Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-05-02

over Wesson and the town of Beaure-
gard, one mile above there, about
o'clock Sunday afternoon, creating
frightful havoc. Houses were blown
down, trees we're uprooted, and the
scene which presents itself, now that
the storm bas spent its force, is inde-
scribable. Many we've killed outright |
by the falling buildings ard were buried |
in the debris. Many more were injured
and will die from tteir wounds. In
Wesson it is known that thirteen per-
sons are dead and the number will prob.
ably be increased. Beauregard is SIM
ply one mass of ruins. Its existence is
wiped out. Not a house is standing.
The number Of killed and mortal]y
wounded there is about twenty five, and
ninety are wounded. Beauregard is a
small town in Capiah County, MISSISSIPPI
pi, on the Nav Orleans, st. Louis and
Chicago Railroad, 444 niles southwest
of Jackson, with population of about
500. Wesson is more important place
on the same road, one mile from
Beaurega1d. It is sort of summer
resort for the people Of Now Orleans,
and has a population of 1,GO0, and
large cotton and woolen factory, en-
ploying 600 hands. Brick buildings
were blown down, frame houses torn to
atoms and trees swept away like straws.
Loaded freight-cars were lifted from the
track and carried 200 yards. Trees and
the timber from houses are scattered for
miles around. The town could not be
recognized. One gloomy, ghastly mass
of desolatiou and destruction marks the
spot which was beautiful and flourish
ing little village. The cyclone came
from the northeast and was wide enough
in scope to cover the entire town of
Beauregard. From Beauregard it pass
ed in a southwester]y direction, skirting
Lear part of Wesson, destroying near
ly twenty houses there. The cyclone
lasted only about fifteen minutes, but
that short time seemed ages TO those
who passed through the terrible ordeal.
The property loss in Beauregard is not
less than $250.000.
The same storm, before reaching
Beauregard, struck Ti'tman Depot, on
the Natchez and jackson Railroad, a
dwelling place, killing and wounding
several people. The storm proceeded in
nortdeasterly directi IN, destroying q
number Of houses in Lawrence, on the
Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad; thence
to Aberdeen where tho damage Is not
stated.
A terrific gale from the northwest
struck West Point at about the same
time the cyclone visited Beauregard
and Wesson. It was accompanied by a
torrent CT rain and the largest hail ever
seen there. Fences and trees were pres
trated and considerable damage done
generally, but no lives we're lest. On
the Natchez and Columbus Railroad the
town of Tillman was destroyed and sew.
eral persons killed and wounded. On
the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad
the town of Lawrence suffered terribly.
Reports from other places and from the
country show that the storm was wide.
spread and destructive. Telegraph lines
were blown down for miles.
The cyclone was terrific in southwest
Georgia, and attended with large loss ol
life and property. Not less than twenty
| five deaths are reported, while the num-
Der of injured cannot be estimated,
T 9 damage to railroads and telegraph
lines prevent the accumulation Of de-
tails. In numbers of instances there il
an entire loss of farmhouses, residences
cattle and produce.
DUNLAP, Harrison County, Ia., Apri
24.-The tornado first reached there
abont $40 o'clock Saturday evening
striking the earth about two and hall
miles south on knoll. and then dropped
on J. T. Green's barp. There were six
teen COWS in a row on ore side OF the
barn and three horses on the other
The barn was torn all to pieces, and the
horses were blown thirty yards, but none
were killed. The floor was taken from
under the COWS and carried one hundred
yards. bnt all the COWS save one were
left standing. One COW was carried l0(
feet, dashed to the earth. and killed
Mr.. Green's fine greenhouse was entire
ly carried away, together with $70i
worth of plants. His ice-house wal
next taken, and not vestige Of it re
mains, although the ice itself stands ther'
unmoved, with the sawdust over it. Mr.
Green's wagons, buegies, reapers, seed
eTs, plows, etc., are scattered every
where. Nothing remains but his house
A hay-rack was thrown backward righ
in the face of the tornado a hundred
yards. A seeder in it's track was lef
unmoved, but a tire from one of it
wheels was carried quarter of a mile
The tornado then crossed creek, carry
ing away the bridge and moving til
trees like weeds, tearing them out b,
the roots and throwing them in piles
Joseph Roskapf's house, which was jus
in the edge of the tornado's track, wa
lifted up, turned around, carried abou
thirty feet, and badly wrecked. On
entire end of the house is gone an
nearly all of the roof is blown away
There were ten people IN the house, an
all are unipjured. From there the tol
nado passed across the open fields
sweeping the ground clean, crossed til
Chicago and North Western Railroa
track, about one and one-haH mile
southwest, taking with it the telegrap
poles and wires. 1t then tore throug
Boyer River, where it left the earth fc
, about two miles, and, coming dow
!. again, struck the farm of G.. D. Troy
; carrying away the large house, barr
} corn-cribs, and everything. Mrs. T1o
ana ner QauBAteI esCapeu NY tahAu
refuge in the cellar. The tornadopicke
up several hundred bushels of corn in
crib, and there is not sign Of the cri
nor of one grain of the corn anywhere.
! The whirlwind soon afterward struc
|: the earth again four miles west. III
house Of Henry Burres IVES carried con
pletely away, with the exception OF a fe
window. .sills and a piece of the roof. II
family took refuge in a cave and escape
unframed. There are many wild rumo
, of damage and loss of life beyond, al
that. several persons were killed farth
along the route of the terrible visitan
d AnExANDEB 81. STEPHENS will is ma
public through the Atlanta paper