The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-26
A TERRIBLE STORM
Many Lives Lost by Cyclone
in the West.
More Than a Score Of Persons
Killed in Xenia, Ohio.

Rain, hail and furious winds have swept
down upon Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri,
part Of West Virginia and part O: Pennsyl-
vania, with tremendous fierceness and calam-
itous effect. The storm in these States broke
down telegraph wires, washed away rail-
roads, flooded rivers, destroyed homes, busi-
ness houses, public buildings and live stock,
and resulted in the loss of many human
lives.
At Xenia, Ohio, 100 houses. consisting Of
dwellings and business blocks, were com.
pletely wrecked by the storm. The loss of
human lives Is estimated at between twenty.
five and thirty-ive. At least one hundred
hope was entertained of the recovery of many
of these. The storm began about 9 o'clock
P. NJ. Xenia contains 10000 in
habitants. 1t is in the midst of a
rich country, and its residents are, as
rule. well-to-do. The path of the food,
however, was through a district in which
workingulen had built small frame houses.
The darkness and rain continued after the
force of the storm had been spent and the
work of rescue was slow in being begun:
The people who had escaped unhurt
were paralyzed by the awfulness of
the visitation and were at q loss
which way to turn. Communication in
every direction with the outside world was
cut off. Out in the darkness and rain were
q hundred wrecked buildings covering scores
of dead and wounded By degrees the path
of the storm through the town became known.
and relief. parties began their work Up
to evening OF the next day twenty-five
bodies had been found, and eleven per-
or Tina tUh hnI fo Iyy
of father, mother and seven children were
overwhelmed by the food, and all but two
little boys perished. The scene at the
Mayors Office the next morning was beyond
all description, for there were conveyed the
bodies of the dead Some were in their night
clothes, and had evidently been caught in
their beds, and most of them bore evidence of
having been injured by crashing timbers
as their houses went to pieces. Many were
in their clothes, and probably died struggling
to save themselves. The undertakers and
others were engaged in dressing the de ead
and arranging them in families, for here
were whole families who had found a stimuli
taneous death. The pecuniary damage in
the city and surrounding country is heavy.
At Dayton, Ohio, and vicinity tho Mis-
souri, river became mighty food, inlndating
fifty acres of houses. drowning live stock,
sweeping away bridges and demolishing
farm buildings. Two trains were wrecked
by washouts and number Of train hands
injured. At Shaker Village, three miles east
of Dayton, many buildings were unroofed,
barns blown down, and cattle killed. George
Miller. a prominent famer, was killed by
lightning.
From Cincinnati, Hamilton, Springfield,
and other points in Ohio came reports of
scores of railroad bridges washed away,
miles of track ruined, farmhouses and barns
totally destroyed or partly demolished, and
hundreds of cattle killed.
In Indiana waterspout washed out oil the
culverts between Newcastle and Mes
sick, resulting in the wrecking of a train and
the death of three train hands, three moro
being injured. At Logansport, Ind, the hail
and wind storm unroofed hundreds of houses
and blew down almost everything in its way.
The High School and American Normal Col.
lege were severely damaged. Thousands of
trees blocked the country roads.
In and around Peru, Ind, the damage
done is estimated at $3.50, 000 At Attica, Ind,
200 houses were destroyed in five minutes and
seventy persons injured several fatally. An
express train was ditched and totally
wrecked. Other points in Indiana send SINH
lar reports of devastation by the storm.
In Vermilion county, III. the house Of John
A. Shaw was struck and Mrs. Shaw, who
was sick in bed. and her week-old babe e'were
picked up and carried fifty yards The babe
was instantly killed, and Mrs Shaw was
probably fatally injured. Mr.. Shaw's
four-year-old boy was fatally injured.
The house of Joe Miller, three miles
east Of Rossville, ILL.,, was struck,
and Mrs. Miller instantly killed. Mr.. Miller
was fatally injured Some three or four other
houses in the same vicinity were demolished.
At Lanark, ILL.,, William Hixon, butcher,
was killed.
Reports from many other points in the
West tell.a similar story to the above Of inn
mense damage to property of all kinds by the
cyclone, which proved to be one Of the most
destructive that ever ravaged the West.