The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-23
TORNADO TALES.
Miraculous Escapesin Wisconsin and IL
linois.

Some Of the stories told concerning the work
OF the tornado in Wisconsin and Illinois are
almost beyond belief. At Kellogg's Corners,
Kenosha county, Wisconsin, the tornado which
few minutes later visited Racine with such
disastrous result, swept millpond dry, carry
ing the water in binding sheet 10 the barn of
Charles Herrick, which was literally delugsd
and COW stabbed therein was drowned
new brick school house at Aztalan, Jeffer-
son county, Wisconsin, was destroyed by hail.
The stones were as big as eggs, and came down
in such numbers and with such velocity as to
make the building look as though 1t had been
destroyed by a cannonade.
Mrs. NorthEop and her son, who lived on
farm in Racine county, near Union Grove,
were standing at a window watching the tor
nado when they noticed that the funnel was
coming toward them with terrific speed. They
jumped into the cellar, and had no sooner
landed on their feet than their house, sub
stantiaI frame, was picked up like a balloon
and carried over their heads long distance
down the road.
The residence Of Mr.. Page, southeast Of
Springfield, illinois, was demolished and every
outbuilding blown down. Some of them were
carried completely away, especially large ice
house, Of which no Vesiige could be found
within a radius Of a mile. Mr.. Page with his
family, took refuge irfthe cellar. They had
narrow escape from being crushed 70 death by
the foundations of the building, composed Of
brick, which came tumbliDg ia upon them,
seriously bfuising Mrs. Page The house would
1T times rise several feet off the ground, bnt
strange to say, with the exception Of being un-
rooted it settled down almost on the old foun
dation. Near the house, and in the track OF
the tornado we're found several huge logs which
had evidently been part of some log house,
but which Mr.. Page had never seen and
did not know whence they came. The wagon
standing near the house was carried several
rods away and turned upside down without
being much damaged. The residence Of Su-
peryisor Grub, in the same neighborhood, was
unharmed, but summer kitchen was thrown
out OF shape. The stove, which was heated at
the time, was raised up and carried about 200
yards and lodged in straw stack, A FIRE fol-
lowed, and the barn and other adjacent bull
dings we're consumed.
A few miles north Of Virginia, H., hedge
fence was raised root and branch and carried
away. A big pile OF railroad ties lying near
the track was scattered far and wide. On
Springfield Round Prairie horse was found
with piece Of rail through his body. At the
residence OF Major Hess, one and half miles
east OF Springfield, the ehimneys were tumbled
dows sat a large wooden bowl. This was split
midway, one half being left in its original po-
stion and the other half carried of by the cy-
clone. At one place flock Of geese were found
naked, their feathers having been stripped
from their backs and hung upon hedge.
At Grafton, sixteen miles southwest of Jer-
sey vile, Ill, large stones were lifted of the
bluffs and hurled with tremendous force into
the Mississippi river and upon the town below,
causing the utmcsB CONSERVATION among the
inhabitants. Ths Wabash track was covered
for several miles ith stones thrown by the
force OF the wind rom the bluffs. A car of
stone weighing 42,e00 pounds was lifted from
the track, and the stone scattered in every di.
rection. Michael Larned was taken up bodily
and carried away. Search wss made and his
body found in a culveIt Of the Wabash rail-
way, a distance Of 100 yards from where the
storm struck him. His head and face were
split in two, and his body badly bruised Large
pickets were carried long distance and driven
into trunks Of trees.
One Of .he most miraculous escapes recorded
vas that of the family OF Peter SchafIer, living
few miles south of Mount Pulaski, III. The
house was torn from its foundation, and in an
instant the air was filled with flying timbers
into the branches OF a large cottonwood tree
that had been prostrafed by the storm. He
found his wife lying at the base of the tree in
an unconscious condition. Farther on, under
a pile Of rails, he found his little girl also un-
conscious, and. as was afterward discovered,
so badly injured that she will probably die.
The baby did not receive even a scratch, and
was found eomplacently viewing the spot
where its home had stood but a few moments
before. Not a vestige of the house remained.
Everything had been swept away.