Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-05-21


Ternaao In nffnssERanroad Trains Blown
Off the ~Fraek-HOases UnrOOfed-steambO ats
Blown TO Pieces.
On Thursday evening last a storm of great
violence passed over certain portions of llli-
nois. Il covered a large extent of terrific
ny, and everywhere its track is marked with
great damage TO property. 1t seems to have
crossed the mississippi near Oquawka, and
to have extended eastward as far as Mclean
coanfy. In the west there was much hail
accompanying the wind, and every where a
great fall of rain. AT Lexington, on the
line of the St. Louis Alton g. Chicago Road
the storm was terrific. Nearly every house
in the village was u~nroosed or blown down.
The following letter to the Chicago Tri-
bune gives some account OF the damage at
Lexington
LEXINGTON. May 10, 1858. tx
EMS. TRIBUNE:-Fhis evening about six
O'Clock we were visited by severe thunder
storm, accompanied by the most fearful thun-
der and lightning ever experienced here
The storm lasted some twenty minutes, aud
after ii had, TO all appearance, cleared up, it
! was succeeded BY the most terrific wind ever
known in This section OF the State. The
rain fell in torrents, and nearly every house
in Lexington was ~unrooted, and u number OF
them blown down.
The passenger train from ST. Louis, by
which | send this, was blown off of the
track and tipped over. but, with the exenp-
lion OF a few slight flesh wounds, the passcn-
gers were uniniured. Before the train cap
| sized all The Car windows On the ard
side, were blown out, the engineer AMI fire.
man were both blown from the engiRe, and
Il brakeman was also blown off one of the
cars. The storm struck the train a short dis
lance nurlh FROM here.
Great damage was also lone by the tor
nado at the Junction OF the Peoria and O.
quuwka roads with The St. Louis, Alton and
Chicago railroads. Both station-houses were
unrooied, i've or Elk empty freight cars were
blown from the track, dwelling houses were
unrorfed, moved bodily twenty or thirty feet
or entirely demolished.
G~ALEsBURG, ILL.--The storm was severe
along the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
Railroad. At Ga!esburg it was terrible
The engine house of the Railroad Company
and two churches just completed, were blown
down, and u number of dwelling houses were
unroofcd. Three cars standing on the track
were blown off and turned upside down.
The amount of damages at Galesburg is es-
timated at $40 o0. No lives lost.
O2UAwKx, ILL.--Two steam mills were
ruined ut Oquawka and Ten houses unroo:ej,
besides other damages done. Damages es-
timated at from $4,000 to $4,000. So far
as ascertsined no lives were lost.
IT, > Iii at,aa - 1.-a E,o
story dwelling house was rendered a COM
pIete ruin; a portion Of Sir. Bsbcock's dwell
ling was also blown down.
MENDOZA, ILL.-Here the storm was also
furious, and while in progress, the railroad
engine house caught fire and was consumed
together with the locomotive Rocket.
TIE STORM AT PEORIA, ILL--ALL THE CHUcH
SPiRES IN THE CITY BLOWN DOWN.
The hurricane struck the city at about five
O'Clock Oil Thursday. In the t~winkling OF
an eye, fifteen or twenty honses were uri-
rooted, every church spire in the city blown
down, three canal boats loaded with lumber
sunk, and The steamer DIN, with " cnty-one
passengers II board, made a complete wreck
her ca5iu oeing blown entirely away. The
only liz: lost was that of a little child from
the wrecked steamer The lumber in the
yard was blown all over the city. the gas
lamps were all blown down, and the signs
were sent flying in every direction; windows
andgabie ends were smashed in, whole trains
of cars we're blown off the track, and the
beautiful College building upon the bluff ut
terly demolished.
LATER.
A Geographic dispatch from St. Louis, 18th
inst. says that the towns of Lexington, Pc
oria Junction and Tonawanda suffered sever
ly. About one-half the houses in them
were FRUSTRATED. Three men wefe killed at
Tonawanda. Yesterday another storm of like
character passed over the region between
Bloomington and Springfield, doing much
damage. A large numbered houses in Elk
hart and Williauisville were demolished, one
OF them fulling on and crushing 4 family of
five persons to death.