White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1871-07-20
MORE OF THE STORaI.
From the st. Joseph Gazette, 18th.
OVER THE RIVER.

As previously stated, the main force of the storm
only extended three miles the other side of the
river. At ElwOod, however, the storm was par
ticularly severe. The round house and black.
smith shop of the st. Joseph and Denver City
Railroad were picked mp and carried off no one
knows where. President Steele and Superinten.
dent Barnard went over early yesterday morning
to hunt up the remnants of the buildings; but uI
to late hour last night they had only succeeded
in finding two rafters and half pound of shinglt
nails. Mrs. Baxter's house ii Elwood was also
lifted from its foundation and carried off in the
breeze. The timber for three miles west of Ell
wood was blown in every direction, and a perfect
blockade existed on the macadamized road yes
terlay, Occasioned by the falling timber.
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN NEMAHA COUNTY.
Although the storm did not extend very fal
west, quite gale seem seems to have visited Ne
maha county, Kansas, resulting in a terrible acci
dent, the particulars of which we gather from j
Z. Taylor, Esq, one of the leading attorneys OF
Seneca, who arrived in the city yesterday. About
a mile and a half southwest of Seneca a man
named Westfall, some sxty-five years old, resided
with his two daughters, one aged thirty years and
the other twelve. A quiet, good citizen, he had
esteem of all who knew him. Early yesterday
morning one of the neighbOrs noticed that the
house in which the old man resided was blown
down. He started over to the place. As he ap-
preached the spot no signs Of life were visible
He wedged his way in among the ruins of the
fallen house, only to witness a spectacle that was
calculated to chill the blood with horror Buried
beneath mass of fallen timbers lay the old man,
his grey hairs clOtted with blood his features dis
tOrted with pain, and each of his arms encircled
around one of his children. He lying near
the door Of the cellar having evidently endeavor-
ed to reach that place to escape the terOrs of the
elements without. True to the instinct which
God has implanted in the parents breast, in the
very last moment he had not forgotten the loved
ones of his household, but gathered them in his
arms, determined that all should live or die to-
gether. The youngest child was dead-her fea-
lures covered with blood and her fair hair tangled
in the ruins that lay scattered around. Theeldest
daughter still lived, but crushed and bruised and
bleeding could only murmur the words: "Help
me, friends-I am dying" and expired in few
moments. In very short time number of the
neighbors assembled-the. bodies were removed
from the ruins and conveyed to Q neighbOring
called to gaze upon the sad spectacle, and in the
afternoon the remains Of the old man and his two
children were followed to the grave by large
concourse of people. The sad affair has thrown q
gloom over the entire neighborhOOd.
DEATH OF MRS LOWELL AND Mr.. HENRY r. BLAKE
MORE.
By far the most painful occurrence of the night,
and which was really heartrending, was the Kill
ling by lightning Of Mrs. Lucy Lowell and Mr.
Henry r. Blakemore, at the residence of Mr.. Thoe.
Kiger about five miles southeast of the city, near
Saxton's Station. on the Hannibal & st. Joseph
Railroad.
The house is two stories high, with three prin-
cipal rooms and hall on each floor. When the
storm came on, Mrs. Lowell was mp stairs in one
of the back rooms of the house, reading from the
Bible to her little daughters. The windows Of
the room having blown open, she took her chill
dren and ran down stains with them, and passing
from the hall door into the bedroom adjoining,
put them on the bed and kneeled by the side. In
this position she was killed.
Young Blakemore also came from the second
floor and was yet in the hall. The bolt which
killed them came down chimney in the centre Of
the house, and followed the partition between the
hall and the bedroom in which Mrs. Lowell had
placed her children. The electricity followed the
walls and partitions, and literally shivered to at
oms the doors and articles of furniture contiguous
In the room in which Mrs. Lowell lost her life
were Mr. Kiger, who was severely and painfully
injured, but not fatally, as yesterday revealed; al
so Mrs. Kiger, who was slightly scorched.
younger brother Of Mr.. II. X. Blakemore was also
above stairs, but had not yet descended.
There were also in the house at the time, In
other rooms, Mr.. Phil. Helsley and Mr.. Chrisman,
who were both more less shocked, the latter not
recovering for some time.