The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-06-02
Last NIGHTS Dispatches.
A Terrible Tornado in Kansas. Nebraska
and Missouri-Great Loss of Life

ST. LOUIS, May 3l.-A dispatch from
Atchison, Kansas, says: A terrible storm
of wind and rain passed over northern |
Kansas and southern Nebraska last even
ing. 1t extended through nearly the whole |
northern tier of counties of this state, but |
was most violent between Blue Rapids and |
Centennial stations, on the Central Branch |
railroad, about thirty miles apart. The |
storm moved in direction little north of
east, and passed into Nebraska through |
Richardson county. The town of Irving, |
90 miles west of this place, was nearly de-
.stroyed At that point the storm took on
the character of cyclone and leveled
everything in its path. About forty build
iDgs were destroyed, fifteen persons killed,
and 30 to 40 wounded Among the casu-
alties are the following: John keely,
wife, father and son, killed; Mr.. W. j.
Williams. killed; Mrs. Breckmaster and
five children, killed; Jacob Sabens and
wife, fatally injured E. Sheldon, wife and
| sister, dangerously hurt, not expected to
live; Mrs. W, q. Bates, and two children,
badly hurt-one has since died Mrs Noah,
Mrs. George Martin, and several others
more or less seriously wounded. Among
the buildings blown down are churches,
one five story building, the public school,
the grain elevator, and railroad depot.
At Denson Mills, Nebraska, on the
Atchison Z Nebraska road, the Catholic
church was totally demolished. as was also
the store of Mead, Riley & Go. One lady
was severely injured, and several residen-
ces more or less damaged.
Reports are meagre as yet, telegraphic
Communication west having been greatly
interrupted. The Daily Champion sent
reporter to Irving this afternoon on a
!, special locomotive, aud expects fuller tele-
graphic reports tonight. On Fancy creek,
IL miles north of Condrays, the Methodist
Church was entirely demolished, cattle and
horses killed, and other property de-
stroyed, but no lives lost.
| LATER. An Atchison dispatch says:
1.-THE storm west of this city was far more
fatal in its effects than the dispatches sent
early this evening indicated. The Cham
pion has special from Frankfort giving
the following casualties in that vicinity
James Downs and wife. killed; John
howe, boy of IS, killed; Grooves. killed,
and Miss Grooves, leg broken; child of
Mr.. Warfeld severely injured; Mrs
Vaughan, badly injured; John Vaughan,
severely injured; Mrs. A. S. Fox, slight
arm fracture; Henry johnson, mortally
injured; Ben. Fox, severely injured; Mrs.
Henry Johnson, killed; Mr.. Bolton, leg
! broken; Joshua Howe, james Vaughan,
q Henry Carger, R0bt. Laughlin, and Miles
= Kelley and family. all badly injured.
At Irving twelve persons were killed
outright, and forty nine wounded, mos
of the latter severely Many of them
will die. A cummittee of citizens and
xk kh ask har
) this afternoon, and medical supplies anC
u clothing have been sent from here to pro
8 vide for the immediate necessities of The
l. suffering.
70 A special dispatch to the Champion from
Is Concordia states that the storm was ex
y tremely violent 10 the vicinity of Delphos
Y Ottawa county. Fifteen dead bodies wer
le brought 10 from two square miles of terri
/ tory. One man from Beloit was taken III
T. 10 wagon and thrown to the ground agai
Is were thrown against wire fence San
Is killed. Five persons were killed in on
D. house near Delphos. Crops have bee
le Reports from Scandia, Republic county
Is state that the storm was very severe i
ht that section, but no casualties are yet IT
ls' ported.
on The citizens Of Atchison raised this Il
e ternoon 81, 200 in moEey for the relief
sufferers A special train leaves here
~ midnight NTH supplies oi medicine, az
clothing.
Il A dispatch from the associated press T
porter at Kansas City about the cyciuE
which DEVASTATED the eastern part
Jackson county last night, referring TO Il
M | l.. = Il, 3
near Blue Spring, an account Of which "
reported from Independence, says: NJ
Harris, bis wife, and children we
sS carried up into the air clear out
as sight and dropped in different piac
Ss and directions from the site cf Il
So house they occupied, and varying in d
AE tance from one to Two hundred yarC
az Mrs. Harris and one child were killed ou
H right; Mr.. Harris died several hon
y after. One of the other children "
NE found IN pool of water fifty yards frC
as the house. with large bunch of wet strt
q aud grass wrapping so tightly around
head and shoulders that it could only
removed with great difficulty. The ch
arm, was but slightly injured, his escape bel
~ attributed to the mysterious banda
around him. When last heard from t
storm was travelling ENTHUSIASTICALLY, @
had entered Lafayette county.
The Globe Democrat special from In
pendence Mo-, says: A cyclone strI
III the earth four miles from Lees Sunni
~ last evening. and tore furrow through
country sbout hundred yards wide {
: ten miles long. leveling everything in
track and killing and wounding seve
people. The direction of the storm
.v1- southwest to northeast Three miles c
- of Lees Summit the house of Mr.. War
-~-r- was totally destroyed, two members of
family killed and others severely wound
70 Further on the house Of Alex. Scroges
j > uuroofed, aud his wife's skull fractuI
The houses of DR.. DuDniDgtou and
Underwood were destroyed. but their Fl
g 7 lilies escaped unharmed. The residenc
Mr., Hutchlns was torn to pieces and
70 family badly hurt The house of
10 Harris, near Blue Springs, was demosb
Mr. Harris, his wife and little girl xii
'orm and m three other children mortaIiy woun,
At this point the storm cloud burst,
came together again almost instantly '
Q with a terrific crash, bounded from
y earth, came down again near the dwell
of Mr., Gore, which it passed throV
leaving its side walls standing. The fun
NS shaped cloud then rose high in the cir
disappeared in the northwest. The he
est rain eyer known iB this section acc
zP'ss panied the tornado, actually deluging
= country it passed over. The Presbyte
Gar church, public school building and lr
n elevator were completely destroyed.
,gton. east span of the railroad bridge eros
Blue river was blown down. 4 commi