school at present, which is well attended. The town has also two comfortable church buildings, those of the Methodist Episcopal, South, and Christian denominations. Its business interests are represented by a number of live, energetic business men, who are fast becoming widely and favorably known throughout the surrounding country.

The present population of the town is about 280, and in consequence of its close proximity to the famous McAllister Springs, is destined in the near future to become a popular resort and an important distributing point. It is now the point of departure for persons visiting the Springs from the south and east, and as they are distant but about four miles, it is bound to become the residence of many people who are desirous of making their home within easy reach of them. The history of the place is easily written, as it only dates back a few years since the first store was erected.

The following are the business men of Houstonia at the present time:

Fred Wilson, postmaster and dealer in dry goods and groceries; Locket & Vantuyl, dealers in groceries and hardware; A. F. Dorsey, general merchandise; Philip Washington, general merchandise; J. F. Stephens, druggist; Higgins & Boyles, livery and sale stable; J. H. Porterfield, livery and sale stable; Wm. Pettit, saloon; Mrs. Jennie McConnell, proprietress hotel; Smith & Calhoun, blacksmiths; Thos. A. Smith, physician and surgeon; W. C. Riley, physician and surgeon; C. W. Goodrich, physician and surgeon; A. H. Nicholas, notary public; J. C. Young, agent Missouri Pacific R. R.; J. G. Gregg, grain and stock dealer; J. W. McClure, grain and stock; F. Wilson, grain and stock; Longan & Bros., grain and stock.

THE HOUSTONIA CYCLONE.

From the Sedalia 'Democrat, of February 25, 1875, we copy as follows:

At 4:40 p. m., Tuesday, the following dispatch was received at this office, relating briefly the terrible calamity which is given below. About the same time other dispatches were received, and the news circulated upon the streets, creating the wildest excitement and sympathy for the unfortunate people of Houstonia:

HOUSTONIA, Mo., February 23, 1875. Dr. A. Y. Hull:- A tornado has torn down the railroad depot and every store and business house in town, and many residences-twenty houses in all-and wounded many citizens, some mortally. Of the latter, W. H. Porter and Dr. L. H. Williams; badly hurt, F. J. McClure, Jas. Sewell and George Scott.

THOS. F. HOUSTON.

In a short time Supt. Cummings, with his characteristic energy, had a

special train at the depot. Mr. Cummings also summoned medical aid, and several physicians accompanied him-Drs. Trader, Evans, Conkwright, Scott, J. B. Jones, J. B. McClure, E. Hughes, and others, whose names we forget. In company with about fifty others, a reporter of this paper proceeded to Houstonia. An hour's ride brought us to the stormstricken town, which presented a scene that baffles description.

The business portion of the town was in ruins, and the smouldering fires marked the sites of what a few hours before had been the largest stores in town. The country people had rallied in large numbers, and teams were busily engaged in transporting to places of safety what had been saved from the wind and fire.

The depot was almost an entire wreck. The southern portion or ticket and telegraph office alone standing. The northern part was torn wide open, the walls were down, and the goods covered with the debris of the roof. To the right of this, an entire train of cars, some twelve in number, were blown from the track, and lay piled up in every conceivable shape. One car was blown seventy feet. Two cars were literally torn into kindling wood by the force of the hurricane.

Where an ice house had stood, a short distance to the left of the depot, nothing remained but the ice piled up in regular blocks, just as it was put in. A livery stable was a pile of hay and boards, with dead horses in front, and wounded ones attempting to rise from amid the wreck. Little knots of people were gathered together, talking in low tones over the disaster, while others were so excited they could give no coherent account of the affair.

As it was nearly dark, and the confusion and excitement were great, we found it exceedingly difficult to get any connected account of the disaster; for different persons were differently situated, and the experience of one was different from the other. We give to our readers the following as the most lucid account concerning the approach of the tornado:

Mr. Sellman, a farmer living on the edge of Houstonia, says about 3 P. M. he saw a small white mass of fog or cloud approaching from the direction of Knobnoster. It seemed very small at first, but grew rapidly in size, and appeared to shoot out long columns from its sides, which seemed to lick up everything within reach.

It moved with lightning speed, passing between the houses of J. C. Higgins and Clay Gibson, missing both, but taking up Higgins' school house and scattering it like chaff in the air. It also struck Gibson's ice house and completely demolished it. Further in its course it took up the smoke house of Mr. Jenkins, slightly grazing the corner of his dwelling, but doing no damage. It then pursued a northeast course and moved in the direction of Houstonia.

The people were all engaged in their usual avocations, the stores were

all open, men working in shops, and in the various dwelling houses the inmates were pursuing their domestic duties unmindful of the terrible calamity which was coming down upon them with the lightning speed of the storm king's blast.

The whistling of the dense mass was the first notice of its approach, which was observed but by few. A flock of geese was caught up in the vortex, and whirled around until stripped bare of their feathers. This rotary motion was kept up until the tornado burst like a thunderbolt upon the business part of the town, and in an instant it was leveled to the ground, and the air was filled with the flying fragments of buildings, merchandise, etc. A most appalling scene presented itself to the sight. The hurricane struck the town, happy in its apparent security, like a demon of destruction, and in the twinkling of an eye it was gone, leaving wreck, ruin and disaster in its path. One brief instant and the houses crushed like egg-shells, the air was filled with a horrible blackness and a roar that seemed to rend the earth. When the shock was over, a fearful scene presented itself. There prone upon the ground lay the business portion of the town. Men were crying beneath the ruins, which were piled on top of them, for help; fathers, sisters and brothers were running hither and thither, seeking for their relatives, and the whole face of the town had altered in an instant. To add to the excitement, a store (or rather the wreck of it) caught fire, and the flames speedily consumed the debris and the stock it covered. Fred. Wilson's store, adjoining, was blown against Porter's, and it, too, was consumed with all its contents.

Mr. W. H. Porter was found under the debris of W. A. Porter's store. Those in the store heard the storm coming, and they tried to get out of it before the blast came. Mr. W. H. Porter ran out of the front door and turned the corner of the store; but just as he did so the building fell upon him and buried him beneath its ruins. When he was extricated it was found that his back was broken, as was also his leg, and he was otherwise badly hurt. He was removed to the house of Squire Nicholas, when medical assistance was summoned. His wife was also there. Everything was done for him that medical skill could devise, but his injuries are mortal and he cannot recover. He has a wife and four children.

Dr. Williams, who resides about two miles west of Houstonia, was in town and was also injured. He received a fracture of two ribs and his lungs were also hurt. His condition is dangerous. George Scott had his leg fractured below the knee. Harris McClure had two ribs broken; but his wounds are not considered dangerous. Mr. Emerson was hurt in the lower part of the spine and otherwise bruised, not considered dangerous. He was caught in a blacksmith shop. Mrs. Carter, wife of John Carter, had both collar bones broken, a large incised wound of the

scalp, and her lips bruised. Mrs. Lachley and Mrs. Coates and her two daughters received slight injuries. Mr. Sanctuary had his leg broken below the knee. Mr. Bewrel was in the act of drawing coal oil when the storm struck the building he was in. He had his head badly cut and his arm bruised. John Gregg was hurt in the back of the neck. Dr. Idol was also slightly hurt.

Nineteen houses, including stores, shops and dwellings, were utterly demolished. We give below the losses as near as we could ascertain them:

Fred Wilson, general merchandise, lost his entire stock and building, valued at about $4,000. Mr. Boyles, of the firm of McClure & Boyles, had his dwelling entirely demolished. His family escaped with some slight bruises. Loss on dwelling, about $600. The firm of McClure & Boyles, grocery and dry goods merchants, lost their entire stock and building. Total loss, about $5,000. W. A. Porter lost his entire stock of groceries; the storm blowing his store over, and it catching fire was entirely consumed. Total loss, $1,500; insured. P. H. Washington, residing in Texas, was the owner of the building which Mr. Porter occupied. Mr. McGill lost his dwelling and stable. Loss, $1,000. The hotel, a two-story frame building, was destroyed. This property was owned by Joseph McDonnan. Loss, $1,200. Mr. Wiles, a lumber merchant, lost a grain house, the lower part of which was used as a carpenter shop. Loss, about $600. Mr. Sanctuary lost his shoe shop. Loss, about $200. Jas. Shelly lost his blacksmith shop and wood shop, with contents. Loss, $700. Sules & Son lost a store building. Loss, $1,200. This building was occupied by W. H. Emerson & Co. with dry goods on the one side, and on the other side by Williams & Idol, with drugs. Others in the village lost as follows: H. J. Hall, of Lamonte, lost the building occupied by McClure & Boyles as a grocery; the township office with its contents was destroyed; W. A. Williams lost his saddlery shop; A. Houston lost a small house situated near town; L. Luchley lost house; several small buildings used as meat shops and blacksmith shops were destroyed.

We were unable to ascertain the amount of loss the railroad company sustained by inquiry at the depot building. We should roughly estimate the entire loss at from $30,000 to $40,000.

The tornado was one hundred yards in width. It came from the southwest and passed to the northeast, spending its full force on the business part of the town. It continued its course in the country, demolishing fences, stacks, etc. Five miles distant from Houstonia the tornado passed over a dwelling, then descended and carried away an out-house. It twisted large elm trees off like saplings, and its pranks were as erratic as they were terrible in effect.

This terrible visitation was a sad blow to this prosperous little town, and our citizens feel an earnest sympathy for their misfortune. We hope soon to see the town rebuilt, and its citizens achieve that prosperity their industry and intelligence so well merit.

Conductor James K. Merrifield had just arrived at the depot with his train, as the tornado burst upon the town. The first thing "Jim" knew he was making lightning express time over the prairie, while his train was tumbling around on dry land, loose. As soon as it was over he took the locomotive and run to Brownsville for needed assistance, with which he returned.

A young man who was standing on the depot platform suddenly found himself against a fence, about one hundred yards distant.

Mr. Wiles was sitting in his grain warehouse next to the depot. The tornado took his building across the railroad track. He was thrown down, the stove fell upon him, and his coat was on fire when he extricated himself.

A lady was crossing a street, when the hurricane threw her down in the mud with such force that she could not get out without help.

Mr. Black was in Porter's store trying on a pair of boots. He was thrown down and a desk thrown on top of him. This probably saved him from greater injury.

Mrs. Coates and her two daughters were at work in the two-story hotel. The tornado tore the house to atoms, lifted all three of them in the air, and carried them fully one hundred feet.

A man led his saddle horse into a blacksmith shop. The smith happened to see the storm coming, and threw himself on the ground beside the anvil. When the tornado had passed, the shop was gone, leaving him and the horse, the latter having the saddle blown from off him.

The only building left in the town, where the storm struck, was the saloon. A blacksmith shop joined on the south and a meat market on the north; both the latter were swept away, but the saloon still stood unmolested.

A man who saw the hurricane coming upon him, threw himself on the ground in the street, and was uninjured.

Portions of the town were scattered for miles, and the fury of the wind, compressed into the small space it occupied, was incredible.

BIXBY'S EXCURSION TO HOUSTONIA.

About half-past one o'clock on Sunday evening, the Sedalia brass band began to pipe soul stirring music from the Ives House platform, which caused the people to begin at once to gather at the place, the occasion being the excursion to Houstonia, to give our people a chance to gaze on the ruins of that once flourishing town.