Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1879 — CYCLONE. [ARTICLE]

CYCLONE.

Portions of Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri Vlaltod by a fearful Tsr-■Ue-Th* Town of Irving Almost Totally Destroyed—Many Lives Lost, and Much Damage Done to Progeny Along tbe Course of tbe Storm. Hr. Louis, May 31. ’ A dispatch from Atchison, Kafi., says: A terrible storm of wind ana rain passed over Northern Kansas end Bout hern Nebraska last evening. It extended through nearly the whole northern tier of counties of this mate, but was most violent between Blue Rapids •nil Centennial Stations on the Central Branch Railroad, about thirty miles apart. The storm moved In a direction a little north of east, and passed Into Nebraska through Richardson County. The Town of Irving, ninety miles west of this place, was nearly destroyed. At that point the storm took on the character of a cyclone, and leveled everything In its path. About forty buildings were destroyed, fifteen persona killed, thirty to forty wouuded. Among the casualties are the following: John Keeloy, wife, fattier and son killed. Mrs. W. J. Williams killed. Mrs. Brlckmaster and five children killed. Jacob Sabens and wife fatally Injured. E. Sheldon, wife and sister dangerously hurt and not eiMfld to live. Sirs. W. t Bates and two badly hurt—one has Blnco died: und Mrs. Noah, Mrs. George Martin, and several others more or less seriously wounded. Amoijg the buildings blown down are churches, one a flue stone building, tho public school, the grain-elevator, railroad depot, Wetnfore Institution, and the residences of John A. Warden, Charles Preston; W. H. balien*, M. L. Leddy, ami Messrs. Armstrong, Tliompsbn, Sheldon, Bates, Williams, rnd others. In tflo neighborhood of Frankfort four or five farm-houses were blown oyer, and In the town several houses were destroyed. There were no casualties at this place, but several persons In tbe country Were severely Injured. At Ceutralia several houses were unroofed, and one house and barn blown down, trees uprooted, fences laid flat, aud great damage done to crops. At Beatty, on tho St. Joseph & Denver Railroad, a number of houses were blown down. At Denison Mills, Neb , on the Atchison & Nebraska Road, a Catholic church was totally demolished, as was also the store of Mead, Riley it Co. One lady was severely Injured. Several rctidences were more or less damaged. A dispatch from Manhattan, Kan., says: A cyclone crossed Big Blue River at Mouth Mill Creek, last uight, and uprooted trees, destroyed grain cribs, fences and crops. The two-story storehouse of Mr. Coudray was unroofed and crushed. Fifteen persons were iu It at the time. Mr. Coudray was somewhat injured, and his sister-in-law, Mrs.Tattlecock, aud child were killed. On Fancy Creek, twelve miles north of Coudray’o, a Methodist church was entirely demolished. Buildings were torn down, cattle aud horses killed, anil other property destroyed, hut no lives lost. Tho Globe-Democrat's special 'from Independence, Mo., says: A cyclone struck the earth four miles from Lee’s Summit, last evening, aud tore a furrow through the country about a hundred yards wide, and ten miles long, leveling everything in Its track, and killing and wounding several people. The direction of tho storm was southwest to northeast. Three miles east of Lee’s Summit the bouse of Mr. Warren was totally destroyed. Two members of the family were killed and others severely wounded. Further on, the house of Alexander Scroggs was unroofed. His wife’s skull was fractured. The houses of Dr. Dunnlngton and Mr. Underwood were destroyed, but their families escaped unharmed. The residence of Mr. llutcbins was torn to pieces, and the family badly hurt. The house of Mr. Harris, near Blue Springs, was demolished. Mr. Harris, his wife ami little girl were killed, and three other children mortally wounded. Mr.—Harris was lifted high up Into the air, carried about 200 feet in the course the storm moved, and then dashed to the earth, while his wife and child were carried about the same distance in an opposite direction. At this point the storm-cloud burst, but came together again almost instantly with a terrific crash, bounded from the earth, came down again near the dwelling of Mr. Gore, which it passed through, leaving Its side walls standing. The funnel-shaped cloud then rose high In the air and disappeared In the northwest. The heaviest rain ever known tn this section accompanied the tornado, actually deluging the country it passed over. The Atchison Champion has a later special from Frankfort giving the following casualties there and In the vicinity:® James DounS and wife, killed; John Howe and boy of thirteen, killed; Mrs. Grooves, killed; Miss Grooves, leg broken; child of Mr. Warefleld, seriously injured; Mrs. Vaughan, badly Injured; John Vaughan, severely injured; Mrs. A. ?S. Fox, right arm broken; Henry Johnson, mortally Injured; Ben Fox, severely injured; Mrs. Henry Johnson, killed; Mr. Bolton, leg broken; Joshua Howe, James Vaughan, Henry Carzear, Robert Laughlin and Miles Kelly hnd family, all badly Injured. At Irving twelve persons were killed outright, and forty-nine wounded, most of tne latter severely. Many of them will die. A committee of the citizens and physicians from tills city arrived there this afternoon, aud medical supplies and clothing have been forwarded from here to provide for the immediate necessities of tbe sufferers. ■' A special dispatch to the Champion from Concordia states that the storm was extremely violent In the vicinity of Delphos, Ottawa County. Fifteen dead bodies were brought in from two square miles of territory. One man from Beloit was taken upin his wagon, thrown to the ground again, and instantly killed. A woman and child were thrown against a wire fence and killed. Five persons were killed in one house near Delphos. The crons have been severely injured along the line of the storm. Reports from Scandla, Republic County, state that the storm was very severe In that section, but no ’-casualties are yet reported. A dispatch from the Associated Press reporter at Kansas, referring to the destruction of the house of Mr. Hairls, near Blue Spring, an account of which was reported from .Independence, says: Mr. Harris, his wife and children were carried up into the atr, clear out of sight, and dropped in different places and directions from the site of the house they occupied, and varying in distauce from 100 to 200 yards. Mrs. Harris and one child were ikilled outright. Mr. Harris died several hours after. One of the other children was found In a pool, flftv yards from the house, with a large bunch of wet straw and grass wrapped so tightly around his head and shoulders that It could only be removed with great difficulty. Tbe child was but slightly Injured, his escape being attributed to tne mysterious bandage around him. St. Loins, June 1. No additional particulars of Friday evening’s cyclone In Marshall County, Kan., was received to-day, but a report comes from Brookville', Kan., at least seventy-five njlles southeast of Irving, tbe town where the most destruction took place, that a most terrific wind-storm passed over the country northwest of there Friday afternoon, doing great damage to farm property and killing several people. A Cyclone also struck the outor edge of Kirksville, Adair County, Mo., Friday evening, demolished about a dozen bouses, and badly damaged several others. Several persons were severely injured, one woman being reported killed. A very high wind also prevailed north and. northeast of Bt. Joseph, Mo. A grain elevator at Hopkins, Mo., was destroyed, severftl small dwellings, barns, etc. blown down, and an elevator on tbe Kansas City, St. Joe & Council Bluffs Railroad destroyed. . . .. Considerable damage was done to other buildings. Trees were uprooted, fences and barns blown down, and crops damaged all along the line of the storm. It is not unlikely that these storms had a common origin out ou the plains la Western Kansas; that some local cause broke the original cloud into fragments; that separate storms were formed from these, one of which traversed the northern tier of counties in Kansas. Another traveled eastward, striking the earth In Jackeop County, Mo., thence moved northeast' to Kirksville and beyond, and the third, and the weakest one „of the three, passing ovor the country In the neighborhood of Bt. Joseph. A heavy rain fell here last night and to-day,; the temperature, js quite cold, requiring fires for comfort. , Heavy rains prevailed all over the centra', southwestern and northwestern parts of this State, doing great benefit to the wheat, coru and other crops. - ► »" —■ The three tallest trees in the world are believed to be a sequoia near Stockton, Cal,; which is, 325 feot high, and two eucalypti in Victoria, Australia, Jstimated to-be 45j5 and 450 feet high respectively. ' w.ban.J«L is shot at, than the crowd.— Derrick. ”