Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-05-18
O A CYCLONE.

A Passenger Train on the Pittsburg
and Fort Wayne Encounters an Ex-
citing Experience.
P%ittsburg, May l5-The Chicago cx-
press on the Fort. Wayne railroad had a
rough experience IN passing through the
tornado which struck eastern Ohio last
night. The lightning flashed continuous
ly from the time the train left Fort
Wayne at 8 p. M, and the rain descended
almost solidly until Lima, Ohio, was
passed. Such a storm the passengers
had move seen before, and the ladies, of
whom quite q number were on the train,
were greatly frightened, and the gentls.
men were too much scared themselves to
be of much service in ~allaying their
fears. The wind was steadily increasing
in fury, and the breaking off of trees and
rushing sibilation of the telegraph wires
made a concord of wild sounds. The
train passed Forest. 229 miles west OF
Plttsburg, at 1885. The engineer was
then sending the locomotive along
at about thirtyvmiles an hour. The en-
glneer put on more steam, and whom
about three miles from Kirby the
storm was at Its height. Suddenly there
| was q dull roar IN the distance and then
the cyclone tore ACROSS the level plain
GA the south side of the track and,
catching a big tree, tore 1t up by the
roots and flung it across the cars. One
limb struck the locomotive and out the
COW catcher IN two. Another limb fell
on the platform and steps of the first car
and demolished it. Other branche,
mashed in the windows along thye,
ordinary cars and two Pullman sleeper.
and telegraph poles came dancing down
at the same time and rocks and brushes
flew through the air in q riotous sour nv
The car windows were smashed &c
pieces, cracked and splintered and glass
flew in every direction. The train KEEP,
ON the rails and the engineer, applying
the air brake, brought 1t to q standstiI
within 200 yards. Every passenger was
in paroxysm Of fear. Ths sleeperI
were transformed into a crowd of wildly
excited men and women The raiIwa,
hands kept fairly cool, and, as sopn a.
they could, assisted in the restoration o
confidence. The storm continued. 1bs
air was still filed with flying branohe,
and stones, while the glare of electrioit,
liberated from the clouds intensified III,
horror of the scene. Though every win
dow in the sleepers Baden and Salami
were fractured and almost syery pane i,
the other coaches smashed, it was re
markable that very few passenger wer,
hurt. Mr. O. O. Bow, q merchant q
Canton, o., was in his berth in tn,
sleeper Salamis when a tree shiysred tb,
glass about him and drove one niec,
under his right eye with such force tba
the eye was literally out out. A lad,
In the same car, who refused to give be
name, was also out, though not seri
ously, about the face. A few other,
had their hands out. The storm DID
not abate much except that the tornad,
passed away. An idea of its force ma,
be conceived from the fact that rock
were blown into oars on the south sid,
and had a sufficient impetus left I,
pierce the western windows az clear a
if they were bullets from Gstling gun,
None Of the roofs of the cars we're Yer.
much damaged, but she locomotive
boiler was dented in several places an,
the smokestaok was knocked out of
straight Zine. After about an hour,
delay the train started again and in du
time reached Crestline without furthe
accident. There q locomotive was bro
CURED and the battered cars came on h
Pittsburg, reaching the union depot on,
hour and a half late. a good deal of tim,
being made up in the run. When tn,
train arrived here it looked as if il ha,
been riddled by sharp shooters and
| battery of heavy artillery.