Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-06-20
CYCLONIC CAPERINGS.
HOUSES, BARNS, STATIONS, WIRES
AND CHURCHES DESTROYED.
People Blown in the Air Like Chan, and
Others Killed by Lightning-Horse
Blown Over Fences and Child
Driven Into the Muddy Ground.

OMAHA, Neb., june f6-The second So
we're wind and rain storm within half week
mas visited this section Great damage was
lone in the country 10 wind mills, sheds and
,arns by the wind At Willard. twenty
miles west Of here, two lumber yards were
Entirely blown away At Elkhorn two
houses and a barn were blown down. For q
distance of six miles west Of Grand Island
telegraph poles are all laid fiat.
The same storm struck the North Platte
station, on the Union Pacific, and was blow
ing it to pieces when Geographic commune
cation YVES cut off, The depot at Phelps
station, on the Burlington g. Missouri rail
road was partly wrecked Much damage
was done for a distance Of fifty miles along
the Nebraska railroad in the southern part
Of the state, q great many buildings being
wrecked.
At Elk Point, Dakota, a number of build
ings were blown down and the railroad coal
house and windmill were demolished.
At Coleridge, Neb., sixteen buildings were
Ieveled. Two children were killed and three
people seriously injured in the country.
A brakeman named Sullivan was killed by
lightning near Columbus.
At Harrington, Neb, the skating rink and
q number of small buildings were destroyed.
Word has been received from Lemars that
the st. James Catholic church was torn
down and the steeple of another church was
demolished The Plymouth mills were I'M
rooted and the smoke-stack blown away.
The gas works were leveled, the opera house
unroofed, the st. Paul 81 Omaha station
wrecked, the new school house unroofed and
several residences were blown down.
The wind was first from the south and
then from the southwest. Reports from
Des Moines, Sioux City, Iowa, and Dayton,
o., give reports of great damage by similar
storms.
In Iowa.
MASON CITY, Iowa, June 1.-THE last
four nights have been characterized by Sc
we're wind and rain storms in Cerro Gordo
county. The rain fell in torrents, accom-
panied by heavy hail and constant and
terrifying display of lightning.
A cyclone struck this county in Mt. YER
non township and a schoolhouse was de-
molished, and in Bath township it struck the
house and barn of H. F. Lincoln, tearing
both to pieces. The household furniture was
scattered in every direction, the farm ma.
chinery was also broken, trees were uproot-
ep and some of them driven deep into the
earth A horse was thrown over fence into
ditch and lay on his back until relieved.
Trees as large as mans body were snapped
off like candy ten feet above the ground and
their trunks peeled A bird cage was blown
out of kitchen, but the bird was found I'M
injured A stallion worth 81, 900 was found
after the roof and floor of the barn had dis
appeared hanging unhurt across some joists
A mile farther on the house of Matthew
Reddy was carried away. There are hardly
boards enough to build fire. The wreck is
complete. Mr.. Reddy's brother was carried
into field when the house went to pieces.
On his looking around he saw by flash
of Ii ghtin 'sthat his brother was stretched
dead some yards away. He picked him uI
and carried him into an underground milk.
house. He commenced a search for his wife
and found her some ten rods distant from
the house in corn-feld He next
looked for his five-year-old boy, searching
by the light of the electric flashes, and al
last discovered the infant thirty rods from
the house. The boy was almost driven into
the mud. Mrs. Reddy and child are serious
ly injured, and little hopes are entertained
for their recovery.
Cattle in q herd were stampeded, an6
horses in pasture were driven into wire
fence and fearfully cut up. The crops were
fairly beaten into the earth.