New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-17

DeINgS
Whole families were exterminated and separated
even In death by the relentless storm. The bodies
Of Mrs. Otto Ballinger. proprietor OF the West
Houston-st general merchandise store. and her
child were blown 800 feet ur Grape Hill.
All the buildings on Sixth-st. were carried up
ward by the whirlwind
A dead child was found in the top OF tree. A
farmer driving along in front of Captain Eys
house was killed instantly. The wagon wheels
found. but no trace of the team. Bodice OF
children beheaded and disembowelled COM
mon. Six unidentified white corpses are in an un-
dertaker's room. Some of the victims have limbs
broken In as many as three places. A son OF j.
III. Heron. who lives five miles south of town. was
fatally injured The boy was away from home at
his uncles, who was killed, with his wife and
baby.
Ten bodies were brought in from the Wakefield
farm, two miles west Of the city. A. F. Person,
wife. granddaughter, married daughter and three
other children who lived on the farm were all
killed.
1t is thought that the country for fourteen or
fifteen miles around has been devastat ted and de-
populated by the storm. Not a tree or house was
left standing in its Five hundred yards to
the east and the storm would have taken In the
business portion of the city. The storm was pre-
ceded by terrible claps of thunder, much light
ming and furious dash of rain. The people were
terror-strcken and many fell on their knees and
prayed for life Five minutes after the storm the
sky was bright and clear but desolation, terror
and uncomfortable grief regned where ten min
utes before were happy, united families and pleas
ant homes
Many private homes have been turned into hos
pitals and physicians and surgeons of this and
adjacent towns worked all night.
BRIEF BUT FEARFUL EXPERIENCE.
Few persons in the demolished houses are able
to tell just how the storm burst upon them. and
only in or two instances were parties able to
get out of its deadly path w. S. Bostwck relates
his experience as follows:
II was at John Irvne's house when heard the
noise of the approaching storm. Just as looked
out l saw Captain Blrge's house blown into the
cir and then Mr.. Shearers house The air was
filled with great trees and timbers and every con-
cevable kind OF article. l was fascinated petrl-
fed for saw 1t coming directly upon US, and
that 1t could not be long in reaching us. 1t was
black serpentine cloud, twisting, writhing In the
centre. but at the bottom it seemed to be moving
steadily.
Il woke up from my stupor and called to the
family, who in the house, and asked them
not to run out. | feared that We would all be
struck by the flying timbers. Then came an aw-
ful crash. sense Of suffocation, and when II was
over the house gone and myself and family
were scattered about the yard and under the rup-
bsh. 1t was over in short time
Howe, Tex, May 16-Yesterdays terrible storm
struck this town, leaving death and ruin In It's
wake The path Of the tornado at this point was
quarter of mile wide. Ten farmhouses and
as many barns were wrecked Eight persons
were killed outright and many injured BARK was
ripped from trees and much stock was killed.
Austin. Tex May lG.-News from Nortn Iexas
received here last nCht reports that al the small
! town Of Justin the hurricane tore everything 70
pieces. Twelve business houses were down
! down and their contents scattered to the wlnd.
| one man. j. w Evans Of Keller. Tex, was
| killed by tree blowing against him. and seven
teen others were injured. some OF whom are not
| expected to live Cattle in the fields were blown
| hither and thither and many of them killed out
! right
| Keller, a small town TO the north or justin:
| was almost entirely wrecked by the tornado, ana
| IL is reported that only one house in the hamlet
| is now standing. All that section Of the coun-
| try Immediately north Of these two towns was
left In ruins by the storm.
SMALL TOWNS STRICKEN.
Denison. Tex. May 16.-The town Of Joel,
| Chickasaw Nation, was blown away by storm
last night Twelve houses were destroyed and
a number OF people wounded. some Of them
| fatally
| Gribbe Springs. a small village north of Den
| ton was also swept by the tornado. four persons
| being killed five dangerously hurt and thirty
| badly wounded The railroad track north OF
| Justin IS also reported to be torn up and twisted
out Of shape showing the terrific velocity Of the
| wind. Water ScOoped out or creeks Dy the
| wind, and every section Of the country lying IN
| the path of the storm is laid in waste. The path
! Of the storm possibly ten miles VIDE by
| l2O long judging from reports.
| A tornado at Mound Ridge devastated stretch
| Of country about eight miles in length ana lUo
| wards in width. Samuel Bass. farmer, was
| fatally injured. and his house demolished FIVE
| others whose names are unknown were more OF
| less seriously injured