A FEARFUL TORNADO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 136, 10 June 1898, Page 5

A FEARFUL TORNADO.

SWEEPS OVER EASTERN lOWA SCORES OF PERSONS KILLED.'

HOUSES. RAZED AND THEIR IN-

MATES , CRUSHED.

CLINTON, lowa, May 18,

Over a score of lives were lost and thousands of dollars worth of pro which swept Clinton and Jackson Counties this afternoon. The storm jumped into Western Illinois near Savannah, and it was at that point that the loss of human life was the greatest. Jelegraph and telephone facilities are paralysed to-night, and the c<n 1 Storm is yet to b«

vJf I- ™ J vhich wo^'etl such degong the eastern border of lowa and SoySj 1' 1"018 after .. o dock tins morning, a mil e south of Man wood. Worn Ktanwood it moved rapid y in a north-easterly; direction, pnwing over the north-eastern part of the southcnr.portion of Jackson Counsettled. No towns were in the path ol the storm, but farmhouses and barns were torn to pieces by the score. Uie storm was seen approaching bymany ol: the farmers, and they sought refuge in the cellars. At least 25 wire however, unable to find shelter, and probably as many more were seriousJ.V injured by flying timbers. The path of. the storm varied in width iroin -10 rods in some parts of Clinton Coimty to SO feet in .Jackson County," _ Irees and outhouses were torn to pieces. _ Hoofs of farmhouses were lifted like straws and carried a half mile along the path of the storm and then hurled ag-ainst the walls of biff stock barns, cutting them in two and killing' hundreds of cattle which had taken shelter in the sheds from the storm's fury. A half dozen school buildings are known to have TDeen dcsl roved, but if is not thought that any of the pupils perished, most of them having1 just reached home when tlie storm broke out. Near Preston, lowa, more buildings were destroyed than in any other locality. The wind swirled through the little village with frightful velocity, leaving scarcely a house standing. Five persons Jost their lives there. Charles Flora, with his wife and threa children, had his home torn to pieces, and all were crushed to death under . the falling walls.

The cyclone crossed to Illinois, between Savannah and Thompson. One family of four persons was destroyed near Savannah. Passing to the east, much damage was done, but it was confined almost entirely to outbuildings. Xo lives are thought to have been lost anywhere in Illinois, except those mentioned, near Savannah. Telegraph and telephone, wires are clown In all directions, but it is believed that the. storm has spent its force.

Another tornado formed at Amboy, 111., shortly before dark this eveningl. The storm cloud formed about six miles south of Amboy and took an easterly course. It travelled about; twenty miles without changing- its course, and destroyed everything1 in Ha path. Orchards, farmhouses and Jjarns were wrecked, but no lives ari» known to have been lost.

Owing to the peculiar atmospheric conditions prevailing all afternoon, the inhabitants were on the look-out; for just what had occurred. At the first alarm, they took to the cellars, and many of them were imprisoned for hours by the timbers of their wrecked houses. Livestock suffered, considerably, and the loss to property generally will amount to thousands of dollars.

At Antigo, Wis., scores of houses were levelled, many were unroofed, and a score of people were irtjured, A heavy storm was general in Wlscon« sin, and farm property suffered great loss.

DUBUQUK, Towa, May IS,

Passengers who arrived on the Mil« waukee road to-night say 'they met, the storm about 5 o'clock below Lanark, 111.. A cloud, appalling in ita blackness, approached from the northwest and struck the train almost as soon as seen and with great fury. North-west of that- point funnelshaped clouds were seen occasionally dropping to the earth. There was a heavy hailstorm, and passengers saw uprooted trees and parts of fences an(i buildings flying in all directions. Jus* before the train reached Lanark they saw shattered farmhouses, and many farmers were rushing across the fields,

A mile and a half out of Lanark a poorhouse was demolished. Th'j building was of brick and how many) of the twenty-five inmates wer* buried in the ' debris could not b« learned. They lteard reports of-'manJ persons having been killed and mucis ■property destroyed, but names couM not be' learned". At a -settlement a short distance out three houses were wrecked, the people saving their lives by rushing into storm cellars. At Skillman, 111., the home of Michael Nelson was destroyed. Nelson, his wife, and two children, were killed. Two persons, names not known, were killed at Adeline, 111, Richard-Hose, at Byron, 111., and Mrs Frank ChJchester, at Pawpaw, 111, lost their lives,.