People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1894 — FURY OF THE STORM. [ARTICLE]

FURY OF THE STORM.

Lightning, Wind and Rain Cause Loss of Life and Property. Two Person* Killed In lowa and Nebraska —ln Pennsylvania and New Jersey Several Are Slain by Thunderbolts. A FATAL GALE. Fort Dodge, la., June2o.—A cyclone passed 8 miles west of here at 5 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, destroying barns and a number of farm houses. The towns of Callendar and Moorland, on the Chicago & Rock Island, were badly wrecked. A farmer named Goddard, living between Callender and Moorland, was killed. Several persons are reported seriously injured. The damage by the storm is unknown as yet, but will reach into the thousands of dollars. Physicians from here have gone to the afflicted towns, i Chadron, Neb., June 20. —A tornado here blew down several houses and barns and killed John F. Tenzer, manager of the Excelsior Lumber company. It is thought others are dead, as several persons are missing. The damage to property cannot be ascertained at this hour, but it will rank well up in the thousands of dollars. The worst of the storm passed south of the city. Tenser was manager of the Excelsior Lumber company. He ran out of his office as the sheds behind it in his yard started to go to pieces. He ran across the street and as he was passing a blacksmith shop one of the heavy doors of the front suddenly was torn off its hinges and struck him on the head, crushing his skull. Although he lived fifteen minutes it was clear from the first that he could not survive. Mrs. E. Mead had a miraculous escape. She was out driving' and the entire rig was blown on top of a picket fence, splintering the buggy and knocking the horse senseless. Several persons were badly hurt. Bkaddock, Pa., June 20. —Three lives were lost in a cloudburst which broke over the Turtle Creek valley, 6 miles from this city, destroying growing crops and hurling houses from their foundations. The storm cloud covered an area 0 miles long by 2 or 3 wide The creeks were raised 10 feet above high water mark in fifteen minutes. The strongest force of the cloud broke upon the milling towns above Plum creek and Sandy creek. Light houses there were picked up by the current and borne with it. John Holovasky, a miner, while running to the hills, fell into Plum creek and was drowned. Mike Boski, another miner, is reported to have been drowned while sleeping in one of the lower rooms of his home. Both men are Hungarians, and their bodies have not been recovered.

A daughter of John Wansell, 16 years old, is also said to have bec-u lost in the flood while the members of her family were fleeing to the mountains. The total damage is estimated at 8100,000. Lock Haven, Pa., June 20.—A cloudburst broke over Penn valley Monday night, deluging the land and washing away entire fields of growing grain. The damage is worse than that inflicted by the recent flood. • The downpour of water was accompanied by a severe electric storm. Three boy's, William and Eddie Loz and Charles Hunter, who took refuge under a tree, were struck by lightning. Eddie Loz and Hunter are fatally-injured. William Loz will recover. New York, June 20. —Tuesday' afternoon and night portions of New Jersey suffered severely from rain, wind and lightning. At Bergenfelds, on the West Shore railroad, John C. Ferguson, 35 years old, a lineman for the Postal Telegraph company, was struck by lightning and knocked from the top of a high pole on which he was working. He was instantly killed. Samuel S’. Hatfield, who lives 4 miles from Rahway, was milking cows in the barn when a ball of lightning struck a cow, nearly killing her. The hired man milking the cow was rendered unconscious and the hay about him was set on fire. The knobs on' the “ cow’s horns were nearly twisted off. Passing up into New York state the storm made havoc near Washingtonville. Lightning struck a valuable brood mare and three blooded colts owned by ex-Supervisor Thomas C. Brewster and killed them all outright. At Paterson, N. J., John B. Ayres, a grocer, was struck by lightning glancing from a tree and has not since regained consciousness. John Ackerman, a motorman, was struck by lightning and thrown from his car. Fisher’s silk mill at Lake View was struck by lightning. In the country around Lake View several barns were struck by lightning or blown over by the wind. In the vicinity of Chestnut Ridge, N. J., the storm assumed cyclonic force and uprooted trees and outbuildings, throwing many of them down, 1 ruit trees were stripped of everything. Throughout Hoboken the force of the storm was felt considerably. James Curtis and a horje were, killed by lightning in Weehawken,' N. J. The storm was severe at Newark and Orange., Coney Island caught it too, the lightning striking right and left on the beach. When the first streak of lightning appeared Cavalo, a wire walker, was performing at Inman Sisters’ casino in the Bowery. He was knocked off the wire, badly stunned and had his right ankle fractured.