LARGE NUMBER OF LIVES LOST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 172, 23 July 1890, Page 8

LARGE NUMBER OF LIVES LOST.

GREAT DESTRUCTION OP PRO

PERTY IN ILLINOIS.

INCIDENTS OF A TORNADO,

A_bo_ (111.), June 21. The libtle village of Paw Paw was visited by a terribly fatal cyclone yesterday evening. The firsb notice of its coming was a dark cloud in bhe southwest. Before warning could be given a great portion of the soubhern parb of bhe village was in ruins. Nearly a score of inhabitanbs are dead and dying. Tremendous rain preceded the cyclone. The streets are flooded and the creeks overflowing. During bhe heaviest of the rain an ominous-looking cloud passed jusb soubh of Amboy. The awful roar ib made could be distinctly heard above bhe rumbling of the thunder. ' - It no sooner passed than it was observed thab leaves, sbicks, straw, ebc, were falling from the clouds. Soon after a messenger .on horseback broughb the ne .bab the cyclone bad passed a mile south of bhe village.'J Relief parties immediately made way bo the scene. Trees were uprooted, houses and _ barns demolished and people killed on all sides../. Fourteen people were killed and many injured within two mil**, of bhis place. The cyclone cub a disbincb swath a mile long bhrough bhe groves. Ib first demolished James Blee's large house and barn. The family wenb bo bhe cellar and escaped with severe bruises. With increased fury the cloud came upon the Hunt school-house, two miles south.

A teacher, Maggie Mcßride of Amboy, and eight pupils were waiting in the building for the storm bo abate. Every vestige of the building was wiped oub. EvBD the etonee of the foundation were moved. Not one soul in bhe building escaped deabh. An observer says thab bhe building was raised in perfect shape 300 feet in the air, where ib wenb inbo fragments and was losb sigbb of. The body of tho teacher was found in the street partially nude and badly bruised. The pupils were found in the creek some distance norbh.

Tho reports from the surrounding towns show bhab the storm started ab Harmon, in Leo county, and proceeded to Compton and Paw Paw. A great many have been seriously injured, bub as tho damage was distributed over a distance of bhirby miles news of all cannot be reached.

Thirteen are known bo be dead, mostly children. Tho schooliiou.e in Brooklyn township, soubh of Compton, was completely demolished. The teacher and scholars were injured, two children meeting death. The loss so far as heard from is §100,000. ' _.-_*;.*-,.