The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-07-08
A Hurricane in Detroit.

We take the following account of the
recent whirlwind in Detroit from the Free
Press of the 2Sth ult.:
The destroyer seemed to be whlrlwind
which rose apparently near the southwest
ern limit of the city. 1t was first seen IN
that direction in the shape Of dark,
smoky-looking spiral mass, shaped like an
inverted tunnel of enormous dimensions,
and whirling with incOnceivable rapldity.
Its forward movement was also very RAPID
in course north of east, but it did not
strike the earth until it reached the vlcln-
ity of Williams avenue and Ash street.
There the first evidence of its awful power
was seen in upturned sidewalks and de-
molished outbuildings, but no dwellings
seem to have been caught in that immedl-
ate neighborhood.
The greatest destruction was south OF
Grand River avenue, from and including
Fourteenth street to Eighteenth, between
Magnolia and Linden streets. Its track
was perhaps $50 feet wide, and within
that limit nothing could resist its tremen-
dous force Houses were taken up high
in air, shaken into fragments and, in many
instances, scattered over territory mlie
in length. Indeed, flying pieces OF tim
about fully two miles from the place
where the work of demolition began:
Where, at one moment, stood row OF
substantial houses, the next witnessed
scene of devastation impossible to realize
with scarcely vestige Of the buildings IN
sight, so utterly were they swept OFT the
face of the earth.
1t is not difficult to conceive that such
a remorseless monster carried death and
mutilation on its wings. Everywhere
were heard the cries of the wounded,
whose bleeding and mutilated bodies were
pitiful to look upon. Richard Bates,
aged eleven years, was caught up ana
carried into the topmost branches OF tail
elm which stood on the commons near his
mothers house at the corner OF F1teentn
and Linden streets. His violent contact
with the limbs tore the clothing from his
person and he fell dead to the ground,
distance of fully fifty feet.
A little babe seven months oid, lhe
child of Carl Peca, who lived on four-
teenth street, was found dead in the street;
Its father and mother were both injured
and removed to Harper Hospital.
Mrs. Van Duzen, a widow with two
children. on Fifteenth street, had gone up
town to visit her father, and when she re-
turned her house was nowhere to be found.
If had been carried bodily at least 200
feet torn TO atoms and scattered far and
wide. The only recognizable portion OF
the building found was the front door.
Frederick Rademacher, who hved at
74S Sixteenth street, was sitting at nome
| with his wife and two children, when he
suddenly felt himself hurled through tne
air and saw the walls and tlmbers OF ms
dwelling flying in every direction; ne
escaped with a slight scalpwound, but
| his wife was more seriously injured. Inc
children were also considerably bruised,
but their hurts are not dangerous.
| Mr.. and Mrs Bates, the parents OF the
lad whose frightful death has already been
recorded, and younger son were badly
wounded.
| The house of Martin Schneider, at the
corner of Sixteenth and Linden streets,
was totally destroyed, but both Mr.. and
Mrs. Schneider were miraculously saved
by cupboard which protected them
| from the falling timbers. When they
were rescued both were found to be quite
unhurt.
Joseph Bully, of 712 Sixteenth street,
was standing in vacant lot adjoining MS
houseAwheh a portion of the ROOF was
wrenched off and hurled to the ground,
grazing him in its descent and infiicting
bad wound on the side Of his head.
Two vacant houses on Seventeenth street.
near Linden, were demolished, and
third, adjoining, was partially torn doyn.
The names OF the owners could not b0la3,
certained, but as no person was injured
there it ID not 80 important.