The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-05-28

short distance from the gardens, were
dangerously injured and Mrs. Bohan died
about midnight. The house Of Martin
O'Dowd was reduced to ruins. Mr.. Beard
sley's house and barn were carried seven
or eight rods from their foundations. VIM.
Cockling's house was taken and nothing
left but few pieces of furniture. A school
house about two and half miles east OF
the city was carried off with the teacher
and scholars. Two of the scholars, bro
| ther and sister, were killed, and the teach
er slightly injured. The teacher, while
holding one of the smaller scholat, in her
arms, was thrown several rods Most Of
the children were unhurt. The storm in
no way abated after it left the city, but
everything before it. Mr. Coley, promi-
nent man, was killed in the town of Wald-
wick, as was one or two Norwegians,
whose names We did no! learn.
The Dubuque papers publish the state
ment of VIM Coates, an eye witness Of
the destruction Of Spensley's house, which
is substantially as follows: Probably it is
a good descripti II Of the general work Of
he cyclone which commenced at Belmont
Mount, fifteen miles from Mineral Point,
and seemed to sweep into the vortex Of
destruction everything its fierce power
came in contact with. Travelling III "a
northwesterly direction, it struck Mineral
Point about 1870 p. m, Thursday, and in
a lew inmates death and desolutien was
tie result Mr.. Spcnsl"y's house was to-
tally demolished, most OF it carried up in
the air and scattered to tour quarters Of
the compass.
There were twelve persons in the house
and when the angry black clouds and
fierce lightning came towards them, they
thoughtiuly entered the cellar, running
down Il stairway leading from the dining
room. Al. got in the basement except
Mrs. II. L. Roberts and Mrs. Maria Waller
Mrs. Roberts remained on the stairs urg-
ing Mrs Waller to follow her down, but
all at once Mrs. Roberts thought that one
OF her four children was left up stairs end
started to get it, Mrs. Waller following
her. The storm then struck the house, and
Mrs. Roberts retreated to the stairs again,
feeling sure that all the children were in
the basement The frame house oscillated
and cracked visibly whi,e the stairs on
which Mrs. Roberts stood were moving
about ready to f all. The windows Of the
house were blown in, the glass and sash
falling like hail upon the helpless women.
Doors flew open, the house was cleft
in twain aud strong air grasped the form
Of Mrs Waller and after bearing it alnft
about four hundred feet dashed her to the
ground, upon which she fell litcless
corpse with both arms broken and her
body otherwise bruised. Her shoes were
torn from her feet and carried away on
the wings Of the furious wind The house
was entirely demolished and swept from
the foundation, leaving the terrified won.
en- and children in the basement. Part of
the house was found one mile away, and a
raft'r Of the house was found one mile
distant driven over five feet into the
ground. A large barn and carriage house
stood about 800 feet northeast of the house,
which cOntained several buggies, cutters,
horses, etc. The barn and contents except
the horses were a total wreck. The hub Of
one of the wheels of Mr. Walters buggy
was cut out as if done by a piece Of ma
chinery made for the purpose, the other
part of the wheel or buggy not being in
the least injured. One Of the cutters could
not be found anywhere. The debris at the
barn was dritted IN the air and taken in
an opposite direction from the passage Of
the cyclone, which WAS strange and a
seemingly unaccountable phenomenon.
The killed, so far as Mr.. Coates could
learn, were John Coleman, Mrs Leonard,
Dan Zimmers, the daughter Of Highland,
two children Of Mr.. Beardslcy, Mr.. and
Mrs. Bohan, VIM. Coley of Waldick, and
Mr.. Cramer, Of the same place. The fur
niture in Spensley's house house is prob
abl sailing toward the eternal mansion Of
Eolus, AS none of it has yet been found.