Mt Vernon, IL Tornado, Feb 1888 - Scene of Devastation

AMONGST THE RUINS.
A SCENE OF DESOLATION.
MT. VERNON, Feb. 20.-- Formal and systematic appeal will be made to all persons to assist the demoralized city in its affliction, which is indeed beyond parallel in this country of devastation by cyclones, those of western Missouri, Jamestown and Washington Courthouse, O., not equalling in total destruction the loss of this place. To-day's trains brought a host of excursionists who came to see, to render aid and to comfort stricken friends. Nearly 1,000 strangers trod the streets amazed at what they hear and see. The town if full of reporters and the dreary tale is repeated time and time again. Artists are on the scene sketching the ruins, and the pencil is in hundreds of hands jotting down facts and stories from a thousand mouths.
Alighting at the Louisville & Nashville railroad depot attention is at first directed to the two-story court building a few yards from the depot, without dome or roof, but shreds of tin hanging from its sides, making a pivot around which the storm seemed to swing. All else in this direction is untouched. A few steps eastward along the railroad discloses to the southwest an appalling sight of devastation. It is in this direction the laboring classes built their little one story cottages among the timber, and here it was the cloud first dropped down and in whirling fury twisted immense oaks from the ground and mashed homes flat, and then gathering the clinging pieces strewed them along the path, tearing down fences and wiping out landmarks. How many houses were her destroyed is not known, for nothing is left in many places to mark the lot. In six acres formerly well built up, but three houses are standing in the path of the storm, and these are wrecked.

Looking northeastward across the railroad the ruins appear more terrible. There the buildings were larger, heavier and more compact and the wave swept for 600 yards a clean swath, tearing down fences and trees, piled up debris on either side and left naked fence posts and foundation walls to mark the spots of residences. There still remain on either side of the path dismantled frame houses half buried with other roofs. To the southeast stands the monumental ruins of a three-story brick flour mill, the walls stripped down, and machinery exposed and on the north partially surrounded by uninjured houses; the crushed Baptist church and the large brick Commercial hotel unroofed and partially torn down. Six hundred yards further on in the course of the storm brings you to the post office corner, and in front stands the shattered courthouse with the dome thrown down, over the entry the walls cracked and partially fallen. In front of the post office, across Bunton street, a brick building was razed to the ground, and nearly all to the south and east fared likewise, but Uncle Sam's quarters were scarcely touched. Streets are here broad, but to-day are filled with the debris of the business houses of Bunton and Washington streets, along the eastern side of which not one house remains standing or even partially preserved. Unable to thoroughly tear asunder the frame work of buildings, they were mashed and twisted into useless masses, roofs carried away and fronts and rears knocked out. Several brick blocks of three stories gave an air of substantiality to streets. The cyclone ground the walls to a level, and the furnaces set fire to the wood work and destroyed the last plank. EVANS' bank on the corner exhibits a burning pit, the safe cracked with the heat. Under the ruins lie the charred remains of J. C. MURRAY, owner of the block. Looking to the south and east from this corner the spectator will see a line of groggeries, warehouses and a few reputable places leaning against each other, but still holding together, the reputable portion of this block. A bakery caught fire and was consumed. Other bakeries were wiped out of existence, and to-day not a loaf of bread was to be purchased in town, nor will such a state of affairs soon be remedied. However, no one suffers for want of food, shelter or clothing. Along Washington street, just back of the courthouse, it was hard to tell where one building began and the other left off. Floors, roofs, sides of buildings and partitions were shuffled up in confusion and crushed against the few brick walls that still remained standing.
Everything along here was a dead loss, not even the protection of fire insurance being available.

The able corps of physicians that responded to the first call were quickly organized and all day long have moved from place to place. A complete list of the dead and wounded has not yet been compiled. Property loss will aggregate nearly half a million dollars and falls heavily upon the thriving community.

AN APPEAL FOR AID,
addressed to mayors and citizens was sent out through the mails to-night. Money is needed more than provisions, as there are a few business houses that may be able to supply the demand. Send cash contributions if possible to GEORGE W. EVANS, chairman finance committee, or NORMAN H. MOSS, secretary.

The Quincy Daily Whig Illinois 1888-02-21