The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1885-05-06
FREAKS OF THE WIND.
4 Eeavg Tram Near Pleasant Hill
Overturned ard Iany Cars
Rulned-Train Hand Hurt
Damage Done

During the early portion Of last even
ing ! had been cloudy and cold, but
about 5 O'Clock the wind increased
IN force, coming from the north
! western portion OF the state. When
it reached Pleasant Hill a number of
chlnlneys were blown over and sky
lights broken. and in portions of the
village fences were overturned and
wrecked. The chief track OF the
wind. however. was between Green
wood AMI Pleasant Hill. on the mann
| line OF the Missouri 2 Pacific railway.
Sweeping south it ran against i
| freight train OF tWentv-one cars en-
route north from Harri,onvlIIe on the
Texas branch OF the Missouri Pa
cific road about five miles from
Pleasant Hill. The tram at the
time sa, running no faster than
eight miles an hour, and the wind
caught it m the center, leaving the
engine and eight car, safely on the
rails. The TWO next cars were lifted
from the track, but not injured. while
TIE remaining ten ana the caboose
were overturned and wrecked and
| tore ana twisted into al sorts Of
shapes. Four Of these cars were
loaded wlth cattle and hogs, three
with gravel ballast, ana three with
genera! merchandise.
IN the caboose was Christopher
koc@er, the conductor; ]. II Tuck
enba~.., a stockman from Dunlap,
Kan, and John Duncan, Jack Nc
CArty. and w. Naught, brakctnen.
koeger, the conductor, was cut about
the head and bruised on both legs,
and all occupants of the caboose
We're shaken up and tumbled about,
ss after leaving the rails the car was
dragged along over the ties hun
! dred feet or more. The cattle cars
were so badly wrecked that many
animals were killed while many more
escaped and are still roaming about
the country.
\ wreCking train WAS at once sent
/ 81 S.
/ this point. and the wrecked cars and
a portion of the stock brought back
to Pleasant Hill. The loss to the
railu ay comp any will he about S.
900. 1t was extremely lucky that
the hurricane crossed the track Just
as it did, as about ten minutes before
the regular north bound passen ger
train passed. and had it been in the
path Of the wind manv passengers
would certainly have been killed.
Box cars are sometimes blown from
/ the track. but in the accident las;
night three of the overturne! cars
were flats" loaded with gravel, -
! the force % the wind mast have been
/ terrific.
! From the country about Pleasant
/ Hill comes reports Of the wind, and
/ in the Plum Grove district, three
miles southeast. the school house
and church We're unro2!ed. At
Stra>oarg AMI N,ac>vl.e several
small wooden nou>es were blown
j do0en and considerable fencing was
+ DESTROYED. but aside from the loss to
the railway. few interests suffered,
! About Lees Summit some Slight
. damage resulted from the wind. but
the rain which followed was most
+ disastrous. NORTH Of the town con
{ siderable stock was drowned. and
the water is reported higher than for
! number OF wears.
One OF the brakenen who was III
+ tic overturned caboo>e states that
the Wind came upon them like q
Hash. and seemed - come from
between two hills down i small
valley toward Greenwood. on the
nam l:ne 1t lifted the cars and
caboose up into the ar and then
tossed them about as il they had
been feathers.