The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-05-17
DEATH DEALING WINDS.
Western States Again scourged by
the Elements.
Thirty Lives Lost in the Town of Cell
ma, Ohio.
Death and Destruction Reported on
Every Hand

1
clone struck the northern part of this county
yesterday, and swept away portion of the
| town of Meriden. About 10 o'clock in the
morning very black cloud came up sud-
| denly from the southeast, and sweeping
| through the eastern portion of the town, did
| it's fearful work in almost moment. A
| large number of buildings were destroyed.
| The residence occupied by j. L. Hartzell
| and family of five was lifted from the ground
| and carried distance of eight feet. One
| child was seriously injured, and will die.
| Eighteen or twenty people were badly in
| jured. r. f. McKidden was picked from
| the sidewalk and carried into the air about
fifty feet and thrown against wire fence.
| torn up by the roots, and nothing remained
in the path of the terrific monster The
damage in the county is very great.
CELINA, O.. May 15.-The series of storms
that have been occurring in this vicinity for
the past week eliminated last nlgnt at y
this country. Hundreds of families are left
homeless. So far as ascertained thirty per-
sons have been found dead, while the num-
Der of injured has not been estimated. In
some instances families miraculously escaped
with their lives, while every Festlge OF the
home was destroyed. All business is virtual
ly suspended here to-day. Every citizen in
town is actively engaged in rendering as
sistance to the homeless sufferers.
DETROIT. Mich, May ia despatch from
Lansing, says that tornado started mile
north Of this place at the edge of Jones Lake,
last night, and swept in a northeasterly
direction, leyeling fences and wrecking
buildings into fragments. SO far as heard
from no one was killed or seriously injured.
After forming, the whirlwind seemed to
stand still in the road, and moved about as
fast as one would walk. Gradually 1t in
creased in size and velocity as it moved 1t
was blue-black in color and funnel shaped.
1t hugged the ground all the way, and did
not touch the clouds above. 1t cut clean
swath quarter of a mile wide through the
woods and orchards that came in its way.
The large barn of Mr. Shotter, on the Downes
road, was torn to fragments His horses
were in the basement of the barn; one was
sucked up and left on the hay NOW, while the
other was buried in the ruins. The house
and buildings of family named Fairbanks
were all blown to pieces. The whirlwind
passed across Big Chandler Marsh. four
miles from. Lansing. nearly in the middle,
striking freight train on the Michigan Cen
tral railroad. 1t unroofed the cars and hurl-
ed the contents into ditch.
A severe storm of wind and rain struck AL
bion, Michigan, yesterday. Buildings were
unroofed and the streets were flooded.
FOREST, o., May 15.-This place and vicin-
about II o'clock. The air was filed by balls
of fire, which exploded with loud swapping
sound. The storm came from the southwest,
and tended to a nOrtheasterly direction. Full
particulars, except that brought by farmers
living near the track of the storm, cannot be
obtained. There are known to have been
five persons killed and number injured, two
probably fatally. The residence of Mr.: Nc
Elree was blown down, killing Mr.. McElree
and his mother-in-law.. A house near by was
destroyed killing man whose name is not
given. The house of Thomas Moore was
razed to the ground, injuring Mr.. Moore,
John Thompson and j. Pickett seriously, but
not fatally. The big oak, school house and
reported destroyed. Mr.. Samuel Huckard
was fatally hurt and his wife injured by the
blowing down of his residence. The centre
school houses, one mile west of the town,
were laid to the ground. In the Blanchard
river valley, the fences, telegraph poles, trees
will be few days before the wires can be
fixed along the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne &
Chicago railroad. The wires of the Indian
apolis, Bloomington &Western road are down
Methodist church was demolished and many 1
shade and fruit trees were broken.
The tornado crossed the track of the Pitts
burg, Fort Wayne and Chicago railway two
miles west of here. 1t blew down tree
which hit the fast express train, injuring 1e
or more passengers.
The town Of Dunkirk was struck by the
between fifteen and twenty injured. The
names of the dead4are: Mrs. Rufus Lease,
VIM. McElree and his two children. The
people are looking with lanterns for other
dead bodies. Several buildings were blown
to pieces and many other unroofed.
PORTLAND, Ind, May 15.-There was a
terrible cyclone two miles north of Portland
last night. 1t swept houses, barns and fences
before it. Dozens of families are homeless.
Two women and a child and Mrs Epley and
child are killed. Many more are fatally in
jured. The loss will amount to many thou
sand dollars. The track of the tornado was
forty rods wide.
SPARTA, ILL.,, May 15.-The public school
building was struck by lightning yesterday
while the school was in session. One pupil
was instantly killed and others were stunned
The building was badly damaged.
CLEVELAND, O., May ia special re-
ceived from Carey, Wyandotte county, o.,
states that seventeen buildings were destroy
ed at that place by the cyclone last night
Six persons have been found dead at South
Carey. A large house containing several per-
sons was completely destroyed. 1t is not
known how many were hurt. Thousands of
dollars damage was done to fruit and shade
trees. Telegraph wires are down in almost