Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-05-30
TOUGH ON HARVARD BOYS.
Terrible TOrnadOes.

Terrible TOrnad0es.
Telegraphic advices of the 24th give
meager accounts of most disastrous
tornadoes in number of localities on
the evening of the 23rd.
THE TORNADO AT MINERAL POINT.
A correspondent writing from the
scene of the tornado at Mineral Point
on the Oath says the storm struck the
city yesterday at about 4 p NJ, entering
from souihwesterly direction near the
lead furnace of Mr.. j. Spensley. 1t
struck the furnace and reduced it al
most to ruin. Thence it proceeded to
the house of Mr.. Coleman, which ii
carried before it, fatally injuring Mr..
Coleman, two of his daughters, and
John Allen, who was i'll the house at
the time. 1t then seemed maddened
with fury, seized the residence of Mr..
John Spenslev, which it carried up into
the air and shivered into splinters. All
the family of the house escaped by
taking refuge in the cellar, with the ex-
ception of Mrs. Waller, mother OF
Mrs. Spensley, who was crrried with
the house and killed. Her body was
picked up several rods from the house.
Mr.. Spensley's large barn was next
lifted into the air with horse in it,
and no trace of barn or horse has
yet been found. Mr.. Leonards house
was then seized and totally destroyed,
killing Mrs. Leonard. Her body
was found about one hundred yards
from the house terribly mangled.
Mr.. Addington's house was destroyed,
but all his family was absent at the
time. Mr.. Benjamin Benefits house
was carried away and Mrs. Bennett
thrown several feet over wood pile es-
Gaping however with slight injuries. w.
Jacks and VIM. Princes houses were
removed from their foundations. The
principal damage was done at C..Gil-
mans brewery. The stone building
was reduced to ruins and the residences
Of Mr.. Gilman and Mr.. Adams were
totally destroyed. A Miss Zimmer, it
is feared, was fatally injured, and Mrs.
Meyer and Miss Jenk received injuries
from which they died this morning.
The houses situated on the summer
garden were carried away. Mr.. Bo-
hans family were all badly injured and
Mrs. Bohan died at midnight; Mr.. Bo-
han is not expected to live. The barn
and hop house of J. Beardsley were
destroyed, and school house, teacher
and scholars were carried for some dis
tance, slightly iniuring the teacher and
killing two of Mr.. Beardsley's children.
Martin O'Dowd's house was entirely de-
stroyed, but the family escaped by go
ing into the cellar. The storm entered
the city from the southwest. 1t origi-
mated near Old Belmont, and extended
more than a quarter of mile, running
a course of from so to 60 miles west
of Mineral Point. 1t did great dam
age to property, but few lives are
reported lost. In this city eight or ten
persons have been killed, while the loss
of property is very great. amounting to
upwards of $1,000. The storm passed
through the northern portion of the
town, few rods west of Att'y-Gen.
Wilson's residence, uprooting trees in
Mr.. Wilson's yard and breaking down
his fence. Had the tornado struck
Mineral Point only few rods further
south the entire business portion of the
city would have been demolished and
hundreds if not thousands of lives
would have been lost. 1t appeared to
grow stronger east Of the city, raging
terribly through the towns of Mineral
Point, Moscow and. Waldwick, laying
waste houses, barns and fences, and in
the latter town killing VIM. Ocley, a
prominent citizen, and one or two Nor
weglans whose names are not given.
At Adamsville, about 18 miles east of
this city, five persons were killed and
from fifteen to twenty wounded Calls
for medical assistance have been COM
ing into town all day, and the number
of reported injured are increasing.
STORM TRACK ACROSS DANE COUNTY.
Twenty miles east of Mineral Point
the tornado crossed into Dane county.
Ole Severson's house was first struck
and swept away, Severson and wife both
being killed. DR.. McFarland's house
was demolished and a patient crushed
to death. Numerous other houses and
barns were swept away and large num-
Der of people sustained broken limbs
and other injuries. The town of Prim-
rose was next; Simon Keller's house
was demolished, and he and his son
dangerously injured. John Osmanson's
house, barn and all sheds vanished. A
thrilling story is related regarding the
scene presented at this place. The
house was snatched up with almost
lightning rapidity, with Mr.. O5manson
and three children in it. Mrs. 0. and
three children reached the cellar just
as the house was raised from its foun-
dation. Off some distance is cluster
of trees, and upon the tops of these
trees Gid the house land. But as it was
raising, Mr.. O. Was blown out of the
door, fell to the ground, and happily
only received a broken rib. The three
children III the trees, and still in the
house: were rescued, one with an arm
broken in three places, and two slight
" injured. The motherand her three
little ones in the cellar received not
a scratch. n. n. Byrge's house and
barn were torn to atoms and he and
his wife both killed. Hiram Never,
sons house was crushed and swept
away and he and his son horribly