River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-05-24
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
Great Damage at Racine. Wis. Loss
of Life-EffecTs in Other Places.

Great Damage at Racine. Wis. Loss
of Life-Effecrs in Other Places.
Friday 18th. inst, was a cyclonish day
and various parts of the northwest suffered
severely, particularly Racine, Wis. The cy.
clone struck Racine at O'Clock passing
through the extreme northwestern portion
of the city, demolishing $50 houses and
barns, and causing loss of life of about
twenty beside 100 more or less severely in
jured. The air was oppressiyely warm. The
cyclone was announced by the breaking of
the clouds, which took on whirling mo-
ton and struck the earth with noise which
might be compared with the roar and rum
bling of 1000 railroad trains laundering
over bridge. The path OF the storm was
little over mile long and perhaps a quar-
ter of mile wide. In this territory here
and there building is left standing. Brick
and frame houses alike were destroyed, and
their sites are marked only by heaps of de-
bris.
Many occupants of houses escaped by
seeking cellars and other places ofcompara-
tive safety, but the cyclone came with such
lightning quiekness that many were killed
before reaching shelter. In only Is few
dations. Those in the center of the storm
center simply exploded and fell IN ruins
where they stood. The cyclone, as it
moved from the city cut upon the waters of
Lake Michigan, presented grand spacta-
Gle, such as is seen but once in a lifetime
The revolving columns OF air
seemed seemed and monster = tie h; Treaths of of
watery expanse, bearing with them spiral
columns of water Noship that encountered
this monster of the air could by any posi-.
bility escape destruction. The list OF cas-
ualities, so far as they can be learned is as
follows:
Fatally injured--Mr. Kurtz, Herman
Kurl, Mrs. Mccarthy, August Kisner and
wife. Simon Geise, son and daughter, and
Fred FAX.
Killed-Paul Kuhl, Albert Kuhl, daugh-
ter of Barney yelling, infant son of August
Kisner.
Dangerously injured-Matt Levy, two
children of Mrs. Barry, Mrs. Mary Witter,
Mrs Flanagan and three children.
Watertown, Wis was also visited by ter
rife hurricane which has wrought devas-
tatiOn in that city Houses were torn
down and trees uprooted by this cyclones
awful strength every window in the south
side of every house in town was broken.
Hail stones as big as walnuts. In many
panes of glass there were perfectly round
holes as though made by rife ball. The
roof of the Northwestern Lutheran univer-
sity was blown of.
Shortly before six o'clock dark cloud
was seen hanging over Chemung a small
village near Harvard, jill. Roaring was
heard and suddenly unnel-shaped cy-
clone formed and swooped down upon the
place with fearful rapidly Houses were
torn to pieces like cardboard and whirled
thus in the air. Large buildings were lev
eleA in an instant. There are no definite
details, but 1t is understood that number
of PERSONS were killed and at least twenty
wounded. Passing to the east
the storm struck Belvidere, doing consider
able damage. Here the wind charged to
the northeast and widened to a mile. Law
renee, small station six miles north ofHar-
vard was badly damaged and the surround
ing country desoiate.
Duluth, Moorhead and other points in
the northwest came in for visitation. AT
Duluth burst of wind blew down build
ings, and among them one under coDstruc-
ton was entirely destroyed at loss of So,
000
At Springfield, Ill, a large number OF
houses were demolished and many persons
injured, The hurricane struck the earth
again four miles east of the city, where the
little settlement o Round Prairie is situated
and play ed havoc with the lives and property
of the farmers of that vicinity. The houses
of Wi liam Nos'rand, Mr.. McVelgh, Henry
Hughitt, Samuel Ashton, James Trotter,
George Ray, Henry Turlly, Henry Farbec,
and Samuel A. Grub were torn down and
great damage done their other property.
The killed and injured are:
Mr.. Booker and child. Mrs. English and
two children, injured seriously. Mrs. For
beg, killed Mrs. Jane Van Nostrand, prob
ably fatally injured. Misses Maggie and
Annie Van Nostrand, badly hurt.
From Roand Prairie the storm swept on
to Dawson, nine miles northeast, but doing
no serious damage until that point was
reached. Here a number of houses were
tom down and Mrs. Ferris killed. At
Buffalo, little hamlet Mrs Thomas
Chandler was killed by the falling timbers
of her house.
On Greasy Prairie, eleven miles south, the
farm houses of Porter Story, Alex Gum,
William Brakeman. Thomas hester, Jesse
Coyington, and A. Warsup were destroyed.
One man, boy, and two children were
killed, and others injured. Near Franklin
the storm was iearlully destructive. At
Pisea the house, barn aud orchard ofJames
Oxlev were swept away and his wife and
children seriously injured. At Woodlawn,
where there was a fatal tornado three years
ago, the railroad depot was destroyed.
AT Ieitenburg, some nine miles north OF
here on the Peoria branch OF he Wabash
railway, the storm was in the shape of a
column and strucx the south par of the
town at the southern eige, ping northeast,
completely across the business residence
portion of the place. leveling four stores,
two churches, depot, repair shop, machine
shop and thirteen dwellings, besides injur-
ing Others and destroying much other prop
prtv, Five were killed and fifteen injured.
The dead at Greasy Prairie now number
four, man named English, a twenty-year-
old boy named Brakeman, and two children
i'll the Westroat family, making ten dead.
At Clinton, dewitt county the names of
the dead are: George P. Clifton, Mrs. Cliff
tons his wife, aud Ollie Clifton, aged seven.
At Iteration, ILL.,, Mrs. Garner was killed,
and her husband is supposed to have been
thrown into the ravine and killed ana the
body washed into the river. A daughter of
Garner has a hip dislocated, and daugh-
ter of Denny Shey leg broken. The storm
was also severe at Edwardsville. Mrs. Will
Maxev of Alton was killed near Edwards
vile by being blown against tree, The
roof OF the court house was blown off.