The Northern Star, And Farmers' And Mechanics' Advocate

Destructive Tornado.—We take the following account of a destructive tornado in the West, from the Springfield, (Ohio) Pioneer, of the 13th instant:

On Thursday afternoon, the 11th inst. between 5 and 6 o'clock, our citizens were alarmed by the appearance in the South of a violent hurricane. When first seen, it appeared to be sweeping onward in a direct line for Springfield, but as it neared the town, it was apparent that it bore too far South to visit us.

It has since been ascertained that it rose somewhere in the south west and swept across the country in a due north easterly course. We have accounts of its effects as far south west as Landis Mill, on Mill Creek, five miles from this place. It struck the dwelling house of Mr. Peterson, entirely unroofed one department, tore the smoke house from its mooring, with the exception of the foundation, which was retained in its place by an oak tree two feet in diameter cast upon it by the storm. Leaving Mr. Peterson's farm, it struck the dwelling house of Mr. Thomas Throckmorton—entirely demolished it—and, we regret to say, killed one of his children, a boy five or six years old—and considerably bruised himself and wife. The next account we have of it is where it crossed the Yellow Spring road, which was so completely stopped up by huge oak trees, rails, &c. as to render it impassable. The Southern mail stage was compelled to return to Springfield, where it was detained until the next morning

Passing on, the storm struck the house of Mr. Cullum, directly south of this place, and threw off the upper or garret story. It appears soon after to have broken, but again collecting, it continued to travel in a north easterly course, until it reached the farm of B. Brubacher, about two miles above Springfield, when it heaved forth its last gasp, and was scattered to the four corners of the earth.

Its whole course, as far as we have heard, extended about eight miles. Its nearest approach to Springfield was about a mile and a half. The base of the column varied from five to eighty rods, and it gradually arose into the heavens in the form of a pyramid.

An informant first fell in with the marks of the tornado five miles this side of Dayton. Its whole course was marked by the most destructive violence. Directly northwest from Fairfield, a family of seven persons were buried in the ruins of their home. Immediately after the storm, some young men repaired to the house to lend assistance, but were unable either to see or hear any thing of the inhabitants. After throwing off a quantity of lumber and stones, they succeeded in releasing the bodies from their confinement, and ascertained that two were killed, and the remaining five dangerously wounded.

At the widow Winget's a child had its skull fractured:

The teamster of Mr. Mennard, who was on the road at the time of the storm, perceiving its approach, drove rapidly up to the door yard of a farm house. After the shock had passed over, a person who was standing within the house, saw the teamster stretched upon the ground, and his team of five horses; and a large road wagon in the bushes on the opposite side of the road, where they had been dropped from the suck of the whirlwind.

Great havoc was made among the stock. One farm had seven horses killed—all of them horribly mangled. One horse had its head cut off just above the eyes—another had its entrails torn out by a flying missile, and others lost their limbs.

A cow was thrown from a field into the road, and killed by the fall.

For twenty five miles, and how much farther we cannot imagine, dwelling houses have been levelled with the earth, and the inhabitants killed and wounded—barns demolished, and the grain scattered abroad—stock killed and crippled—and fences thrown down, and crops laid open to the depredations of the cattle. All this will undoubtedly produce much suffering.