Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-11-27
EIERCE GALES.
Two Destructive Cyclones Sweep Through
Portions of Illinois Leaving Great De-
VISITATION in Their Wake-One Life Lost
and Many Persons Injured.

Two Destructive Cyclones sweep Through
Portions of Illinois Leaving Great De-
VISITATION in Their Wake-One Life Lost
and Many Persons Injured.
CHICAGO, Nov. Shortly after sun.
down last evening two cyclones, nearly two
hundred miles apart, coursed through Hi
nois, marking out paths of destruction and
losses which are yet undeterminable in eX-
tent. The telegraph advices, though mea-
ger, indicate that hundreds of farms were
devastated, many houses totally destroyed,
and several persons killed and wounded.
The tornadoes evidently pursued parallel
tracks from southwest to northeast.
The wind-wave which swept north from
the western confinc of the State apparently
crossed from Mississippi at some point near
New Canton, passing through Pittsteld,
the capital of Pike County, over the Illi-
nois River. east o: Versailles, and on
through Brown, Scott. Morgan, Menard and
Logan into Mclean County, where it eX-
pended its force shortly after having left
Bloomington behind. Its flight was like the
single-wave flow of a cloud-burst down a
mountain side, suffering no resistance and
INDUCING in no pause. Its ravages of any
one place We're of brief duration, as it
sped northward, spanning the distance from
the river to Bloomington, over one hundred
miles, in less than three hours. At Pitts
field many houses ami barns were raised,
but no details have been obtained. New
Salem and Beardstown We're visited with
similar havoc. Succeeding the wind-storm
at the latter place a %drenching rain set in,
which was in turn followed by the
falling of hail-stones rs big as walnuts.
The Versailles Hotel was unrooied,
and a large store vas torn into pieces, the
contents being scattered for half a mile.
Two miles of track at the crossing of the
Rock Island branch of the Burlington and
the Wabash was ripped up from the
gravel grade and twisted into all conceiv-
able shapes. 1t was about eight O'Clock
that the depicting cyclone struck the
extreme southwest part of Blooming
ton. After having tossed, the express
trucks at the Union DepH about as if
they were feathers, picked up a hack and
dashed it into fragments in the street, UNI
rooted the Hungarian Iron Works and part
ly demolished the brick work, it continued
its journey feebly to the north. The loss
to the iron works is about $1,000. The
storm lasted ten minutes at Bloomington,
heavy rain, thunder and lightning follow
ing.
The cyclone of the eastern part of the
State wlerled along the Wabash. How long
the distance it traversed, or how great the
disaster it spread, can only be conjectured.
A special from Carmi, the county seat Of
White County, only briefly describes the
scene; and from other points it was impos-
slble to get advices, owing to the prostra-
ton of the telegraph wires. The eastern
cyclone carved out a track nearly three
miles wide. The Baptist Church of Carmi
crumbled to the ground under the atmos-
pheric pressure. Many structures of the
town suffered a similar fate. Others were
blown from their foundations or irrepara-
bly, shattered. Paul Burkhart's house was
destroyed. Tn house and barn of Joseph
Burrell, aged eighty, were totally demol-
lshed, and he was struck dead in the ruins
by a piece Of flying timber. The re-
mainder Of the family escaped with
out serious injury. Miss Hood, a visitor,
was dangerously wounded in the wreck of
James Williams house. The house of
Mrs. %Callenbeck, in the same neighborhood,
was blown down, seriously injuring the old
lady, iniiicting severe scalp wounds on the
eldest and crushing both thighs of a young.
er son. Scarcely a vestige remains Of the
houses of Henry Dobbs, Mr.. j. Ryan and
MIR. }. Hood, and the escape of the occu-
pants in many instances was simply miracu-
loLS.