Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-06-05
DEATH IN a STORM.

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a Cyclone Devastates Portion Of the
Potomac Valley. Finding Many Victims
and Running Much Property-Liyes Re.
ported Lost ut Sea-Snow and Frost In
jure the Grain and Fruit Crops.
HAGERsTowN, Md, May 81. "A number Of
lives were lost and an enormous amount OF
damage done to property Thursday
evening by cyclone which swept
down from the Blue Ridge to the
Potomac valley. About & O'Clock a
huge funnel-shape cloud was observed
following the course Of the Blue Ridge,
which near here descends over eight hun
dred feet in less than half mile to the
valley Of the Potomac. On it came, gather
Ing momentum every second until
1T reached q velocity almost incred-
ible. Houses, barns, churches, crops and
orchards were licked up by it's irresistible
furry, and at least four lives are known to
be sacrificed.
About five miles away, on the old Blue
Nose, and halfway up to the top of the
range, the storm met it's first human vic
Tins. Here in little clearing stood
the cabin OF Edward Bevan, a wood
chopper and charcoal burner, who had
q wife and two children. Down swept
the monster For an instant the
little house was hidden and then the vail
lifted Where the cottage had stood, sur
rounded by its garden patch and orchard,
there was dark brown scar where
q patch OF bare earth appeared
among the green Ct the forest Not
a vestige OF the house or the
crops surrounding it remained and
no human being could be seen. There is no
chance that Bevan and his family escaped
From the appearance of the spot they must
have been dashed to death on the rocky
sides of the mountain. The storm swept
on down the valley leveling every thing
in fits path. The damage has been great
but its amount can only be estimated, az
telegraph and telephone wires are down in
every direction and roads are made
impossible by fallen trees. Hagers-
town escaped with unroofed build
ings and a few minor casual
ties, for the cyclone went fully two
miles south Of the city, but it is known that
a negro was killed in the suburbs by the fall
OF his cabin. The mountain sides are dotted
with the homes of wood-choppers and char
coal burners, and 1t is scarcely possible
that the disaster Witnessed by the people
at this place was an isolated case. It
may be days before the full list of fatal
tiles Is obtainable. The heavy gale which
accompanied the cyclone has stripped the
fruit from the peach trees and the crop in
many districts is ruined. Grain and all
other crops also suffered severely.
BALTIMORE Md, May 3l.-The Suns
special from Martinsburg, W. Va, saws: A
disastrous cylone swept through portion
of this valley Thursday afternoon At
On Wotor no
John w. Criswell was blown down.
killing J. E. Powell, a pump-maker, and
seriously injuring John VogeI, both of
whom had taken refuge therein from the
storm The remains of Powell were in
mediately brought to town and given in
charge OF his family. Vogle died in few
hours. Powell leaves widow and fou1
children. Wheat was beaten to the ground,
trees uprooted and much fencing DESTROYED.
CHICAGO, May 3l.-The waves broke over
the life-saving station all day with fury
and force unequaled since 1887. Few boats
ventured beyond the brakewater during
the day, and outside of the big freight pro-
pellers the arrivals the latter part OF the
afternoon and evening were far between.
Fortunately, a comparatively small number
of vessels were on the lake bound for this
port and the chances OF disaster were cor
respondingly lessened
At all points On Lake Michigan and Lake
Huron the storm is reported as extremely
severe-the worst. it was said, since May
1854. To-day may bring news of serious
disaster on both lakes Last night eau
tionary signals were displayed on Lakes
Ontario and Michigan, and storm signals on
Lakes Huron and Erie
AWFUL DISASTERS AT SEA
MONTREAL, Can, May Silt is rumored
that the Beaver line steamer Lake Ontario.
which left here Wednesday for Liverpool
with full list of cabin passengers, includ-
ing many of the leading citizens OF Mon
treal, has gone down in the gulf with al.
hands. The vessel should have been in the
of Anticosti Tuesday. and it
is known that a terrible storm has been
raging in the gulf for the last few days.
The rumor of the disaster seems we'll au-
thenticated.
Port HURON, Mich, May 3l.-The steame,
A. s Pease, of Saginaw, IS reported found
cred in Saginaw bay. The Pease was com.
manded by John Sterling, of Saginaw City:
The crew, consisting of the captain;
Samuel Jameson, chief-engineer; Martin
Donahue, mate; William Names, second
mate, and eight or ten men, are lost.
SNOW, FROST AND RAIN.
CHICAGO, May Silt is reported from
Northern Michigan that heavy snow storm
prevailed in that section Thursday At
Howard City the snow fell heavily for an
hour or more. an at other points along the
line of road there was an inch of snow on
the ground.
At Schoolcraft the snow is four inches
deep and still falling, while at Portland and
Flint the average depth is two inches, but,
blowing to almost a hurricane, it has drift
ed to much greater depth. The damage
to crops is very great
At Tuscola, Ill.,, where it has been ex-
tremely cold for three days, snow fell dur.
ing the morning and ice formed later in the
day. Heavy rains have fallen for ffty
hours in Central Illinois, At Galena there
was damaging frost Wednesday night
fields OF corn and blasting fruit
trees At Baraboo Wis.,, hand frost
prevailed Wednesday morning, entirely
running the corn and grape crops vege>
tables We're also cut down. Ice formed one
eighth OF an inch in thickness. AT
Winimac, Ind, a snow-storm prevailed all
the afternoon. There will be much damage
done by floods.
Dies MONIES. Ia, May SL-Damaging
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