The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-30
A TERRIFIC TORNADO.
The Village of Hazel Green, WIS.,, Visited
by n Disastrous Storm---Great Damage
TO Property---several Persons Killed and
n Number Injured.

The Village of Hazel Green, wis.,, Visited
by n Disastrous storm---Great Damage
to Property---Several Persons Killed aud
Number Injured.
A terrific and destructive tornado
broke over Hazel Green, a small village
in southwestern Wisconsin, one day re-
Gently. The weather had been remsrka-
bly, warm, the thermometer indicating
sixty-elght degrees in the shade during
the day and up to few minutes before
four o'clock, when gathering clouds
gave evidence of some decided meteoro-
logical disturbance. Shortly afterward
tho storm broke, and, with suddenness
equal only to its coming, swept across
the ili-fated town, laying a great portion
OF 1T in ruins. The wind, which rose to
the height of tornano, struck the town
on the west side and tore its way with
unparalleled fury northward short dis
tance, when it took an eastetly course,
sweeping through the entire length of
the village, leveling to the ground be-
tween twenty five and thirty buildings,
consisting of residences and business
houses. Frame houses were wrested
from their foundations and dashed
against brick structures, which crumbled
and toppled before the furious gale, and
fell one mass Of ruin. Fences were torn
from their posts, the air for time being
fairly filled with boards and sticks, as
numerous as flying sparks from great
confiagration. The awe e-stricken people
were so completely taken by surprise
by the sudden bursting of the storm and
its liRhtning-like rapidity as it plowed
Its way through the doomed town, that
they had little or no time to prepare for
safety in flight, and as q consequence
large numbers were overwhelmed by
falling buildings and either killed out
right or crushed and manned, so that
their lives are despaired of. There were
eight OF the citizens killed, their bodies
for the mostpart being terribly mangled.
Some were caught under falling timbers,
others were impaled by splintered boards,
while some We're dashed to death by be-
ing caught up in the storm and thrown
against buildings, or thrown with great
force to the ground. The carnage is re-
ported to have been terrible to an alarm
ing degree, and when the wind had
passed by its path was marked by ruined
buildings, and dead, dying and wounded
inhabitants. Immediately after this tor
nado had died away heavy rain storm
set in, the water falling in perfect tor.
rents, and extinguishing at once the
slight flames which ha6 sprung up,
probably from blacksmith's shop, which
shared the fate of many other buildings.
In addition to the rain there was also q
heavy hail storm, the weather having
suddenly turned cold. The dead, SO faI
as could be ascertained, are Joshua
Richards, Mrs. John Looney, Mrs.
Thomas Richards, Mrs. Thomas Ed
wards, Miss Thompson, daughter OF
Edward Thompson, who, together with
his son, Is supposed to have persisted
also son of Joseph Jackson. Between
fifteen and twenty persons were wound.
ed. The first news of the disaster was
brought into Galena, ILL.,, by couriers,
who were at once sent out from Haze
Green for medical assistance. All the
doctors available at once went to the
scene of til disaster.
The village of Hazel Green has 6
population of probably 1000 inhabi
tants. 1t is situated twelve miles direct
ly east of Dubuque, and ten miles north
OF Galena, in the extreme southeastern
portion of Grant county, Wis, and not
more than half mile from the Illinois
State line. 1t is almost wholly mining
village, and is situated in very nearly
the heart of the best Wisconsin dig.
gings. 1t is one of the Oldest villages
in the lead bearing regions, and in 1884
was quite village, when Dubuque and
Galena were places of less than 1000 in.
habitants. 1t is surrounded by a fine
farming as well as mining territory, and
contains several stores, hotel, and all
the usual adjuncts of country village.
The town stands out upon a rolling
prairie, and hence must have received
the full force of the fearful storm which
bore death to so many of its inhabitants.
Hazel Green is noted as the place where
the poet j. Il. Percival died twenty
years ago, and where he lies buried.
Among the buildings destroyed was the
Methodist church. The storm was
pretty general over the northwestern
country, Sparta and La Crosse reporting
considerable damage from floods, winds
and hailstones. Dubuque and Burling
ton. Iowa, We're also in the path of the
hurricane, but received only a small
part of its strength, which seems to have
been held in reserve for the town OF
Hazel Green.