Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-07-02
WIND AND HAIL.
The Elements Hold Disport in Lincoln
Township Doing Much Damage.
APPALLING, MAJESTIC, AND DESTRUCTIVE
LOCAL HAIL STORMS.


Last evening about seven o'clock res
idents of Audubon were alarmed by
the heavy clouds oyerhanging the north
and west. Most startling was n large
black column with appeared far in the
north moving south with revolving
motion and IN a zizzag course. When
almost directly west it dissolved and
rose out of sight. The sun came out
and east silyery rays through film of
clouds that were driven through the
air at n terrific rate. Following this
display the clouds which had been ly
ing to the north and east in inky
blackness broke and one of the most
terrific hail storms we have ever known
was precipitated upon this community.
IL lasted less than five minutes, but
succeeded in breaking hundreds of
panes of glass exposed to the north
The hail stones We're of mammoth pro
portions and driven by a terrific gale,
a great many were measured and
found to be two and one.half inches
long and wide and some eight inches
in circumference, though II was n pee
uliarity of the storm that nearly all
hail stones were of a Hat or oblong
form with ragged edges, The great
est single item of damage in town was
the breaking of a large pane Of plate
glass In Hates clothing house which
will require a hundred dollars to re-
place. Panes were broken all over the
city, and the dealers In window glass
soon found that their stock was far
below the demand.
In company with ii. W. Hanna the
writer visited the storm stricken sec.
ton in Lincoln township today, and
was sorry to find condition of things
which cannot well be exaggerated and
which can only be comprehendcd when
seen. The first track of the cyclone
for II was nothing less, was found on
the Bishop farm, two miles northwest
of Lone Willow and occupied by Hugh
Mayo. Its track here was just east OF
the house, down through field of corn
to the creek where II raised from earth
Driving north one only finds occasion
al track of its work uutil within half
mile of Bunker Hill, or No. o school
house In Lincoln township. Here the
highway and fields are strewn with
sliyers and boards and pieces of lum.
Der all the way to the site of the build
ing. There IL little on the site to In.
dicate that u building once stood there
and the largest section of the frame to
be found consisted Of two stringers
still tied together. Other than this IL il
almost safe to say from hasty
survey that not one timber remains
whole, and the fragments are scattered
to the south, west and east for full
half mile.
About eighty rods north Of the school
house stood tho house of John w. VIII
son, iix22 and IL foot posts, and 1t, too,
is total wreck. 1t stood upon hill
surrounded hy . grove of poplars, but
the wind swept it as completely as II no
shelter had been near. Some of the
studding were found in n pasture few
rods southwest Of the house driven
with square ends two feet into the
earth. The floor of the house and one
side are lying few rods away intact
Tho orchard on y hill sloping south
from the house Is destroyed, the tree
trunks being twisted and broken in
dcscribahly. nv, Wilson had been
blowing corn and on approach of the
storm started f)r home, but was over
taken at a point between the schoo!
house and home, whom no laid Hat upon
the ground and embraced u willow
hedge until the storm had passed. lie
went to the yard to find the house gone
but his wife and baby and his help.
Billy Hamilton, We're safe in the cave,
The team he had been driving was
uninjured, but u younger team was
laoeEated az II whipped with barbed
wire and In an oats field forty rods
from the pasture. There were no
tracks to their position and 1t is be.
LEVIED that they were taken up and
then dropped down there by the storm
OF course the household goods are
scattered and broken. llamilton's
watch was found hopelessly ruined but
still in the case, Mr., Wilson had
800 tornado insurance on his house
and 800 on stock. lie congratulates
himself that there was no loss OF
human life.
A half mile north, at the home of Mr.
5. j.. Garmire, are the most appalling
scenes and most deplorable results, fol
the life of Mrs. Garmire still hangs in
the balance from injuries received dur
ing the storm. Their home, a substan
tial story and a half structure, stood on
southern hill slope, sheltered by q
grove on all sides, but the north and
east side of IL were untouched, leaving
the presumption that the cloud swoop,
ed down at this point. Particles of the
building were blown far away, but the
floor was lifted intact over trees twenty
feet high and dropped about fifteen
rods from the old site, and three chill.
drep who were in the house were taken
with it and arc not injured, with the ex'
ceptipp of scratches and bruises OF lit
tla consequence in such times. The two
other children were outdoors and es'
capped with similar good fortune. Mr.
| gaymire had been blowing corn south
st of the house and started for home
"a. v, =. 4.