River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-12
WIDESPREAD RUIN.

Crops Beaten Into the Ground. Buildings
Demolished, Live stock Killed and a
Number of Persons Hurt During Recent
storms.
Mason CITY, Ia, July "a cyclone
swept down upon a number of towns along
he Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul road
Wednesday. Ruthven was the first place
struck. 1t is impossible to esti-
nate the extent of the damage
lone there. The territory over which
he storm passed is about 100 miles
n length and nearly a mile in
width. To the farming community along
his tract the blow is severe. Up to the
present time not a single death to human
being has been reported, but many horses
and cattle were killed. At Ruthven the
storm demolished two mammoth hay
1arns. An iron hay press weighing
nearly 1000 pounds was overturned.
An Observation-Disclosures house be-
onging to Root & Walker was
wrecked Trap Brothers livery barn, the
Xirkwood Hotel, the Methodist Episcopal
.hurch and Tom Gifts dwelling were all
eveled to the ground. Many residences
we're damaged, and barns and outbuildings
are scattered over the prairies. One horse
was killed in the street by scantling be-
ng driven completely through his body.
At Emmetsburg the wind blew gale,
out did not present the appearance Of
.yclone. The Catholic church, the Bur-
ington, Cedar Rapids 4 Northern depot
and a number Of residences were de-
stroyed.
A TOWN SWEET AWAY.
At Calendar a large hay barn and q wa
Ter tank all there was of the town, were
completely demolished, and pieces Of
boards from the buildings were stuck in the
ground, extending over an area of forty
acres, resembling pins in a cushion.
At Whittemore some buildings were
blown down, number unroofed and many
badly shaken up. The farming country
between Whittemore and Ruthven looks
iesolate. The corn, which looked promis-
ing. is shOrn TO the ground, and other grain
is damaged. The storm jumped over
section of country east from WhittemOre,
uext visiting the south part of this
county. At Meservey, Renke's store
building was blown down and the large
cattle barn belonging TO Jake Mssen was
demolished. At Belmond the Burlington,
Cedar Rapids q Northern depot and a
number of business and residence build
ings were shattered. Route Agent Elliott,
who came up from the south part of the
State yesterday over the Iowa Centrab
says INe crops Along ludl EOdl dIt ucilA-
aged to the extent of $4,000.
WATERLOO, Ia, July Ga terrific wind
and rain storm through Cedar valley
Wednesday did almost incalculable dam
age TO grain. Barley, oats and corn suf-
fered most About / 600 oxcursionists were
camping along the banks of the Cedar, near
this place, and all were subject to one
of the fercest storms known in this
section for over ten years. A yacht carry
ing the Waterloo orchestra capsized and
A. X. Fassett, of st Louis, who accom-
panied the party, was rescued from the
river with great difficulty. At Cedar Falls
the large canning factory was unroofed,
also the opera-hOuse and numerous other
dwellings. Eighteen houses and barns
were partially or entirely demolished
between Cedar Falls, seven miles distant,
and Junction City, one and one-half miles
from Cedar Falls. No serious damage was
done here, the storm passing over at a
great height. No loss of life was reported,
but considerable stock was killed by light
ming.
IL ILLINOIS AND ELSEWHERE.
Rock ISLAND, ILL.,, July 1.-THE storm
which passed over Rock Island County
Wednesday afternoon was the most disas-
trous that has visited this section in years
The oat crop has suffered greatly.
In the upper portion of Rock Island
County the streams are swollen to an
alarming extent, destroying public roads
and in some instances causing a loss of
stock Wednesday night farmer named
Alvin Cox, while driving from a celebra-
ton in one township to his home in an
other, was caught in a freshct and with
his horse drowned in the current of a
stream that was hardly discernible in the
morning.
PRINCETON, ILL.,, July 6.-The storm of
wind and rain Wednesday night was I'M
precedented in this section. The growing
corn was flatteped to the ground and wheat
and oats twisted in every direction. Large
shade and fruit trees were blown down
and number of head of stock killed in
the pastures by lightning. The damage is
very great
MoAwEQuA, Ill, July 6.-Julius Shay, of
Prairie Home, this county, was instantly
killed Wednesday night during the storm
by falling tree.
STORM DISASTERS IN THE EAST.
ALBANY, n. Y, July IA furious rain,
hail and wind storm passed over Albany at
2:3O p m. yesterday. Three great rain
clouds appeared to meet directly over the
city. Trees were blown down, yachts
were wrecked in the river awnings were
Tlppcu uoNH anu tc1tpuput NtlCS ~
and crossed. During the storm circus
tent collapsed.
New BRUNSWICK, n. j., July 6.-This SEQ
ton of the country was visited by a very
severe wind and rain-stOrm yesterday
afternoon. Great damage was done TO
crops and buildings. The Pennsylva-
mia railroad round-house at Mill.
stone junction was blown down. James
Barry. Hugh Garrigan and John White,
three ball players, who were taking shell
ter from the storm, were buried in the
ruins. Garrigan had an arm and leg
broken. Barry was badly bruised and
had leg broken. A barn on George
Plumly's farm, near Middlebush, was
also blown down. Plumly is reported
killed. He was buried with the others I'M
der the ruins. The dwelling and other
buildings on the farm were wrecked. Ter
rible damage is reported everywhere here
abouts from wind, hail and lightning, also
at Middlebush and Milestone.
SCRANTON, Pa, July 5.-The severest
wind, hail, rain, thunder and lightning
storm experienced in this city for many
years prevailed yesterday afternoon
Bartholomew Reagan and John Armstrong
were struck by lightning and killed. The
rain fell in torrents, choking the sewers
and flooding the streets and cellars to the
depth of several feet in many parts of the
city.
PITTsBURGH, Pa, July "a destructive
storm visited Youngstown, o., Wednes-
day night, washing out culverts and dam
sf,-aafa autaiIinu loss of - an