The herald., 1894-03-19
AS BIC AS CANNON BALLS
A Terrific Wind and Hail
Storm in Texas.
Unprecedented Size of the
Hail Stones.
Blocks OF Ice Fell More Than a
Pound in Weight.
A Large Family OF Negroes Terribly
Crushed and MAnKle by Oak
Trees Falling Across
Their House.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONG VIEW, Tex, March 1S.-A cy-
clone swept over this place at O'Clock
this morning, accompanied by hail
stones of immense size. The creates t
fury was felt east of here, where it
struck the large country home of John
Cain, lately occupied by large family
of negroes. The house WAS in an an
cient grove OF oaks, 20 in number.
Every one of them was uprooted and
piled up in terrific confusion with dead
fowls, dogs and COWS and five dead
negroes. Old man Alexander Lester was
found 30 yards away entirely nude and
dead. His old wife, Sarah, was pinned
under tree, mangled and dead. Alex
ander Lester jr., was mangled and ie
dead. Robert Lester, 8 years old, was
found dead near tree without a mark
of any kind OF violence. James Collins
was found pinned under a sturdy oak,
covered up with his head
crushed and dead. Besides being
painfully cut, his young wife has an
ugly hole in her forehead. She will re-
cover. Sissy Lester, an infant, was
found in fallen tree top with legs and
arms crushed, dead. Silas Johnsongwas
bruised from head to foot but will re-
cover. Frank Lester had q leg
broken. Dick Simon, who was sleep
ing with Alexander Lester, jr.,
had his head bruised and will die.
Odessa Lester, 4 years old, had both
arms broken and will die. She was
found many yards away in field. Ar
thur Lester, 6 years old, had his leg
broken in two places and was otherwise
badly bruised and will die. Will S. Les
ter, years old, was slightly hurt.
Ben Hoppe, white man living near
by, brought assistance and the dead and
wounded were taken to a one room
house belonging to f. G. Edwards,
where they were placed in bed in strange
commission, unconscious, suffering, side
by side. The correspondent often mis-
took the living for dead. Two physi-
cians were attending those most in
luIed, whlle ttIe wounded hobbIed pain
fully around the yard.
Hall mile south a white man's house
was completely demolished, but with
the exception of few painful bruises
sll escaped. John Ku6et's wagon near
by was blown away and much of it has
not been found. The granary of Nick
Harris, two miles east, was unroofed.
The house OF Sally Jones', colorej, was
wrecked and her four-year-old daugh-
ter was perhaps fatally injured by hail
stones.
A passenger train passed just as the
cyclone swept by, narrowly escaping it.
All previous accounts Of immense hail
stones and wind dwindle into insignifi-
carce in compression with this storm.
Many OF the blocks of ice were from l5
to lS ounces in weight and others found
today, after warm rain storm. larger
than goose eggs. Two of these missiles
passed through the roof. of O. E.
Thornton's house, making hole like
cannon ball. Fowls roosting in the
trees were killed by thousands. A COW
belonging to Frank Lawson was killed.
and live stock bear many marks from
the stones. About 800 window lights
were broken in this place, while farm
fences and fruit trees were prostrated
for miles around. Full particulars will
doubtless swell the casualties.