American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-06-08
THE TORNADO'S TRACK,

THE TORNADO'S TRACK.
Further Accounts of the Enormous De-
struction Which 1t Wrought in wiscon-
sin-Twenty People Killed and 100
Wounded in One County.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribunel
MADISON, Wis, May 26.-The special
correspondent of the tribune to-day
went over nearly the route in this coun-
ty of the terrible cyclone which swept
over this State last Thursday evening,
and took personal cognizance of the
widespread destruction by the fright
full monster, from Oregon, where near
ly every slab and monument, tree and
shrub in the cemetery was Frustrated,
clear to the western town of Perry. The
course of the storm is clearly defined by
wide spread destruction. Houses, barns,
outhuuses, fences, trees, straw and hay
stacks are swept away. In many places
huge trees are torn up by the roots, and
others broken in twain, while saplings
of three or four inches in diameter are
literally stripped of their bark. At
Henry Paine's, near Oregon, an emf
grant from the vicinity of Milton juno
ton had just driven in the wagon-shed
to escape the heavy rain which preceded
the storm, when Paine, who had step
ped to close a door, heard a mighty roar
in the west. Looking out he saw
a litter of pigs coming through
the air. The shed was struck
by the tornado, and carried over
the barn, both buildings being literally
broken in splinters and scattered for
miles. Two horses were carried up in
the air, bounded along in the course of
the storm like rubber balls for half
mile, and lodged in the timber, and,
strange to say, uninjured. One man
had Ills leg broken and the other
was injured. John Henry Under
wood and John Pierce had houses
stroyed. The wife of the latter was so
badly injured that she can not recover.
Michael McCarty's house and barn,
three miles further west, were complete
ly destroyed. The children were seri-
ously injured. Martin Warmers house
n
crrried through the air three rods,
lodging in a tree. In her flight through
the air chamber carpet COM
pletely enveloped her, and the
tree retained her there till re-
leased by her parents who were
house. Just south of Paoli, at A. F
Clark's, the storm made a complete
whirl. Striking and carrying the top OF
large brick-house from the east, com.
pletely gathering it into space, it turn
ed and struck the large barn from the
west, land completely annihilated it. Here
three people were seriously injured, with
loss of property of at least "a 900
Near Mt. Vernon, j. f. Chandler lost {
large house and barn. VIM. Osborn
directly across the road, had barn ant
out-houses completely destroyed and
swept away Chandler heard the storm
coming, and got his family of five per
sons in the cellar. Osborn's family o
four persons were carried off in the
house All were seriously injured. Thi
/
spondent witnessed. What was one,
the homes of two opulent farmers is com
plete desolation, nothing but cellar wall
left-house, barn, hay and straw-stacks
corn-bins, bee-hives, smoke-houses
wagon shed, furniture, all gone in de
bris. Mr.. Chandler had just completed
refurnishing his home at cost o
$4,000. A pocket-book containing note
amounting to $1,000 was carried ava
by the storm. A narrow escape of thos
in the cellar was here related. Afte
the house was lifted from the founda
ton a large horse fell in the cellar OIL
its back near the terror-stricken family
it having been lifted by the storm from
field 20 rods distant. 1t was Instant
killed as it struck. Ten miles sout
Berget's house was completely demol
ished. An old man and his son wer
killed, and an old lady SO badly injure
, that she can not recover. Osmasson,
mile further west, lost all his buildings
His wife and two children were danger
ously injured. Night coming OF
, your reporter was compelled to retrac
his steps, having followed the track q
J the storm for twenty-five miles. Sti
further, through Perry and Primrose
the storm was equally severe, sewers
) persons being killed and large numbe
) injured. One can hardly gather a tith
, of the destruction of the terrible tornad
by reading written reports. To be full
, appreciated it must be seen. Intens
electrical phenomena were noticed. III
track of the storm in some places WIS
only three or four rods wide, while /;
7 others it spread out from a quarter
half mile. Twenty persons are know
) to have been killed in the track of til
5 storm in this county, and nearly II
I we're wounded, while the loss of prope
t ty is simply appalling.
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