Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1880 — The Destruction of Marshfield, Mo., by a Tornado [ARTICLE]

The Destruction of Marshfield, Mo., by a Tornado

The recent severe wind storms which E revailed with such destructive effects x many portions of the West almost completely destroyed the village of Marshfield, Mo. St. Louis dispatches of the 19th give the following particulars of the terrible devastation: The first dispatch direct from Marshfield was received late to-night by the Gk»h«-Denv>-crat, and gives the following description of the storm: “ This town and county were visited by one of the most destructive cyclones on record last evening. After passing through several miles of country in Cnristian, Green and Webster Counties, destroying everything in its pathway, leveling bouses, barns, mills and timber, ft struck this town about 6:30 o'clock. Eye-witnesses of the approaching storm say it was a frightful-looking black cloud, lined with a fleecy white, funnel-shaped substance, and moving in the manner of a screw propeller. It moved with wonderful velocity, literally destroying and blowing away everything in its path, which was about half a mile wide at this poiut. Large-sized trees were twisted off, telegraph wires snapped and the bark literally peeled from small trees. Houses were blown from their foundations, and cattle, bogs, sheep, horses and poultry whirled into the air and carried a great distance. The noise of the storm, the crash of falling houses nnd the cries and screams of terrified people made a scene of horror that beggars description. What was a beautiful, peaceful, quiet town of 800 people twenty-four hours ago is now a waste of desolation. Out of 200 dwellinghouses not more than twenty are left standing, and but few of firm remaining are un-. injured. Of the business houses around the public eauare, alt but three are utterly demoiisbed and their contents blown away, burned or badly damaged. “ The k>■ by this terrible calamity is estimated at 25 t.OOO to 2400,000. Every business house in the place is in ruins, and the stocks of alfare destroyed except two. “Of 800 inhabitants of Marshfield who yesterday had happy, comfortable homes seveneighths are without houses, clothing, food, oi means to procure them. The destitution and suffering are terrible. A great many bodies are lying in the Court House. “Of the total number killed, which is not fat short of a hundred, not more than a dozen have been buried. Nothing like a complete list of the killed and wounded can be obtained to-night. “Marshfield Is the county seat of Webetet County, 215 miles from St. Lorts, situated on the plateau of the Ozark Mountains, but not of great attitude or particularly exposed.” A dispatch from D. R. N k inds, Assistant Superintendent of the Bt. Louis k Ban Francisco Railroad, says: “ Advloee are coming in constantly from different parts of the country, showing that many were killed or injured in remote district*. It is believed many farmers and their famines have been destroyed and not yet reported. Seven of the wounded on James River died this afternoon, and live at Marshfletd. At the latter place all is confusion, and the people are in such an excited state that It to almost* impossible to get any intelligible report. Many families are homeless, and have taken refuge in our depot and the empty oars standing at the stations. The front rooms of tBo Court-House are still standing, and have been converted into a morgue. The school building to used for a hospital. Up to seven p. m. they have a death list of seventy-eight, and a prospect of iaereasioe It before morning. Many are yet missing, and a number of people have been buried, of whom no record has been kept.”