St. Charles, Missouri Tornado
February 27, 1876
A Fearful Tornado
ST. CHARLES MO., Feb. 27. -- About half past
2 o'clock this evening our city was visited by
the most terrible tornado ever known.
At the hour names dark clouds came sweeping
down from the south. Rain began to fall,
followed by hail. In a moment dark yellow
streaks were observed following in the course of
the clouds. A noise as loud as thunder was then
heard, and in the twinkling of an eye the
tornado was upon us.
The heavens were shut out by the debris of
wrecked buildings which filled the air, so that
nothing could be discerned. The roar of the wind
was appalling, and every one was paralyzed by
fear.
The duration of the tornado could not have
been longer than one half of a minute. As soon
as it subsided and people began to venture out
the sight that met their eyes was such as to
make the stoutest heart quail.
The main street of our city from Water street
to Clark, a distance of some twenty squares, was
filled with bricks, porches.
The loss of life has not yet been
ascertained. So far two bodies have been taken
from the ruins of the gas works,
JAMES GOSNEY
and his little son; both were found in
the retort house under one of the massive
retorts. The child was closely clasped in the
arms of its father. Both bodies were crushed so
as to be unrecognizable.
A little boy of MRS.
LINNEBAR is still missing. Some
parties assert that they saw a little child
blown over the St. Charles bridge, which is 90
feet high. Several other persons are missing,
but at this hour hopes are entertained that they
will be found.
Below is given a partial list of the damage done
to the most important buildings:
Court-house unroofed and front blown down;
Concert hall and St. Charles Savings bank
totally destroyed; new county jail unroofed and
the walls on four sides of two stories down,
leaving the cells with their inmates entirely
exposed; three story building of
Meyer Bros.
Damaged to the amount of $3,000; St. Charles
gas-works totally destroyed;
Pieper's large
agricultural warehouse levelled [sic] to the
ground; F. X. KREMER'S
wheat warehouse totally destroyed; the First
National bank will have to be pulled down; large
livery stable of R. O.
HARRIS unroofed and otherwise damaged
to the amount of $2,000.
Some fifteen or twenty other buildings were
blown down, and every house on Main street more
or less damaged.
The Phelps County New Era Missouri 1876-03-04
Submitted & transcribed by Stu
Beitler Thank you,
Stu!
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