sight of dead and dying relatives dragged out of the desolation. Mothers were killed, and in two cases babies which they held to their breasts were lifted smiling and uninjured from the debris. Two families named Yearwood, who are among the most prominent in the town, were almost annihilated. In two hours over 100 injured were in the improvised hospital and twelve lay dead in vacant stores in the north side of the square.
It was fully 1 o'clock Monday morning before the fires were entirely under control. The loss of life is frightful. Fully thirty-five were instantly killed, fifty fatally injured and 200 others were more or loss seriously hurt.
The dead and dying are scattered throughout the city. All the doors of the remaining houses have been thrown open to the less fortunate. Three fourths of the business portion of the city is ruined financially, not estimating the loss of life, and great suffering shall follow if outside assistance is not received. It should be sent to the mayor, G. H. Harnell, who will give it to the proper committee.
A meeting of the business men has been held and committees appointed to care for the dead and wounded and protect the property as much as possible. Many people who escaped with their lives have nothing besides. Scores are walking the streets, with no home to go to.
Bruised and bleeding men are seen on every hand, and many thrilling escapes are related. Two cabooses were blown from the track and turned bottom up, killing four railroad employes. More physicians are badly needed. Many wounded persons are not receiving attention because of the limited number of doctors, but those here are doing everything in their power to alleviate the suffering and save the wounded. The people are in a helpless state, and all the houses are crowded to their limit and many are without shelter.
The following is the latest revised list of the dead and injured: Killed - Mr. Russell Dewey and boy, Mrs. John T. Waters and baby, Henry Waters, David H. Yearwood and wife, John O. Murray, Mary Westbrook, James Pierson and son, Samuel Yearwood and wife, George Purcell, William Jones and child, John Dodson, Jr., Miss Josie Sutton, John Shew, Mrs. Cal Cooper, Frank Chatman, Charles Cummings, Mrs. Martin, Miss Ada Harper, Mrs. Isam, Mrs. Laura Lesenby, Amanda Heardon, Mrs. Charles Hutchinson, Miss Irwin, Mrs. Shilton, Nettie Fields, Fred Boswell, Mr. Burzell's daughter (burned up).
Injured- J. M. Hambreck, Carrina Hambreck, four other children of Mr. Hambreck. Lewis Laney, P. Lillicrap, M. C. Malone and family, five in all, R, J. Bonds and baby, Charles Weir, C. D. Cook, J. J. Manion, T. J. Manion, Mrs. Hansock, Mrs. Stearn, Weds and child, William Jones and daughter, Ed Harper, Adam Palm, A. R. Cox and family of nine persons, J. M. Russell, William Hogan, Washington Johnson, Mrs. Calhoun, Mrs. Fannie Sumpter, Mr, and Mrs. William Sheldon, James Sumpter, Gabriel Jones, wife, mother, sister, and children, John Hunter, Miss Nora Rose, Dr. Seebries' boy, Adolph Isam's daughter, Mrs. William Hogan, Frank Hogan, Hilda Hogan (leg broken), Augusta Hallman (skull fractured). Mr, William Baugh and child, Mrs. Emery Maddux and two children, Emery Maddux, Thomas Lance, Mrs. C. P. Hicks, Abe Hicks, Mrs. Guthrie, Mrs. Broader, Mrs. L. M. Beal, B. W. Westbrook, Mr. Shaldy, Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Holcomb, three children of Dave Yearwood, John Dodson, C. M. Sullivan, Eddie Malone, Frank Malone, Mrs. Maynor, James Hitchcock and boy, Mrs. Roswell, Bettie Maxey.
All of these are badly hurt, and at least eight will die.
EvansvilLe, Ind., Feb. 20. - Latest reports f rom Mt. Vernon, Ills., Monday morning report thirty-eight killed, over 300 injured, many very badly, and 337 houses destroyed, burned and damaged. There was no damage at Nortonville and there is no news from any other point than Mt. Vernon.