Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-04-01
i, wu1RLwIND INDEED.

DETAILS OF THE DESTRUCTION OF
HAZEL GREEN, WIs.-We condense
from Western journals the following
details of the terrible calamity that be-
fell Wisconsin town on Friday, March
To-
The village of Hazel Green is located
about fifteen miles to the northeast OF
Dubuque, in the extreme southwestern
portion of Grant County, Wis, and
numbers perhaps 1000 souls, who are
principally engaged in mining the lead
ore to be found in that section. The
fatal day opened clear and cloudless.
The sky shortly after noon clouded, and
for an hour or more wore threatening
look. A little rain fell in the interim,
accompanied by slight winds, but the
first premonition received by the
citizens of the approach Of the whirlwind
was the appearance of two dark clouds
on the horizon, one to the north and
the other to the west, approaching
each other at right angles, and probab-
ly at about two hundred feet from the
surface of the earth. When abont a
quarter of mile to the southeast OF the
town they seemed 10 come together, or
to telescope each other, as it were, and
then, with terrible reverberation, as
of the discharge of thousand cannon,
sink to the earth. 1t struck the ground
a mile southwest of Hazel Green, and,
ploughing furrow 600 feet long, 4 feet
wide and several feet deep, seemed to
absorb the earth and rocks. AS it
moved along in a northeasterly y direc-
ton, it looked like clay-colored column
whirling with incredible speed around
central vacuum.
COMING TO TOWN
As the cylinder came up the slope
the rush and yell and whlrrof the
column-sounding like the rush and
shrieks of the wind on the sea, attracted
the attention of the people OF
Hazel Green, and they focked
to their doors and windows. Steadily
it came on, sometimes bounding fifty
feet into the air, then rushing down
again. Iu two minutes it descended on
the little hazel grove just southwest OF
the town. The trees were snatched up
by the roots and whirled ninety feet
into the air and supported there. The
cap of the column was stone 8 feet
long. 4 feet wide and feet thick.
This stone was held in its position while
the column covered space OF three
quarters of a mile. Just between the
grove and the town, $50 feet from
either, the column halted and spun
around over small space, and then re-
commenced its march. The air was
filled with the yells and lamentations
of the people. Never before has such
tornado reached so far north; yet so
fearful and threatening was the coming
column that the prophetic souls Of the
people seemed to warn them of the
danger, and those who were not paraly-
zed dived into their cellars, and there,
shiveripg, awaited the doom they felt
must come. Tearing off a corner OF a
frame house, the column rose some
thirty feet into the air, and there, how
ering for an instant, fell perpeDdicular
ly upon the roof of the Masonic Hall
a stone building. The structure was
mashed fiat. This was at 4.3O, aud a
meeting had been called for S o'clock,
half an hour later. Seventy souls would
have been assembled in the upper por-
ton ofthe building. The next house
was of frame and occupied by Mrs.
Richards and her family. A daughter
in-law and her two children were saved
by the scantlings above them, while
the rest of the family were killed out
right. A fryiug-pan, containing three
cakes, was ON the stove and the frying
pan, still containing the cakes, was
found a mile and half northeast OF
the village. Twenty-six houses were
carried beyond the ken of mortals.
Where they went no one can tell. The
track of the column is filled with saw
dust and bits of wood, as though saw
mill had belched out half finished
lumber-yard. The trees, for several
miles, are filed with chairs, bits of
furniture, carpets, clothing, bits OF
window-shades and household material.
Mrs. Looney was sitting in her kitchen.
The house disappeared as if touched by
the magieian's wand, and the crushed
BODY Of Mrs Looney was found 400
feet of, stripped of clothing and with
the skin peeled off her back from the
neck down. OF the rest of those killed
nothing can be said, beyond that the
bodies were found not less than 200
feet from where they started. There