The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-26
A TORNADO SWEEPS OVER
SEVERAL ILLINOIS
VILLAGES.
LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
Miss Maggie Mcbride, a School Teacher,
and Her Seven Pupils Perish in
the Storm-A Terrible
Recital.

miles north of this city shortly after
in terrible loss of life and property-no
less than fifteen being killed and number
of houses and barns entirely demolished
The storm came from the southwest and
had apparently spent its fury when it
reached the vicinity of the Fields school
house, a new building at the southwest Q
the four corners. At this time a black
cloud driven from the northwest swept up
and gave the cyclone renewed energy.
The fury of the storm was awful. In a
second the whirling tempest had struck the
little school house and in an instant the
building was torn to pieces. At the time
there were eight persons in the school room
and as the storm was heard coming up they.
attempted to rush outside to seek safety in
the open air. 1t was too late, however, for
the death dealing tempest was upon them
and not one of them escaped to tell the
fearful experience of that moment.
A teacher, Miss Mcbride, and her seven
pupils were killed and their bodies carried
some distance. All were fearfuily bruised
and some crushed and ground almost be-
yond recognition. Several bodies were
hurled into little creek that flowed near
which was now swollen to torrent. The
names of those who perished in the school
house so far as known are:
Miss Maggie Mcbride, teacher.
Edna Hunt.
Jennie Radley.
Minnie Berry.
Ada Rudolph
Lena Prentice.
Carrie White.
Leaving the school house the storm
swept to the north, destroying everything
in its path. Occasionally it lifted, but the
whole country from near Earlville to Paw
paw is marKed with ruin. at least fifty
farm houses and outbuildings were de-
stroyed and eight or more persons killed,
ALI bridges, fences, orchards and crops are
ruined and damaged very much. The cy-
clone continued its violence until it reach
ed the village of Pawp W, where
the greatest destruction of life
and property was caused. The village
was left in ruins. It is reported
seventeen persons were killed and many
severely injured. Twenty houses were torn
to pieces. The bodies of some of the vic.
Tins were carried hundreds of yards, and
some of them mangled almostb beyond recog
milton. Not thing was left standing in
the path of the cyclone. At the scene of
the calamity near Earlville search is still
going on for the bodies of those who per-
ished in the school house.
Some of the bodies were washed down
the creek some distance. They were di-
vested of all clothing and were more or less
mangled. The body of young White had
hoated under the bridge and was not found
until about dark. Reports from surround
ing towns show the storm to have started at
there to have proceeded to Sublette
aud then on to Compton. A great many are
seriously injured but are distributed over
distance of thirty miles and cannot all be
reached. The list of the dead are as fol-
lows:
Mrs Bettner of Sublette, Miss Maggie
Mcbride, a daughter of Aschal Prentis,
Hunt and daughter of Irwin Radley. son
of Mrs. Garry White, son of Seaman
Overkirk, son of Geo. Rudolph, Peter
Reams, Mrs. Searcy, the wife and two
children of Geo. BolOcher.
The school house in Brooklyn township,
south of Campton was completely demol.
ished and the teachers and scholars in
iured, the two children of Geo. Bolacher
meeting death. The loss, as far as heard
from to property in the track of the storm,
will reach 100000.
Later-The rrmor that Pawpaw was COM
pletely destroyed and seventeen persons
killed is false, no injury being done to per
sons or property there The storm came
from the southwest striking near Sublette
and doing considerable injury, passing just
south of Pawpaw where it rose above the
ground and did no further injury. The
path of the storm was about forty rods wide
and several miles long, The damage is
about 10000 to property.
AT MENDOZA.
MENDOZA, ILL.,, June 81 "A cyclone swept
over the country about nine miles north of
this city yesterday afternoon, and did great
The storm started west of Sublette and
travelled about ten miles in southeasterly
direction in a path of half mile wide.
Hundreds are wounded, but no dead re-
norted. Ten houses were blown to kind
ling wood in the village of Sublette.
A school house near Phillip Lassinger's
north of this city containing twenty-five
children was blown to atoms, and teacher
and children found lying about the debris
bruised and bleeding ALI the doctors
from this city are on the scene. Many
frame houses were blown to pieces near
West Brooklyn.
The tornado which levelled portion of
Subette in Lee county nine miles north OF
here Yesterday, created also great disaster
in the country east OF the village across the
county line of LaSalle county.
At Sublette dozen houses were blown
IN nieces and many hurt. Thence the tor
nado rushed east and completely demol-
ished the farm house of ]. Schmitt, four
Of his children being injured severely, also
his hired man. TheVal Raiser farm came
next, and was also wrecked: Adam Weber
and Dan Miller lost their hay barns
and Leonard Bloss his entire homestead
Phillip Schlesinger's hog barn was blown
10 pieces. No one was seriously injured at