The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-01-15
STORM KILLED.

The Portland Bee of the 18th inst.
tells the following tragic tale.
But short time ago Mr. Henry
Beckett, with his wife and child. arrived
in Oregon from Iowa. and purchased q
piece of railroad land near the farm OF
ex-Mayor Newbury. on SpringviIIe
Mountains.
He built a comfortable little cabin
and took his family thither. having
built il in the timber on account OF
being convenient to water. Not fearing
the tall pines which encircled his homo.
he began tie work Of clearing . piece
of level land which was covered with
brush. about a quarter Of . mile from
the house. At nOontime his wife would
carry his lanch to him. taking the
little child with her. On Friday, the
wind began TO moan through the tree Q
about noon. the sky grew dark. and
clouds swept by. bending the tall pines
like waving piumcs Each minute it
increased ~ fierc-ness until the whole
air seemed to howl and roar AMI the
for.s: dashed together in fury. The
poor half-crnzed woman WAS certain
her husband would come home. and
waited. each moment seeming xn age.
About O'Clock she beca,ue desperate,
and taking her babe to her brea.t. she
went forth into the temprst. She bad
gone not more than q dozen yards
when, with o tremendous crash. an
uprootsd tree fell across the house.
crushing it to the ground. In its de.
scent. the monarch of the forest tore
the limbs from the adjoining trees.
hurlipg them to the ground like hail.
One Of the limbs struck the baby from
her arsu3 and dashed it to death at her
very feet.
With wild shrek that rose above
the bowling tornado and roar Of falling
timber, she tore the limb from of tho
nlaneled body Of her darling and
screaming a. If her heart would rend
asunder. ran down the mountain side
with the speed Of the storm towsrd the
spot where her husband had been
working. She leaped the fallen trees
in her pathway like deer, until, ~
she sprang over one. heart reading
moan fell upon her ear. She turned
and looked only for single second.
aud then, with low, tremulous vail.
sank to the ground bsside her dead
babe aud almost dying husband. When
the storm broke 10 its fury he bad
started to his home in great haste.
paying NO attention to the surrounding
danger. and Was piuioned TO the earth
by falling tree. In this condition
they were found by our informant,
james Ford. . neighbor. who was
coming to see how they had Jared. it
being 2:30 o'clock whom be came upon
them. By superhumaa efforts he
released Mr.. Beckett, whose leg was
broken and arm dislocated and crushed.
aud after making them - comfortable
~ possible. aud partially rsviving the
poor woman. he hastsned home for
assistance. and carried them gently to .
friendly shelter, where kidd hearts.
words and deeds soon made them -
comfortable ~ possible. A physician
attended the husband and wife, while
sn undsstaker prepared the little Que
for its last resting place. Yesterday it
vas buried on the exact spot where il
was killed. this being the mother's
request, attended only BY the kind
neighbors. the mother beisg too weak
to walk or even cit up iu bed Thess
poor. broken hearted people have
received . terrible visitation. Il should
cause us 70 thank the Ruler II the
universe for protecting ~ and osrs
during the dreadful storm Of that day.