Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1902 — SWEPT BY A STORM. [ARTICLE]

SWEPT BY A STORM.

ILLINOIS AND lOWA IN TORNADO’S PATH. Wind Takes Several Lives and Does Great Property Damage—Blooming* , ton’s Loss Is Large —Country Districts and Crops Suffer. Illinois was swept by one of the fiercest storms in its history Tuesday night. The destruction of property was widespread. Several lives were lost. The whole State suffered, but the heaviest damage was done in the central and southern sections. Bloomington, Peoria, Champaign, IJrbana and several other cities were in the track of the storm and suffered heavily. Bloomington seems to have been the greatest sufferer. Damage estimated at half a million dollars was done there, and at Merna, ten miles from Bloomington, three young women were killed and half a hundred hurt by the wrecking of a dance hull. The victims were members of a party of 250 pleasure seekers that were participants of a dance at the town hall. The building collapsed and three women were crushed by falling timbers* Dozens of others were caught iu the debris and wounded. Three are reported dead in a suburb of Pekin. The entire east end of the village was swept away. Houses and barns were blown down at Groveland, Minier, Dilon, Hopedale and Delavan. Opposite Pekin the river overflowed ita banks and covered 60,000 acres of corn, which is believed to have been ruined. After a day of extreme jieat the storm broke upon Bloomington at 11 o’clock. Those who were awake took refuge ia cellars and vaults and many iu the uptown flats were forced to the street by the unroofing of their dwellings aud the Inpouring of water. Half the plate glass In the business section was smashed and the interior of stores wrecked by wind and water. The streets were emnideteiy blocked by fallen trees and vehicles could not move in any direction. All the light* were put out and the town was in utter darkness. Uncompleted buildings were blown down all over the city. People were panic stricken.

Destruction in Central lowa. The storm traversed a section of lowa. In Des Moines considerable damage was done and at Burlington several boats were sunk and many buildings unroofed. The storm struck the town of Jordan, a few miles east of Boone, and, although it is reported that no lives were lost, several of the principal buildings of the place were destroyed. Oskaloosa reports considerable damage from the wind. The town of Laurel was reported wiped out. Laurel is in Jefferson township, Marshal! County, and has a population of about 100 people. Burlington was visited by the storm. No lives were lost, but buildings were unroofed, and telegraph and telephone wires were blown down. Much damage to property resulted. Lightning struck In several places. The steamer Comet broke in half and sunk. Rob Roy, a pleasure craft, was badly damaged, and washed ashore. Barges and boat houses were filled with water or blown high and dry on the bank. There are many reports of damage in the surrounding country.