St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-13
A TERRIBLE TORNADO.
Odell, ILL.,, Visited by a Most Disas-
trous and Terrific Wind and
Rain Storm.
Houses, Stores and Lumber Yards Are
Wrecked and Many Persons Re-
ported Injured.
Several Said to be Imprisoned Under
the Ruins of the Principal
Store.
Joliet, ILL.,, Visited by Gale Which
Wrecks Circus Tent and Does
Other Damage.
a Severe Storm.

severe SLOrEus
Special to the Globe.
ODEIL, ILL.,, May 12.-This city was Wis
tied to-day by most disastrous hurricane.
As the passenger train on the Chicago 6G
Alton railroad, due here at that moment,
to pped at the station, the work of deStruc
ton commenced. a flying board went
through freight car standing on the side
track. and the brick from the chimney of
the depot came raining down on the cars,
smashing the glass and creating great panic
among the passengers. Some screamed, Il
few crept under the seats, others fell in
prayer. and one poor woman determined to
rush out into the bowling storm ana take
her chances battling with the elements.
The conductor kept everyone in the best
possible order despite the fact that his cars
were i'll immense danger. From the Win
dows of the train the work of destruction
could be plainly seen. \ large livery stable
near the track was destroyed in moment.
1t was filled with horses, buggies, and many
farmers teams stood under an adjoining shed.
The poor bruteS were soon without a shell
ter, and scampered around in lively man
ner to get free from the flying missiles.
The large brick hardware store of S. S.
Cole was
WRECKED IN A MOMENT.
AS soon as the worst was over, the con-
ductor and others from the train rushed to
the fallen structure, but could render no
help. 1t was simply a large pile of bricks
and timbers. The people were running
about, sobbing and crying, calling piteously
m +IOca cunnncQ1 IN no hurill hpppoth
the ruins, but no answer came. The
next building struck was the large double
store structure occupied by Aztec & Jones,
dealers i'll boots, shoes, notions, and
jewelry, and A. E. Dinet, dealer in dry
goods and groceries. The tin roof was
torn up from the west end in a huge roll,
and fell over the front cornice tearing
away a large gap in the front wall,
crushing the awning below. 1t then
rolled over near the standing train.
The front glass of the building
was shivered into fragments. Three
warehouses were wrecked and the block
entirely destroyed. The hotel and Masonic
building, together with stores, houses and
barns, were unroofed. Almost every bust
ness house in town is more or less dam
aged. Hardly perfect store front re-
mains. The loss will be in the neighbor-
hood of $40, 900. Two persons are reported
fatally injured, and
FIVE OTHERS ARR DANGEROUSLY HURT.
P. w. Kenyon's large lumber yard ON the
east side OF the track was blown in all di-
rectiOnS. But little could be learned def
ntely as to the number buried in the first
ruins, but all agree that several persons are
there; some said seven at least. When the
passenger train was ready to pull out
the worst was overa but the track
was covered with boards and
debris of every kind 1t had only gone a
few rods when it was found to be dragging
number of telegraph wires and pole.
After some pulling, and backing. and cut
ting these were gotten out of the way, and
the train rushed on to Dwight. The storm
vas not of the cyclone order, but furious,
direct wind blowing almost east, and the air
was so dark for few moments that it was
difficult to see any distance.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
JOLIET, ILL.,, May IA most destruct-
i've cyclone is reported from Odell. vii
1age forty miles south of Joliet on the Chi
cago q Alton. This afternoon about 4
o'clock the storm burst Delegates to the
State Sabbath School convention, return
ing on the train arriving here at 6
p. m, state that as the train neared Odell
they saw the cyclone approaching. First
they saw the roof Of an elevator raise and
sail off in the air and the building collapse
Then the hotel and houses raised up, tum-
bled over and over like feathers, and were
shattered to pieces, both brick and frame
and all sizes from shanties to two-story
buildings. The train was stopped but as
the wind was blowing parallel with the
track it was not upset, though bricks
and sticks broke the windows. Con-
siderable time was required to remove the
debris from the track before the train could
proceed. After the cyclone, people busted
themselves looking under ruined houses fol
the missing. The train resumed its journey
without giving the delegates a chance to
learn the casualties, but they report that
several men, women and children are killed
and injured.