River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-06-25
FURIOUS STORMS.
Lives Lost, Crops Ruined and Much Prop
erty Destroyed by Tornadoes and Cloud
bursts in Kansas. Arkansas, Illinois and
Kentucky.

erty Destroyed by Tornadoes and Cloud
bursts in Kansas. Arkansas, Illinois and
Kentucky.
ST LOUIS, June 22.-The heavy storm
which swept through Kansas Friday
has. as far as heard from, done meal
culablc damage to growing crops.
At Fort Scott large dams
broke about fifteen minutes after
the storm began and The bot
tom lan0s were completely flood
ed. houses We're swept away like
straws, and it is feared that many lives
are lost. The water in what is
known as Buck -un bottoms is fully
mile in width. Numbers of
men, women and children can be
seen on roof tops and in trees by spec
tators, but it is impossible TO reach
them. During the storm and overflow
last night at Buck run a rescuing
party were compelled to abandon their
boat: two of the men saved their
lives by catching hold of the trees, but
the other. John Connalin, aged 10,
caught hold of limb which broke, and
he was washed away. There is no
doubt that he was drowned. No other
lives were lost.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. June 22.-The
Stars Kansas specials report ter
rible rain and windstorm in the
vicinity of Osceola Friday night
A bout six inches of water fell.
Great damage was done TO grow
ing crops 4 passenger train on
the Kansas City, Osceola & Southern
road was ditched miles from there,
killing Engineer Lighter and man
named Crandall.
The damage to crops in a radius
of 20 miles from Arkansas City Is
estimated at $4,000. Much of the
wheat there was in the shock, and.
although drenched with rain, a great
part of il can be saved. The principal
damage was to growing crops.
At Emporia the storm was a tornado,
accompanied by an extraordinary rain.
Three and half inches of water fell
in less than two hours. Nearly every
cellar in the city was flooded and floors
of many. houses were covered with
water, as the rain poured down
faster than II could be drained off.
The wind blew a hurricane. but did
no particular damage in the city be-
yond breaking down shade trees and
shrubs In the country the crops were
leveIed to the ground and along the
creeks which overlooked their banks
were washed out and ruined. The
damage is estimated at $4,000.
At Chanute, Kan, the worst wind
and rainstorm ever known struck the
town and lasted about forty minutes.
Al
A bout 1000 acres of wheat near the
Neosho river east of the city were
ruined, entailing a loss of about $50, 600.
The storm could not have come at a
worse time for the crops. Wheat was just
ready for the reaper, and at some places
had already been cut and stacked.
Much of the crop where the storm
ragged is a total loss and the rest has
been badly damaged. Corn had Just got
a fair start and was in no condition to
withstand a heavy storm. Much of il
was washed away and much will have
to be replanted. Comparatively meager
reports have been received from the
country districts where the storms oc-
Cured, and a full estimate of the dam
age to crops cannot be made From
the facts at hand, however, it is esti-
mated that the total loss will not fall
far short of full half million of dollars.
IN KENTUCKY.
OwENsB0Ro. Ky, June GA storm
of wind and rain, the heaviest since the
tornado of March, 1890, visited this city
Saturday morning At Lewisport
George Ray, farmer, was killed by
the blowing down of barn in which
he had taken shelter Several other
barns there were destroyed ana the
Methodist church was blown entirely
away. Great damage was done tc
harvest wheat.
LOUISVILLE, KY, June GA mum
Der of severe local storms occurred in
several sections in Kentucky Satur-
day. Heavy rains flooded low lands
in the vicinity of Paducah and some
damage was done to crops At Boaz,
in the next county to Paducah, several
small houses were blown away. At
Bevier, near Grecnville. seven houses
We're blown away and four persons in
jured, one, Mrs. Miller, perhaps
fatally. At Campbellsburg several
houses were wrecked
IN ILLINOIS.
EFFINGHAM, Ill, June -. - The
southeastern part of this county was
visited by a cyclone Saturday after
noon. crops. fences, orchards and farm
buildings suffering severely. John
Grace's two-story house was blown
down and John Weifenbach lost
his dwelling, orchard and all
outbuildings. John Bearman. an
other farmer, was struck on
the head by a flying timber and IA
tally hurt The reports are mcagcr,
and it is thought fuller information
will show heavy losses of life and prop
erty The track of the cyclone was
about 200 feet wide, and everything
was laid low in its path. A heavy rain
fall accompanied the storm.
CAIRO, Ill, June ga cyclone sun
day afternoon did considerable dam
age. unrOofing great many houses,
tearing up trees 10y the roots, blowing
cars off the railroad tracks and knock
ing all the telegraph wires down. L..
NJ. Lass, of the Derrick boat, was
blown from the bank across the
river on to the sand bar. The ferry
boat Gwynn, from Paducah with an
excursion party for Cairo, Just landing,
was blown over To the Kentucky shore.
Aside from roofs and shrubbery very
little damage was done in this city.