Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-11-04
SWEPT BY TORNADO.
Considerable Damage was Done
in the South.
Madison, Wis, Struck by the Tail End Of
the Storm.

Guthrie, O. T., Oct. 30.--A tornado
swept over a stretch of country about
twenty miles east of here at 1880 o'clock
last night, devastating a district several
miles long and probably 100 yards wide.
The farmhouse of William Toby was
first in the path of the storm. The build
ing was destroyed and Toby was PROD
ably fatally injured. The other mem
bers of the family escaped. Half mile
further north, the Mitchell postofice and
store was lifted bodily into the air, car
ried 100 yards and dashed into splinters
and Postmaster NJ. L. Mullin and his
wife, who lived in the building, were
killed. Two sticks were driven through
Mr. Mullins skull, but there was not a
scratch on the body of his wife. The
farmhouse of Abner Jones was also
wrecked, and many smaller buildings
were destroyed, trees uprooted and crops
ruined.
Rumors are current here that the
storm did frightful damage further north
east in Payne county, and that several
persons were killed there, but up to q
late hour no particulars are obtainable.
New Orleans is Swept.
New Orleans, La, Oct. 30.-About
4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon tor
nado, or twister, struck this city on the
river front, just above Pension street,
and swept over a distance of about a
mile and half, or thirty blocks from
Pension street, to Robin street, the
track of the storm being about 1900 feet
wide, from the river to Annunciation
street. The first building damaged was
the Independence oil mill, at the head of
Pension street. 1t was unroofed and
the building and contents damaged to
the amount of $4,000. The coRveyors of
the new elevator of the Illinois Central
j III j
Whitemeyer and John j. Buck, en-
ployed at the elevator, were lifted from
the ground, dashed against the elevator,
and the latter was severely hurt. Hun
dredS of buildings in the track of the
storm were damaged, many being par
tally unroofed and chimneys Frustrated.
Trees were uprooted and fences blown
down.
The storm-swept section of the city
was in darkness last night, owing to the
prostration of electric light wires, and
details of damage are difficult to obtain.
At first, a number of lives were reported
lost, but, so far, these reports have not
been verified The property loss is es-
timated at 100000.
Almost Blown tOf the Earth"
Madison, Wis, Oct. 30-This city was
struck by a terrific windstorm shortly
before 10 o'clock last night Trees were
torn from their roots and more or less
damage done to a number of buildings.
The second act of "Off the Earth by
Eddy Foy's company had just begun at
the Fuller Opera house when the storm
struck. That part of the roof above
the stage was lifted from it's place and
carried across the avenue by the wind.
A mass of stones, mortar and bricks
came tumbling down on the stage. A
panic was narrowly avoided, the audi
ence rushing pell-mell from the build
ing. A falling brick just grazed the
face of one of the actresses, but no one
was seriously injured. The city is now
in total darkness, the electric plant be-
ing shut down on account of numerous
live wires being on the city streets. The
telegraph wires are also badly crippled.