Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1912 — TERRIFIC HURRICANE TAKES TOLL OF LIFE [ARTICLE]

TERRIFIC HURRICANE TAKES TOLL OF LIFE

9 KILLED NEAR MOROCCO -• • -"% . V *"• *• •.•*** '■T ; 'X * -- -- \ . -■*.• % •* 'T ' • .. . V ' *> -i „ Many Injured and Great Property Loss in Narrow Strip of Country Swept by Cyclone Sunday Evening.

A WATER SPOUT The Greatest Rain Storm in Years Accompanies Wind, and Streams Overflow Banks, Greatly Delaying Farm 1 Pursuits. ROBERT SCHULTZ WAS KILLED Tract in Jasper Connty in Wake of Storm Suffers Big Damage—Houses of August Schultz, Dennis Healy and August Kreager and German-Lath, eran Church pad Wild Lilly School House Destroyed. . /■ $ The worst tornado of local history swept over the Schultz settlement, 10 miles north. of here, last night and left farm homes' and property, completely devastated in its whke. Three farm houses and the adjoining buildings were completely wiped away, .causing, much Injury to the occupants. and destroying thousands of dollars worth of property. The dead: Robert Schultz—l 4 years old, son of August Schultz, skull crushed. The injured:. Otto and Eric—lo and 11 years old, sons of August Schultz, scalp wounds and bruises. August Schults —Shoulders and back badly wrenched. Mrs. August Schultz, his wife —Struck on jaw with flying debris, minor scratches. Dennis Healy—Cuts and bruises over body, delirious. Minnie Healy, his wife—Rib broken, shoulder blade fractured, minor flesh wohnds. - August Kreuger—2 ribs broken, chin and forehead badly lacerated, minor euts. Mrs. August Kreuger—Flesh puncture's on cheek and hand. Several others have suffered with slight bruises and cuts. Nine Dead at Morocco. Morocco and vicinity suffered much greater , loss of life and property than occurred in Union township. Nine persons were killed and many others injured, and the property loss is supposed to be much greater.. Scores of houses were unroofed and barns and sheds torn from their foundations and ifiuch live Btock was killed. The cyclone missed Hazeldon farm, George Ade’s summer home, by about five miles, and it is not supposed that bis property suffered. The storm struck Morocco from the southwest and took the victims unawares. ’ - r ■ The dead::

Mrs. Charles Bice—Residing west of Morocco, 45 years old. * Four children of Mr. and Mrs. Bice— Ranging in age from 2 to 15 years. Frank Rice—A married son of Charles Rice. Mrs. Frank Bice—Hir wife. Miss Chaste Smart—ls years old, daughter of Charles Smart. Six-months-olil daughter of Charles Smart. Probably fatally injured: Charles Rice—so years old. Seriously injured: Bruce Hanger—2o years old. Miss Medde Hnmmell—2o years old. Miss Mattie Conn —18 years old. Harrold Johnson—l 9 years old. Charles Smart —45 years old. Many others suffered bruises, but their names have not been reported. The Storm in Union Township. The cycjdne reached central Union township &Bfore 7 o'clock and Was proceeded by hail and accompanied by a veritable cloud-burst of rain. It came from the northwest and, passing around the home of August Makus, the first evidence of Its/workJasper county was the DennfsJJealy hpfoe oiti the Tbbmoson ranch, fust across the road. It then assumed a zig-zag course and went east and back again across, the road to the August Schultz farm and the Lilly school bouse, then across the road to Paul Makus’ residence and then on east about p. mile to the August Kreuger and the James Gsrriott farms. From there it swept past the Fred Schultz and B. D. Comer farms to the German Lutheran church, whicn is the last trace of damage done in this county. Robert Schultz Dies From Injuries. Mr. Schultz anticipated the approaching danger and had started with his family to the cellar but it was too late. The terrible cyclone had shattered to millions of pieces around them and buried some in the debris. Their 14-year-old son, Robert, when removed to the Paul Makus home, was unconscious and his skull was crushed so badly that no hopes were entertained for his recovery. The concussion resultant from .the blow on the head caused the paralysis of his entire right side. He ha£ a very high fever but his pulse was normal until the end. He died between 3 and 4 o’clock a. m. Monday morning without ever regaining consciousness. The house and adjoining buildings, occupied by Dennis Healy and wife, were completely demolished, and when hit by the tornado, Mr. and Mrs. Healy were by some means forced through a door. They were caught in the crash and Dennis, though .most helpless, managed to carry his wife to the home of her father, August Makus, across the road. Mrs. Healy sustained a fractured shoulder blade and numerous cuts about the face and body and also suffered one broken rib. Mr. Healy has numerous cuts about the face and body and also received a blow on the head. Two gashes were cut in his left leg. _ .'■ K Chuck ui School House Destroyed. . Although the Storm passed directly by, the home of August Makus was untouched. Everything on the August Schultz place Vas torn loose and was blown away and the Wild Lilly school house was shattered to kindling and strewn -for hundreds of yards across the roads and in fields. The chimney and part of the -roof was stripped from the house of Pawl M4kus and his barn, cribs’ and other outbuildings, and implements were destroyed. The storm then passed by the Ernest Stibbe farm, and swooping down the road, raxed every batiding at the August Kreuger farm. Mrs. Kreuger and son were down stairs at the time bat the son escaped without a scratch, while she received flesh punctures op the • Jr • TT. >

cheek and on the left hand. Fred Schultz’s house was moved on its foundation and the roof blown away. A barn was also destroyed. The cyclone swept by B. D. Comer’s farm and damaged his barn to the extent of several hundred dollars and then went north to the German Lutheran church and made a total wreck Sos it. This is as far as we have been ’able to learn of the damage done in Jasper county. ; Although the path of the cyclone was confined to a comparatively narrow. area, the wind was so terrific that quite a bit of damage was done to the property hundreds of yards on either side. Telephone and telegraph poles and fences were blown down, and strewn .across roads and large trees broken off close to the ground and sometimes carried many yards away. Lands Flooded From Big Rais. This tornado was accompanied by the usual freakish stunts, most notable of which was the case of Kreuger. He had retired early that evening and was sleeping upstairs when the cyclone struck. He was carried in his bed by the wind and was dropped about forty feet from the bouse. The bed fell right side .up and Mr. Kreuger was still its occupant until he was removed to the home of James Garriott. In the fast flight and fall Mr. Kreuger was considerably jolted and sustained two broken ribs, two ugly lacerations, one on the chin and the other above the left eye, and a few cuts on the left hand. He is a veteran of the Franco-Prussian war and very proud of the fact that he fought for King William. _ The James Garriott home was well protected by a grove of'-trees and a few windows, was done. ? Sficl a terrific downpour of rain as came last night has not" been seen here for many years. The Iroquois river, is higher now than it has ever been since being dredge and is overflowing its banks. It is estimated that 6 inches of rain fell in an hour. The main Gifford ditch in Barkley township is out of its banks and the overflow gives Newland the appearance of a vast lake. About 9:30 last niglKi reporter accompanied Dr. Washburn to the scene of the disaster and never has there been so much water lying on tjie land from the Alf Donnelly farm on to the north. Land that was never known to hold water at all formed the bed fo~ innumerable lakes and in numerous places the water had washed out deep gutters across the highway. Dr. WashLuin crossed Burkes bridge about five miles north of town but was confronted by a sheet of water 2 or 3 hundred yards long and extending across the road about 3 feet deep. This morning there is about 7 feet of water over the road. Many farmers who had their oats sown will be put to considerable loss and trouble, as much was beaten from the ground’and some is still under water.: - , Lightning struck the barn of Arthur Zimmerman, of northeast of Aix, and killed, two hogs and one steer. They succeeded in putting the fire out. As the cyclone approached the Geo. W. Casey farm it uprooted 25 large apple trees and carried them some twenty feet into the field. A wind mill

was blown down and part of the roof and west side of the house was carried away. His SI,OOO burn was a complete wreck. It had a basement to it in which he kept his horses while the machinery was on the first floor. His binders, mowers and cultivators were ruined but the horses were saved. The damage is estimated at about $1,500, but is partly covered by windstorm insurance.