Oronogo Tornado 1883
Springfield Daily Herald, May 15, 1883, page 1.
"From Oronogo; special to the Herald;
"Carthage Mo., May 14 – A terrific cyclone moving from southwest to northeast swept the western part of Jasper County yesterday evening doing great damage to lives and property at Oronogo. It struck the town with terrible force at 7:40 p.m. entirely demolishing the business part of the town and leaving but few dwellings. Two persons, Geo. Goodwin and Sadie Goodwin, were killed outright; thirty three persons were seriously wounded, some of them fatally; one of whom, Isa Goodwin, has since died. Relief parties from Carthage, Joplin and other near points reached the scene of the storm’s ravages early in the evening and did all in their power to alleviate the suffering of the dying and wounded. Many of the houses destroyed were those of miners in poor circumstances who lose everything. Provisions and clothing are being sent there from Carthage and medical men and nurses have taken charge of the wounded.
"From Oronogo the storm seemed to be lifted up in the air and changing its course to a due eastern direction it moved rapidly for several miles descending in the Spring River bottoms and entirely destroying the farm house of Clark and Mosely, killing all their live stock and injuring a little child which has since died. From there it changed to its original course destroying all the property in its track and killing Mr. A. Carson eight miles northwest of here. Owing to the [telegraph] wires being down detailed accounts cannot be received. No news has been received from the northern part of the county owing to the obstructed roads and broken bridges.
[submitted by] Rountree"
For more information and the history of tornadoes see our online catalog. We also have copies of Marshfield and her Cyclone by Maria Allis Wilson, a collection of newspaper and eyewitness accounts of the destructive tornado outbreak that hit Marshfield and many other areas in southern Missouri in 1880.
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