Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-23
Destructive Storms I'm Wisconsin and
Missouri.
DUBUQUE, Iowa, March I

III. w u
turned across the south and middle part of
the town, leaving path from thirty to forty
rods in width in after ruin, true descrip-
ton of which, with its attendant devastation
and carnage, no pen, however apt, could
possibly delineate. Twenty-six houses were
totally demolished, and their contents borne
upon the winds in every direction Fields,
yards, streets, and even the cemetery, over
which the storm passed but slightly, arc filled
with the debris: Immense timbers, boards,
scantling and posts were thrown heayenward,
and driven deep in the ground in their
descent.
The first house in the village struck by the
whirlwind was wooden structure, one story
high, owned by John Funk, the roof of
which was partially carried away, without
damage to the inmates. Further on it lifted
a small tenement in its mighty arms, COM
pletely crushing the building, not a vestige
of which, save the floor, is left. The family,
consisting of Mrs. Farally and two daughters,
took refuge in the cellar, and escaped injury,
Crossing the street it swept the three-story
stone structure known as the Masons' and
and Odd Fellows hall from its foundation,
and left it a shapeless pile of rock, mortar
and shattered timbers.
But few feet to the eastward its mighty
bolts were launched against the stone resi-
dence of Mrs. Z. Richards, and tumbled its
roof and portion of the walls upon the in
mates, consisting of Mrs. E. and daughter
Lizzie Gagged siXteen), Mrs. t. H. Edwards
and infant child, all of whom were killed by
the falling rocks. Johnson Richards, the
son of the dead lady, at the time the whirl>
wind struck the premises, was in the hay
loft of a barn on the lot, and was instantly
killed, while Thomas Mayor, young man
who was on the first floor of the barn, re-
ceiyed a frightful cut about the face, which,
though not dangerous, will disigure him for
life. The barn on the premises of Mrs.
Richards was demolished, and a fine trot-
ting horse, owned by Thomas Wagner, in
stantly killed by the falling timbers. Across
the street from the Richards house, the
wooden building occupied by Levi Eastman
was racked and shattered as if under the fire
of a hundred guns.
The house of Joseph Jackson was num-
bered among the ruined dwellings,, and his
son Alfred, fine lad aged fourteen years,
instantly killed. Mrs. Jackson was serious
ly bruised in the back, and it is thought her
spine is injured The sorrow stricken father
related the terrible scene of ruin and death
which had visited his hearthstone, and while
telling the sad story scalding tears coursed
down his wcatherbeaten cheeks, and grSans
OF deep distress broke his uterances. The
spectacle was such as to soften the stoutest
heart, and, sick and sorrowful, we dropped
word OF sympathy and turned away.
From this point the whirlwind travelled
duo +ho
ing large number of slabs and ornaments.
and covering the ground with boards, limbs,
pieces of furniture and clothing. On it went
bent on its mission of death and destruc-
ton, until reaching the residence of Thomas
Allen, which it lifted as if it were a feather,
and, carrying it short distance, dashed it
in pieces, killing Mr.. Allen and his son.
aged twelve years, instantly, and badly in
juring other members of the family The
large furniture establishment of Ed and
Matthew Thompson was totally demolished.
The building contained valuable stock of
furniture and collins. Mr. Chas. Schabber's
blacksmith-shOp was also blown down, as
was the extensive wagon and carriage manu-
factory of Joseph Clemenston, which, with
its contents, are total loss.
The loss to property was estimated at from
$40, 900 to $4,000
SEDALIA, Mo, March II.
The tornado that passed through Monroe
County yesterday was first seen at Monroe
City, on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Rail
road, at four p. m, passing there without,
damage. Three miles from there it blew
down a farm house, killing three women and
severely crippling another.
At Hassard a twO-stOry frame house was.
completely demolished, and the section
house, railroad depot, several build
ings and two miles of plank fence destroyed,
and one mile of telegraph wire stripped.
Elizabethtown, a small village si1- miles
from Hassard, suffered severely; every
building, except three, was destroyed, in
Guiding two churches, and one woman and
one child killed instantly. Two school
children on the way home were overtaken by
the storm and carried away and have not
since been heard from. Hay stacks were
picked up and carried for miles, and fences
generally destroyed. The citizens of Mon
roe and Hassard say they could hear the
storms rumbling noise for great distance.
The storms width was about half mile A
passenger train left Hassard only one minute
before the depot was blown away.
The house of DR.. Kittoe was the last de-
mOlished in the village, and though not
RACED to the ground, there is scarcely a
timber in the structure that does not bear
evidence of the terrible assaults of the
whirlwind, while the building is moved up
ward of three feet from its foundation. the
second story blown off, and the whole east
ern end carried away. The doctor perceived
the coming danger and, gathering his fam
lily together calmly awaited its coming: and
come it did, with fury which rent the fraiE
tenement from top to bottom, and scattered
the debris about and upon the pale inmates,
not one of whom was injured in the least.
The barn at the rear OF DR.. Kittoe's prem
Uses was leveled to the GROUND, and almost
every vestige of the structure carried from
the spot on which it stood. pair of
horses in the barn were lifted sixty feet into.
the air, and then shot off in tangent twenty
rods, when they fell bleeding and dead. They
were standing side by side ih the barn, and
when they fell they were only ten feet apart
and still occupying the same relative posi-
tons, the nigh horse on the nigh side and
the off horse on the off side. AS they spun
N ba al ctatp oil of dan