Marissa, IL Fearful Tornado Damage, July 1870

FEARFUL STORMS IN ILLINOIS -- THE SOUNDS LIKE THE ROAR OF ARTILLERY.

Correspondence of the Missouri Democrat.
Belleville, Ill., July 12. -- On Sunday last, about 5 P.M., a fearful tornado passed over a strip of country lying about a quarter of a mile north-west of the town of Marissa, situated in the south-eastern part of this (St. Clair) county. A pleasant rain had been falling all day, and, about the time named, two small cloudbanks seemed to approach and meet, when immediately the fury and violence of the tornado began, producing destruction to fences, wheat in shock and stack, trees, birds, &c. Fortunately its path was across the fields, and not through the dwellings of men, or we should have had to chronicle, no doubt, a sad destruction of human life. Its track was about six rods wide, and extended for about two miles in length; its direction was from south-west to north-east, and its noise like that of the continued discharge of heavy artillery. The appearance of the storm was like that of a great, dark, moving pillar or vast column, bringing swift destruction to whatever came in its way. After the passage of the tempest, birds were found mangled and torn, and a dove was picked up dead with scarce a feather remaining on it. Wheat shocks were torn to pieces, and rail-fences lifted like feathers. Four large wheat stacks belonging to MR. ROBERT J. M. QUILKIN were hurled from their foundations, and some of the wheat left a heap of loosened sheaves, the rest scattered to the winds. Two of the stacks were thrown at each other by the power of the hurricane. The old mill, known as COLLINS' Mill, was the only building which was in the tornado's track. It drew from the old chimney a great volume of coal soot, so that the mill had the appearance of being suddenly set on fire or of being fixed up for work. Fourteen large apple trees in the orchard of MR. JOHN HASKER were lifted up by the roots and made play things for the storm. Many of these trees were more than a foot in diameter, and when high up in the air had the appearance of great umbrellas. Large osage hedges were torn and twisted. No ordinary building could have stood against its power when large trees like those torn out were lifted and carried long distances. Those who saw the tornado describe it as grand beyond comparison, yet appalling. Outside of its track there was nothing to claim or indicate to any one the fearful power that the tempest possessed. It appears to have lost its power after reaching the timber on Mud Creek.

The New York Times New York 1870-07-17
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!