The Waldon Hotel, a two story frame building which formerly faced south across the street from the school building, was turned half around and landed facing west directly against the schoolhouse. The occupants of the hotel and fled for safety into a small smokehouse and none of them were hurt.
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In the drug store at the time of the storm were twenty seven persons. The building was completely demolished yet out of that number only one, Grandpa Osburne, father of the proprietor, was hurt.
The postoffice was destroyed, but non of those in the building ws injured. Fire soon started in the building destroying all the mail and other contents.
Some advanced the idea that the death list might be much larger due to bodies being found in the store buildings that were demilished., many of them having been brick buildings. Leading citizens of Melissa, however, said they did not believe there had been any loss of life beyond the eight known killed and the possiblity of a few others dying. They said that none had been reported missing who had not been accounted for.
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