River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-05-28
WIND FELT IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Chicago Has a Cloudburst-Other Parts
of the state suffer.


Chicago, May ga storm of wind. rain,
thunder and lightning struck Chicago at
two O'Clock Monday morning. The wind at
times attained the velocity of a hurricane
and the lightning was incessant. over an
inch of water fell In less than ten minutes.
which amounted to cloudburst- The
sewers were unablt to carry off the water,
and as a result Easements all over tho
city were flooded. The pressrooms of three
morning papers were flooded by water
backing UP from the sewers, and fire en-
gines had to be called to pump out the
water before the second editions could be
sent 10 press.
Rockford. H., May 2e-This section was
on Sunday night visited by the severest
wind, hail and rainstorm experienced for
rsany years. doing great damage to prop
erty of all kinds. running crops killing sew
eral people and fatally injuring a number of
others. The storm broke about II 30
O'Clock and ragged for over an hour with
terrific fury. The air was filled with balls
of fire, flashes of lightning following each
other with great rapidity. Many houses
in this city and throughout the country
were struck by lightning In the northern
pert of the county there was a furious
dovnpour of hail. running growing crors
and making country roads almost impassa-
BILE. The railroads leading into this city
are completely Frustrated and all trains
are badly delayed by washouts. while the
wires along the lines are down
At the home OF Godfrey Hildebrand. seven
miles northeast OF here. the cyclone de-
molished the house and killed Mrs. Hide
brand and her daughter. Elsie. IA years of
age. The mother was beheaded by a flying
BEAM and IL was some time before her head
was found. Mr.. Hildebrand was probably
fatally injured. Three miles north OF Leaf
river Mrs. Izora Bird, a widow. was in
stantiy killed and her five children badly
injured. one fatally. Dozens of barns
through a wide stretch of country were
blown down. stock killed. crops destroyed
and orchards utterly ruined.
Great damage to buildings was done at
Egan City, Davis Junction. Byron, Lear
River, Mount Morris. Steward. Beloit
Rockton. Forreston and other places In
this section. The rain which accompanied
the wind was tho heaviest In years. and OF
creeks are far out of their banks. Han
as large as hickory nuts also fell In great
quantity, stripping trees of foliage ard
leyeling crops. Every building in the path
of the cyclone was demolished, and much
live stock was killed. The loss VIII pc very
large In winnebago. Ogle. Lee ana Boone
counties. which seemed to suffer most Sc
verely.
One Death at Freeport.
Freeport, ILL.,, May ga severe rain and
windstornf ragged over this city Sunday
night great amount OF damage was
done. Buildings were unroofed ana trees
were blown down. flood swept away
many DrlQgeS. MI. II OsS "oS $500
while crossing yellow creek.
Damage Estimated at 100000.
Mount Carroll, H., May 2s.-The hardest
storm ever experienced In thu section
broke at II 30 Sunday mig Mt and lasted until
three O'Clock Monday morning. Carroii
creek rose 20 feet In half an hour passing
the high-water mark by nve 'est. Inc
M Shirt company's mill dem broke.
flooding the electric light plant. LODI
kicker's carriage mandatory, the Mount
Carroll tannery and all the buildings along
Galena avenue and Mill street Inc hre
alarm was rung at one O'Clock ana people
were rescued on improvised rsfts- Plum
river Is six feet higher than ever known.
and Iron bridges and fences all went down
in the flood. Cattle and horses Were
drowned. The damage In Carroll county Is
estimated at 100000.
Destruction tt Eigin.
Flgin, May 26-This city was visited
by a tornado at an early hour MONDAY
morning and death and destruction were
stack at the pumping station az the insaie
ASYLUM was completely wrecked. ana FIRE
man Jack Kehoe was killed ana Durieu pc
meath a pile of debris. The smokestacR
stood 125 feet high. The station Is com
plcte wreck. At the asylum proper the
building was considerably damaged. out TO
one was seriously injured. Inc roof OF the
EIgin bicycle and sewing riachine WORKS
was torn Off and the building practicahy
ruined.
High Water at Ga ena-
Galena, Ill, May 26.-The most Nioient
storm OF rain and lightning that has ever
occurred here ragged Sunday night for two
hours up to midnight. An TOUR after the
storm ceased a great flood anne down the
Calena river with such silddenness tnat
a rise OF four feet oe CURED In five minutes
sul,merged before anyone was aware of
the danger threatening. Many dwelling
houses were also INUNDATED and some were
swept away. the inmates escaping IN tneir
night clothes. Mrs. r. D. strickland waT
hushand esaped with a small child. and
s,,,rrs-s, a, rescue her found her drowned.