Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-15
WINDS AND FLAMES
Work Terrible Havoc in Both
Life and Property on
Two Continents.
THE TORNADO AT GALVA
Tears Down the Buildings Over the
Heads of Two Audiences
BIG DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.
At Least Eight Fatalities Are Reported
From Chicagos Storm.
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THE TORNADO AT GALVA
BIG DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.
At Least Eight Fatalities Are Reported
From Chicagos Storm.
BALTIMORE HAS A $1,0OO,0OO BLAZI

GALEsBURG, ILL, June 1A-Thers
passed through the northeastern part of this
(Knox) county about s o'clock yesterday
evening q most destructive tornado, and
ruin was left sll along its path. 1t first
About 7:30 o'clock two black, threatening
clouds were noticed in the West approach
ing one another, and the tornado is thought
to have resulted from their junction.
The storms course was south and east
through that city, and the main body of the
storm passed along the business street of
the city. 1t came with such suddcnness
that the citizens had no time to fly to places
of safety.
In the Free Methodist Church were as
sembled a congregation In the rink was
gathering a committee to arrange for q
Fourth of July celebration. The church
was quickly mass of ruins and the congre-
CATION was imprisoned. A number were
injured, one dangerously. The rink, also,
was blown down, but those inside managed
to escape without injury.
Main Busiaess str.et Swept
Had the storm come q few minutes later
many would have been in this building,
and loss of life would surely have resulted.
The roar of the storm was terrible. 1t was
accompanied by midnight darkness, and an
awful sweep of wind that carried every
thing before it Nearly every business
house along the principal street was un-
rooted, and the stocks of goods were badly
damaged by the floods of water following
the tornado The parks are ruined beyond
redemption. The Burlington roundhouse
was totally wrecked. The G. w. Barnett
elevator, nearby, was unroofed, and 10000
bushels of grain deluged. The Rock Island
went next The tall steeple of the Baptist
Church was cut off as clean as if by knife,
and was hurled into the street. The total
damage is estimated ct 500, 600.
The saddest feature occurred at August
Olsen's house. There were in the house at
the time Mr.. and Mrs Olsen, Charles Olsen
and four Others The residence suddenly
collapsed, killing Mr. Olsen instantly, and
the others escaped seemingly BY q miracle
Mr. Olsen was the only person killed, but
about dozen persons were seriously in
jured
Instances of the Winds Power.
The velocity of the wind was extraordi-
nary. Cars were blown from the tracks
1ne Top OF lrelQng car was Di0Wn on. "A
car of stock was pushed along the track and
off the switch. A Burlington freight train
was halted on Neponset Hill, and the engi-
neer describes the storm as the worst he
ever encountered. South of Galra q large
tree was plucked up by the roots and car
ried 60 feet
After leaving Galva, the tornado went in
q southeasterly direction. 1t was three or
four miles in width. The farms all along
its path to Spoon river suffered most
severely. 1t passed three and half miles
from Altoona, where the roar of the storm |
could be rlslnlv heard. North and east of
there barns were blown down and light |
dwellings forced from their foundations,
fences blown away, orchards prostrated and |
ruined and crops leveled. When the winds |
struck Claus Petersen's residence it per- |
formed curious operation, cutting it in |
two |
At the Free Methodist church, where |
most of the people were injured, Mrs. Gust |
johnson, whose husband was badly hurt, |
had q thrilling experience When the |
storm was near the house he started to run,
while she lay down close to the wall He |
was stricken down. The only part of the |
house left standing was the wall close TO |
which Mrs. johnson was lying. When |
found she was unconscious from fright |
Not a trace is left of fine house that stood /
a mile west of Galva.