The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-05-08
TERRIBLE TORNADO.

LEAvENwoRTH, May 6.-At half pas
8 O'Clock this morning this vicinity wa
visited by the heaviest and most destruc
tive wind storm Leavenworth ever had
1t had been raining almost incessantl,
for 60 hours, and al the time of the winc
storm the rain was still coming dowl
in torrents. At an early hour in th
evening the lightning began to play acros
the sky and the whole air seemed fillet
with electricity and reports followed
each other in su-h rapid succession
.tbst there was almost an nbroker
glGs of Liz htning and roar of thunder
At s Is dense black cloud was seen in
the western horizon, aud in few minutes
after sharp breeze came from the east
which continued not over q minute. Their
thsre was dead calm and the rain
'caased entirely. Then began to be heard
the distant roaring of the coming lorna
do In moment more the wind struck,
and 1t seemed for time as il everything
above ground was doomed to
destruction. Just as the hurricane
struck, The city there came a binding
fash Of lightning with a crash OF thun.
der, that made the earth tremble This,
with the terrific roaring o. wind which
can't be likened to anything but itself
the creaking and groaning OF trembling
buildings, the crash of falllHg walls and
flying timbers, made an exhibition
OF the fury of the elemants
which those who witnessed it
will never desire TO see repeated. The
wind cloud was funnel-shaped, with the
small end down. It tmoved with an oscil-
latihg motion from west to east, rebound
ing like bombshel and scattering ruin
in its pathway whenever it struck the
earth. The loss TO the city and county can
not be less. than $l50,0OU, and may reach
II quarter OF a million.
The following are some of the most
damaging results of the storm: The
Leavenworth carpet factory with ma
ohinery, valued at $4,000, was totally
destroyed. The roof of the odd Fellows
hall, one Of the largest buildings in the
city, was torn off and the interior of the
building was ruined by water. Part of
this roof fell on the agricultural ware
house Of Mobitt & Co., crushing the roof
of the building and another part of
It carried 200 feet away, and crushed in
one end OF large boarding house, but
happily without iniuring any inmates.
The roof of w. q. Lobensteln's large
warehouse was blown Off The iron roof
o. the UKicn depot was blown Oft;
also part of the root of the new market
house, part of the South wal of Hotf.
mans liquor store, part OF the North
wall of the Leaven worth mill.
and the entire roof of Hsrmon's block
Ten other large houses were more or
less damaged, some thirty smaller build
ings unroofed or blown down and al
most innumerabic lesser injuries inflicted.
The line of the tornado was directly
through the heart of the city from west
to east. and extended in width from Oak
to oShawnee streets.
- KANSAS CITY, May 6.--There has
been an almost unprecedented rain fall
during the last two days, causing i'm
mense damage and delays TO railroads.
None of the ten railroads centering here
sent out trains this morning on time, and
no trains arrived, except on the Missouri
Pacific, North Missouri and Fl. Scott
roads. The Hannibal and st. Joe road
i. blocked near Cameron, and passenger
trains are held at Liberty. There is n SER
ious break in the Missouri Pacific be-
tween here eand Leaven worth, near Pom
eroy, and also on the Council Bluffs road
near ParkvIlle. The Kansas Pacific
IS interrupted by washout at Stranger
and the A. T. Us. p. near Deso.a. The
entire railroad traffic ut this point has
been delayed and interrupted for twenty
four hours and it will be several days be-
fore the usual order of things is restored.
A serious land slide occurred on Bluff
street. by which the railroad track was
covered and all communication between
the Union Depot and the railroad
bridge isc, of, which necessltated trans.
ferrlng pas, ngers by buses. The dam
age to priv e property and streets Is
already greal The rain cea.ed at three
o'clock this afternoon, and the weather
is n wv clear. The storm has been un-
in this region Tor fifteen
years No serious damage to the wheat
crop is reported.
The storm at Chicago.
CaIcAGo, May 6.-About s O'Clock
this afternoon a terrific hail storm, nc
by a rotating tornado, visited
this city and did great damage to prope:.
ty. The storm spent itself chiefly on the
south and north sidesi the west escaped
almost uninjured. The wind seemed to
Come from above, and dropped here and
there over the city, skipping
some portions which lay
in its course. Among the
casualties reported are the follow.
ing: The Michigan Southern depot was
and six laborers working in
the vicinity more or less hurt, one Of
them seriously hurt. The massive
steeple Of Grace Church, l75 feet
high, fell, and crushing through the roof
the aisle. The choir
were practicing in the church at the
time. but were not injured. The loss to
the church exclusive OF s.eeple is es IL
msted at 5000 The spire of the
Wabash Street Methodist Church ais"
broke of and fell into an adjacent lot.
The TIN roof of No. 5l7, Wabash avenue
WAS carried of and the building left dc
against the storm. The upper
norton Of the roof of the old county
O nj q was csrrled away and the chm
news falling on the lower portions OF the
house caused much injury 10 the building.
The patieots were speedily removed and
none we're seriously hurt. The wind
took of a large portion Of Osborn's
harvesting macnIne mandatory and
si.ty feet of the fret wall feel in, smash
ing the machinery and iaI,ting other
damage 10 the amount Of sbOut 5000.
The house Of Henry w. King was un-
rooted and damaged badly. The omnibus
harm on Blue Island avenue, near 22d
street and ,hree-ssory frame house, cor
per of Paulins and 22d streets, were
blown down and one boy killed. Besides
this saverni of the tenants were injured
and some limbs broken. At 5:l5
oclock the massive fog bell a the
Crib. tege,her with the newly
erected tower WAS swept into the lake
and enerely destroyed. The loss will