American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-05-28


lifted from their foundations aud crushed to
heap Of ruins roofs were torn and shat.
tered into fragments, and large brick build.
ings, in process Of construction, were blown
over upon the roofs Of smaller adjoining
buildings. ~
While this kind OF destruction was going
on, Abe large hail stones, falling thickly, s.
driven with great noise aud violence. were
doing immense damage. People rushed from
their houses and places Of business out into
the storm. fearful of their lives, women fell
fainting, COWS rushed believing down the
streets, and. with the pelting rain and halt,
the vivid flashes of lightning, the terrific
claps Of thunder, the roar of the hurricane,
and the noise Of falling chimneys. &c.. the
scene was one Of great terror. Al one time,
when the gale was ut its height, il seemed
as if the entire city wonld be laid in ruins.
The storm continued, with more or less
fury, for about three quarters Of an hour
The wind then abated it's violence, the dark
clouds in the west lifted gradually, and
mellow. golden light cleaned down upon
the city, strangely i'm contrast with the dark
ness that only few minutes before wrapt
il in such gloom. s#''
or the extent Of .his terrible storm we ore
unable at this time 10 speak. The general
impression is that ii has extended widely in
central Illinois, and our advices indicate as
much. IL the storm was as furious out up
on the prairies as it was in this city, the de.
siruction to both life and property will be
immense. No house standing unprotected
upon the prairie could resist for o moment
such powerful gale as that Of yesterday
Those upon the train of the Peoria and
Oquaka road that arrived last evening, re-
ports that the storm has done frightlu da-
mage on the line Of the road east of here for
distance oil twenty miles. This train was
near Cruger station when the hurricane
swept past. Some idea of its power may
be formed when we state that one OF the
passenger cars, the baggage car and the
tender were hoised bodily from The track
and turned over into ditch. Cruger village,
which is located upon the prairie eighteen
miles ives, OF this this city, is IN complete
rulns--.euery building ards leUelled TO the
ground including The station, sc. Washing
tona place of 1900 inha bita MS ted eight
miles this side of Cruger, was saved from
complete destruction by being situated
where II is protected by the woods and hills.
II did not escape great damage, however.
II will be impossible, of course, for sever
al days to ascertain the number Of lives lost,
extent OF personal injuries received, and
amount done by this terrible storm. We
fear that ii will be found to have swept
down every farm house and village for miles
around, and that much suffering will be
the consequence. We have gathered all The
facts connected with its fearful work in this
city that il was possible to get hold of last
evening, and present them below. II is a
sad record, and will be read with painful
interest. .... 49,. ..s.
ALMOST WHOLE FAMILY LOST. F..
Our worst fears are beginning to be real
lied at this early hour in the morning, and
we dread the tale that will be unfolded ere
the setting OF the SUM-. Authentic inlelli-
gence has just been brought TO us Of the
vile OF Mr. George A. Beesman, of this
city, and his four children, three bows and
one girl ! appears that Mr. Beese man was
out on The lake with las family, enio, ing a
boat ride, at The time ,he gale came up, aud,
6y The merest accident, was himself saved
from watery grave. He was accidentally
discovered by some men who were in search
OF another party supposed to be lost, partial
iy Immersed i'm water and almost dead with
exhaustion. He was so weak he had TO
be carried home, and at the present writing,
our informant states. is almost distracted,
and in critical condition. 1t is supposed
that the others must have persisted al The
commencement OF the storm