The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-08-16
The Buildings on the Henry County
Fair Grounds Raced to the
Earth.
Effects of the storm at GaIya. Utah
and Bishop Hill.
WORK OF THE WIND.
A HEAVY STORM.

neighboring county of Henry. The heat
during the afternoon was sitting, and
when the clouds were seen gathering in
the north and east, over>heated humanity |
gave sigh of relief at the thought of
refreshing shower But had it been |
known that the clouds foretold the APP
struction to property and endanger life, |
their appearance would not have been
greeted with such satisfaction. As the |
bank of clouds approached nearer and |
nearer, however. the inhabitants of Cam |
bridge began to grow uneasy. and well |
might they, for in few moments a storm |
burst over their heads that for violence,
force and
GENERAL DEsTRUCTVENEss
was never witnessed IN that locality. lei
was shortly before four O'Clock that it
struck the town, and for twenty minutes
wind, rain and hail swooped by in one
binding sheet. 1t was impossible to see
across the street but the crashing of
glass and cracking of trees was sufficient
to fill the hearts of the stoutest With fear.
Not until the rain aud wind subsidized,
did the people venture out of doors and
gain correct idea of the destructlveness
of the storm. In some places the streets
were almost impossible from large trees
that were stretched almost from sidewalk
to sidewalk Many of the trees that
withstoOd the wind were stripped of their
branches. The worst havoc to trees oc-
CURED in the
COURT HOUSE YARD.
which presented sorry spectacle of
manned and mangled branches. The
thickness of the foliage broke the force
of the wind on the court house, which
was comparatively unchanged.
Church property seemed TO be particu-
larly singled out for demolishment. The
Methodist, Congregational and Christian
churches were all damaged more or less,
The Congregational Jared the worst. Ii
was fiue brick structure, built iu 1876,
| The entire southern part of the roof was
blown off, and The shingles and timber
strewed along the streets for q block.
The southwest cupola was also blown off.
and one>f0urth of the root on the north
side. The interior was flooded with
water, aud the walls, pews, carpets, etc,
were badly damaged. The Methodist and
Christian churches were deprived of their
cupolas, but the damage was otherwise
| light The loss to the Congregational
| church Is estimated at s. 800; Methodist.
$500, and Christian $500.
THE FAIR GROUNDS
The buildings and fence on the Henry
county fair grounds, situated one fourth
of mile northeast of Cambridge were
badly demolished. Only few panels of
the fence remain standing. while the art
hall, Judges stand and the. partly CON
structed mechanics hall were laid low
The amphitheatre was partly destroyed.
When the storm came up the
Cambridge band was practicing in
the amphitheatre, and the boys scattered
in every direction, many of them cling
ing tenaciously to trees to save them
| selves from
BEING BLOWN AWAY.
The date for the opening of the Henry
county fair is Aug. Goth, but owing to
the destruction of the associations prop
erty there is some doubt as to whether
the fair will be held, the time being so
short for making the necessary repairs.
Treasurer Shepard told an ARGUS
reporter that he was IN favor of
holding the fair notwithstanding the
disadvantage at which the association
was placed The directors have a meet
ing this afternoon to decide ON the mat
ter. The damage at the fair grounds is
e stimated at 81, 500.
One of the heaviest individual suffer
ers 10 Cambridge is Elliott Hinman, the
lumber merchant. His lumber piles and
sheds were sadly demoralized. and be
places his loss at 81, 900.
Cooks brickyard also bore unmistakr
able imprints of the storms visitation.
His sheds were almost entirely lcveled To
the ground, and his loss is figured at
81, 800.
The minor mishaps at Cambridge were
the destruction Of the tower at the tow
halt, the leveling sf the high fenct
around the Jail. slight damage to roof,
and topping of innumerabc chimneys
and wholesale injury to shade trees.
Numerous barns and outhouses were also
; RACED The entire loss in the town il
estimated at from $4,000 to Si5, 900
AT ULAH.
{ Utah was the storm centre. 1t is
4 little flag station. five miles east of Cam
bridge, situated in basin formed by sur
: rounding hills, and made natural cy
@ clone hole. The effects of the force were
e everywhere visible. The hail was wors
: here than anywhere along the route o
3. the storm.