The record-union., 1896-05-27
Sweeps a Path Half a Mile in Width and
Sixteen Miles in Length
Clearing the Earth of Nearly Every
thing Movable.
About Forty People Killed Outright,
and Fully That Number Injured,
Some of Whom Cannot Recover
Later Reports From Iowa Show
That the Destruction Was Greater
Than at First Supposed.

1han at First Supposed.
DETROIT (Mich.), May 26.-The cy-
clone which devastated the northern
portion of Oakland County last evening
swept path half mile wide and six
teen miles long from west to east clear
ing the earth of nearly everything
movable. About forty persons were
killed outright, and fully that num-
Der We're injured, some of whom will die.
The cyclone first struck the earth six
miles west of Ortonville, and passed
half a mile north of that village. In
these six miles of devastated country
before Ortonville was reached fourteen
persons We're killed and about twenty
hurt. The first house tC feel the effects
OF the storm was that of Joshua john
son. The storm had not eXerted all of
its fury, and the building was only
partly demolished, Mr.. Johnson escap-
ing injury and his wife and baby being
only slightly injured.
A mile further east stood the house
and barns of William Mitchell not a
trace of which is left but the founda-
ton walls. Mrs. Mitchell, her son
Claude and a baby, Jay Mitchell, 8
months old, were instantly killed The
father was seriously bruised and inter-
nally injured, and will probably die. A
big silver was driven square into the
center of his forehead. All of his stock
was killed. Don, another son, is seri-
oGsly hurt.
There is nothing but foundations to
show where the home of Abram Quick,
who lived across the way, stood. Six
occupants of the house We're killed and
one seriously injured. Prescott Will
kins, one of those killed in the Quick
home, had reached there on a visit only
about an hour before the cyclone tore
its way through.
The home of Henry Flamboy was
next destroyed, and himself, his wife
and two children seriously injured.
A mile east of Flamboy's the cyclone
demolished the house of John Porritt.
The death list in this home reaches
four. The wind cloud passed on and
next wrecked the home of Benjamin
Westby. Mr. Westby, his wife and two
children We're buried in the ruins, but
all We're got out with severe injuries.
John Prost was the next victim of the
storm. His house was completely
wrecked and his wife seriously hurt.
The home of John Mike, on q, line with
Ortonville was unharmed, but his barns
were wiped out. Mr.. Mike and his son
John, aged IS, We're ir a barn when it
was demolished. The son was instant
/ ly killed and the father is in critical
/ condition.
The list of killed and injured in this
six miles is as follows: Mrs. William
Mitchell, Claude Mitchell her son; John
| Mitchell, baby son; Abram Quick and
six-year-old son; Myrtle Quick, four
year-old daughter; Ross Quick, a baby
! son; Mrs. Henry Quick, mother of
Abram Quick; Prescott Wilkins of May
vile, 60 years of age; John Porritt, 10
! years of age: Mrs. Joseph Porritt, his
daughter-in-law;M Mrs. Lewis Porritt, a
daughter in-law; Mrs. William Kitch-
en-, Abram Kitchen and John Mike, Jr.
| Injured: Mrs. Joshua Johnson, leg
! broken; baby Johnson, not seriously in
! jured; William Mitchell, fatally; Don
| Mitchell. his son, will recover; Mrs.
! Abram Quick, will recover; Joseph Por-
ritt, fatally; William Kitchen, seriously;
John Mike, seriously; Henry Flamboy,
wife and two children, not seriously;
Henry Westby, wife and two children,
not seriously; Mrs. John Prost, serious
| ly; John Mike, may die; Oscar Granger,
fatally; Mrs. John Whipple, seriously.
| In the next half-dozen miles between
Ortonville and the little settlement of
Oakwood, the cyclone seemed to lose
some of it's force, or the frmers living
| in that section were particularly lucky:
The cyclone travelled the road as
straight as an arrows flight spreading
out or contracting as it went along
About eighteen farmhouses were de-
stroyed in the path of the storm from
Ortonville to Oakwood, but only two
persons were killed. Four others were
probably fatally injured, and eight or
ten more less seriously hurt
| The killed in this section are: Mrs.
Clark Eaton, Ed. Fifield Fatally in
jured: Mr. and Mrs. Sylverton Smith
| and two children, Mrs Green, John
Clark, Mrs. Francis and children.
The cloud struck Oakwood almost
without warning, and there is little left
of that village. The Methodist Episco-
pal and Congregational Churches, the
Town Hall, nearly all of the business
houses and nearly all the residences
were left in ruins.
| Those who met death were: Mrs. n.
B. Wolverton, Mrs. Ed Howe, Miss
Nina + we, Orin Howe, a two-year- -old
baby; Mrs. Wells, Eugenia Fifield, Mrs
Jessie Fifield. Libby Davidson, Mrs
Stewart and baby Davis
Those seriously injured are: Mrs Kate
Davidson, may die; Bertram Davidson,
may die; Wesley Davidson, may die;
George Fifield, leg broken and knee cap
torn off; Will Carr, arm broken and
back wrenched; James Brusharm, arm
broken; Mrs. Anna Tinsey of Pontiac,
several ribs broken
The three miles stretch from Oak
wood to Thomas is scene of desolation
and wreckage. Everything IN the path
of the cyclone was leveled In and
around Thomas the death list is large
and many are injured The dead and
injured between Oakwood and Thomas
and in the latter village are:
Dead: Mrs. Van Wagner. Charles
Hicks, Rev. c. NJ. Pretchyplace, Andrew
Pettibone and NJ. Bremyer.
Injured: Lucy Hicks, skull crushed :
i William Althouse, internal iniuries
Mrs. l.. Copeman, internal injuries. Sc
riouS; Charles Bradley arm crushed .