Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1890 — A CYCLONE IN NEBRASKA [ARTICLE]

A CYCLONE IN NEBRASKA

BRADSHAW. YORK COUNTY, OBLITERATED FROM THE EARTH. Aot a Single Building Left in the PlaceSa ven of Its ClUaens Killed and Many Hurt Cloud-Burst in lowa Storms Elsewhere. Lincoln (Neb.) dispatch: The most disastrous cyclone that has visited tho West for years ruined the town of Bradshaw, York county. This morning thoie Is not one building left standing and hardly one stone upon another. Among the ruins were lying the dead bodies of the storm’s victims, and frightened people with blanched faces moved among their wrecked homos see Ing on every hand but black, gaoing holes in the earth where but a few hours before had been the cozy houses of a happy people. The fury of tho wind that wrought this terrible devastation must have been appalling. The shapeless wreck, the country laid waste, tho village In ruins and tho bodies of the dead that have been recovered, together with tho many wounded and suffering, formed a picture full of horror and despair. The storm camo from the southwest and with scarcely a moment’s warning. The roar of tho whirlwind was the first notice the terrified people had. Every business liouso was made a total wreck, and the principal street filled with ruins. The depot building was crushed Into kindling wood, and every car standing there was wrecked except one that was loaded with stock, and which was blown without leaving tho track to York, a distance of nine miles. The dead and injured were quickly found by th® people, and a courier was dispatched at flying speed to York for assistance. By tho time the relief train* arrived from York, tho people hud collected together and found the following dead: JOHN MILLER. Child of Isaac Penner, living in tho county. MRS. PENNER. Child of Mr. Chapin. MRS. MINKE and child. JOHN CLARKE.-Mr. Minke’s hired man. ANNIE and JOHN SHAW, children of Frank Shaw, living InThe country. The work has been extended in searching for tho results of the storm to the surrounding country, and southwest of Bradshaw five miles It was found that the liouso of John Scott had been directly In the center of the storm and that in his family three children were killed. In the immediate vicinity also the house of a Russian family has boon totally demolished and tho mother and ono child were found dead In tho wreckage. Along the track of the storm, which was half a mllo In width, trees wore uprooted, fences levobpd, and crops utterly destroyed. Dead stock was found in many places, showing that nothing living had any chance for escape from the fury of the elements. > Council Bluffs (Iowa) dispatch: At about 11 o’clock a dense cloud passed over the town of Underwood, a small place on tho Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, twelve miles from this city. Soon after a flood of water came rushing down the Mosquito Valley, destroying everything in its path. Th® cloud had burst but a short distance from Underwood, tut residents of that place were warned by a terrific nolsb.and most of them managed to escape to tho hills. In less that thirty minutes the Milwaukee railroad track was covered to a depth of fifteen feet, all the stores and dwellings In tho Western part off the' place were torn from their foundations, and no less than thirty-five families lost their all. There were many narrow escapes, and but for the heroism and bravery of people who reside near the Rock Island depot many women and children would have been lo?t< They hastily* constructed rafts And rescued people from roofs ot houses and s&£* ond-story windows. Tho Milwaukee depot was submerged. The storm swept on down the valley, but farmers were apprised of its approach and escaped, but hundreds of cattle, hogs, and sheep, many barns and dwellings, and stacks of hav were swept away. Both roads lost over eight miles of track and no less than five bridges each. This immense volume of water reached tills city at 5 o’clock and spread over the lowlands: highways were badly dahiagcd, and at 8 o’clock there was eight feet of water 1 n tho first stories of houses near the river. Avoca (Iowa) dispatch: A heavy rainfall has flooded this locality, accompanied by hall, high winds and lightning. The Botna Valley now carries a stream one to two miles wide, while It Is ordinarily not over twenty feet wide. A large amount of stock will be lost and many small losses from wind and lightning are reported. Extensive washouts on the railroads are reported between here and Council Bluffs. Fort Dodge (Iowa) dispatch: A destructive cyclone started nortteast of this city between Badger and Vincent. It worked its way along the Boone river, destroying everything in its path. At Renwick a man was killed and several houses destroyed. The big iron bridge near Renwick was also blown away. Zumbrota (Minn.) disprtch: A terrific storm has occurred here. In forty minutes the stream which run® through the center of this village had risen to such a height that residents had to fly for their lives. Houses, barns, horses, and poultry were swept away. P. 8. Tlegler’s barn containing ten teams was carried a mile down stream. The Zunibro river is rising rapidly and fears are entertained for people on the main Zumbro below here. The damage along the route of the storm is very largo. A rumor comes from Millville thrt five persons were swept away and drowned. Ackley (Iowa) dispatch: A cloudburst has occurred here, and the water fell in sheets for several hours. Bridges end culverts on railroads and highways are washed out. A freight train on the Illinois Central railroad was wrecked in a washout one mile east of lowa Falls. Cattle horses and bogs were swept away. Cornfields are badly washed out The Presbyterian Church and Revere House were struck by lightning and badly damaged.