The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-03
MANY PERSONS KILLED.
A Cyclones Destructive Work IN the State
of Michigan.

OIL M1Cn1Sans
DETROIT, Mich, May 26.-The cy-
clone which devastated the northern
portion of Oakland county last even
ing swept path half mile wide and
sixteen miles long from west to east,
clearing the earth of nearly every
thing movable. About forty per-
sons were killed outright and fully
that number were injured, some of
whom will die. The cyclone first
struck the earth six miles west of Or
tonville and passed half mile north
of that village. In these six miles of
devastated country before Ortonville
was reached fifteen persons were kill
ed and twenty injured, some fatally.
Of the injured William Mitchell,
Joseph Porritt and John Wilkie will
die. At the Mitchell homestead not a
trace of the house and farm buildings
remain but the foundations: There is
nothing but foundations to show where
the home OF Abraham Quick stood.
Six occupants of the house were killed
and one seriously injured. Prescott
Wilkins, one of those killed in the
Quick home, had reached there on a
visit but an hour befor the cyclone
tore its way through.
The home of John Wilkie, on a
line with Ortonville, was unharmed,
but his barns were wiped out. Mr..
Wilkie and his son John, aged Is
were in barn when it was demolisb-
ed. The son was instantly killed and
the father is in a critical condition.
In the next half dozen miles
of the track of the storm only two
persons were killed and the damage
was comparatively light. The dead
are Mrs. Cleo K. Meaton and Ed
Fifeld. Three persons were proably
fatally injured and ten less seriously
hurt.
The cloud struck Oakman almost
without warning and there is little
left of that village today. The Meth,
odist Episcopal and Congregation
churches the town hall, practically all
the busines houses and most of resi-.
decnces were left in ruins. Nine per.
sons were killed in the village and
many injured. The three miles
stretch from Oakwood to Thomas, is a
scene of heartrending desolation and
wreckage. Everything in the path OF
the cyclone was levelled. In and
around Thomas, the death list is
large and many are injured.
Between Oakwood and Thomas and
in the latter village the dead are;
Mrs. Van Wagner, Charles Hicks,
Rev. G. M. Pretchyplace, Andrew
Pettibone, M. Bremeyer. After com.
pleting its work of destruction at
Thomas the cyclone evidently separa,
ted, one section going northeast and
doing immense amount of damage be-
tween Thomas and Dryden, in La
peer county, and the other following a
southeasterly direction to North Ok
ford. After leaving North Oxford,
the path of the southeast cyclone is
marked at intervals until Mount
Clemens is reached, where great dam.
age was done and many persons in.
jured, only one fatally, however, a
widow named Anna Pohl, whose back
was broken.
The next heard from the storm was
near Walkerville, Ontario, twenty
miles due south of Mount Clemens
The cyclone evidently expended its
force after striking Canada, as no other
reports of damage have been received.
After passing Dryden. and White
vile in Lapeer county, the next heard
from the other storm was in Sanilac
county, thirty miles away at the vii
lage of Amadore, which was nearly
swept away.
The funnel shaped cloud struck a
mile west of the village and in path
a mile wiae and six and a hall miles
long to the shores of Lake Huron, ev.
cry building was more or less damag
ed. Tuscola county was also visited
by a wind storm of cyclonic violence
last evening. Nearly every building
in the path of the storm, which start
ed near Clifford and travelled directly
east for six miles, was destroyed
Joseph Malburg was hit by a flying
board and instantly killed.