Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-05-07
Chicago ChastiSed- Church.Stceples arr
Blown Down, Houses UnrOOfed,
Carriages Overturned, aud
LaRp-p0sts and Trees
Blown Down.

by tornado or wind. Slight shower:
Of rain fell from tie extrer.ity of the
clouds passing over this locality
until about eleven O'Clock, when
the stErm burst upon US with
terrific fury. The lightnings flashed
necessarily, striking in several IocaIi.
ties within the city limits, the SHARP
cracks Of the thunder startling the
strOngest-nerved; the rain fell in tor.
rents, and uncessing for fully an houl
and half. There wss comparatively
little wind accompanying the cloui, but
the roar Of the floods Of water po6ring
down upon the earth sounded as if {
tornado was passing over. At this writ
ing We have heard of nc material dam
age by wind, water or electricity. Oul
dispatches contain fearful details of dis
asteTs at points within the scope of The
fury Of the storm.
Fearful War of the Elements nj f,c,v,
enwOrth,
.LEAvENwORTH, May Cat haIt-pp7t
three o'clock tbs morning this vicinity
was Vis..tted by the heaviest and mos
'"o5tTuctive wind-st0rm LeavenwOrtt
ever experienced. Ii had been raining
almost incessantly for sixty hours, and
at the time the wind-stOrm struck tbs
town, the rain was still coming down in
torrents. AT an early hour in the even,
ing the lightning began to play across
the sky, the whole air seemed TO be fill.
ed with electricity, and all night long
flashes and repOr's followed each other
in such rapid succession, that there
was almost an unbroken glare
of lightning and roar OF thunder. At
twenty-five minutes past three o'clock,
a dense black cloud was seen in the
western horiz IN, and in few moments
after 8 sharp breeze came up rom the
east, which continued not over one
minute, and then there was a dead
calm, and the rainfall ceased entirely;
then began to b9 heard the distant roar.
ing Of The coming tornado, and in a
moment more the wind struck us, and
it seemed for time that everything
above ground was doomed to dcstruc.
ton. Just as the hurricane struck the
city came binding fls1h Of lightning,
with a terrible crash of thunder that
made the earth tTemble; this, with
terrific roaring of the wind-which can
not be likened to anything but itself
the cTeakipg and groaning of trembling
buildings, the crash OF falling walls ana
flying tImbers, made an exhibition of the
fury of the elements which those who
witnessed it will never desire to sea re.
peated. The wind cloud WIS funnel
shaped, with the small end down. 1t
moved with an Oscillating motion nom
west to east, rebounding like a bomb
shell, aud scattering Tuin in its path
way wherever ii struck the earth. The
les to city and county cannot be Il s
than one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, and may reach quarter OF a
million.
Terrible Effects in Chicago.
CHICAGO, May 6.-AboUt five o'clock
this afternoon, q terrific rain-storm, ac-
companied by q rotating tornado, visit
ed this city, aud did great damage 10
properly. The storm spent itself chiefly
on the south or north sides. The west
escaped almost uaiDjured. The wind
seemed to come from above, and dropped
here and there over the city, skipping
some portions which lay in its cOuTse.
Among the casualties reported are the
following: The Michigan Southern de-
pot was unroOfed, and six laborers, work
ing in the vicinity, were more or less
hurt, one of them seriously. The mg5
sive steeple Of Grace church, one hun.
dTed and seventy-five feet high,
fell, and crashing through the
Roof, penetrated the aisle. The
choir were practicing ia the church at
the time, but were not injured. The
los TO the church, exclusive ofnthe
steeple, is estimated at seven thousand
dollars. The spire of the Wabash av,
enue Methodist church was also broken
off and fell into an adjoining lot. The
tin roof Of No. SIT Wabs h avenue was
carried off, and the building lsfG defense.
less against the storm. The upper I lr,
ton OF the roof Of the old county hon.
pital was carried away, and the chin
neys falling on the lower por-
tions, caused much injury TO the
building. The patients were speedily
removed and none we're seriously hurt
The wind took off q large portion Of
AshbOrn's harvesting machine manu-
factory, and sixty f, at Of the first wall
fell in, smashing machinery and in
ficting other damage to the amount OF
about five thousand dollaIs. The house
OF Henry w. King wss uDrOOfed and
damaged badly. 1he omnibus barn or
Blue Island avenue, near Twenty
second greet, was blown down. a
three-story frsme-hOuse, on the corner
of P8ulina Twenty-third streets, wss
blown down, and one Toy killed. Be.
sides tho, several Of the tenants were
iDjurC d, and some limE3 were broken.
At fifteen minUtcs psst five o'clock the
mTssive fog bell at the crib, together
with the newly-erectCd tower, wF7
swept into the lake and entirely
destroyed. Tie lOss viii probably be
over five thousPnd dOlIs,s. Trees, lamp.
post and other debris slrew the streets
In some Portions Of the city sidewalks
were turned over and jammed against
houses, breaking gloss, etc. Hacks snG
carriages weIe wN cBed in the stTeeti
and abandoned; nearly fly vehicle
were seen on the SOuth-side, after the
tornado had pa ed, sll tuned over and
some OF them worthless on account o.
damages by the storm. InnUmerable
chimneys toppled over and signs were
hurled into the streets in all directions
Little lOss Of life is reported as yet. The
Palmer and Gardner houses are reported
to have been badly dsmsged, but no par
tieulars can be ascertsined at this hour
On the lake the force Of the storm seems
to have been less, but nearly every yes.
sci inside the hsrbor and ia the river, p
we'll gs those outside, lost their calls ol
mast1 or portions OF their rigging. The
lightning struck several times, but in
only one case was a man injured, anC
be only slightly. The storm lasted bu
a few minutes. At this writing it Il
perfectly clear.
LATER.
CHICAGO, May 6.-At late hour to
night s few further particulars Of tn,
damsge have come to light. The les
TO the Palmer house is about $1,000; {,
the Gardner house, $1,000; to the oil
county hospital, about SS0C1. In Page
candy-store, on Lake street, four girl
were seriously hurt, and two Of then
msy die from injuries received from til
chimney falling through the roof. 81,
men were buried under the fallen wa
o. the Michigan Souther freight depot
One Of them will probably die, and an
other hsd his legs snd arms ard oihe
boufs badly broken. Some of The othe,
may uut recover. The roof OF the pa:
seugeT depot was partly demolished
The total damage is roughly estimate