Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-05-27
SCORES0F PEOPLE ARE DEAD.
Probably 100 People Killed by Cy-
clone About Oxford.
Whole Towns Wiped Out-Michi-
gan Villages Converted Into Des-
olate Sites Not a Building Left
Standing at Oakwood, Even the
Two Churches Being Flattened to
the Earth-A Furious Storm.

UIlS Ill-A urlOuS OOOILI.
Oxford, Mich, May 26.-From re-
ports that continue to come in from adj
jacent points, the full force of the fierce
wind that swept this part Of Oakland
county are beginning to be appreciated.
Everywhere is devastation. Villages
that were yesterday the homes OF con-
tented citizens are to-day desolate
sights, and MANNED and bruised fathers,
mothers, brothers and sisters mourn
for those who met death in the twist
ing, grinding, resistless wind. The
death roll in this vicinity may run to
the 100 mark, for many homes that
were on the edge Of the cyclone suffered
from its fury.
At Oakwood, a hamlet five miles
north of Oxford, having population of
about 200, not house is left standing.
The two churches are flattened to the
earth.
The path of the storm was between
half and thre-quarters of mile wide,
and it extended in a nearly straight
course eastward over a distance of so
miles. A remarkable circumstance is
that buildings in close proximity to
each other were blown in all directions.
some being swept nOrthward and others
southwark.
Mount Clemens, Mich, May ga
terrible cyclone, accompanied by heavy
rain, struck this city yesterday even
ing. Some thirty houses on Front,
Butler and Inches streets were blown
down and many of them torn TO pieces.
Many people were injured. including:
Mrs Anna Pohl, back broken. cannot
live; Adolph Pohl, William Pohl, Mrs.
Russell Carter, Mrs. Ormsby. The
home of Mrs Anna Pohl, a widow with
three small boys, were blown down on
their heads and the four members Of
the family were pinioned in the wreck
age Owing 10 the darkness and storm,
it was some time before assistance ar
rived. When they were gotten out.
they were taken TO a neighboring house,
where it was found that Mrs. Pohl's
back was broken and she cannot live.
Her boys, Adolph, Henry and William,
are more or less injured, but will re-
cover.
Des Moines, Ia, May 26.-Forty-t
killed, a score fatally injured and about
80 people seriously hurt is, as near as
can he estimated to-day, the result of
the destructive cyclone which swspt
portions of Iowa, Illinois and Kansas
Sunday night. The property loss is
heavy, but accurate estimates thus far
are an impossibility. Valeria was al
most ruined. The buildings were either
demolished CT moved and twisted. A
school house was taken away bodily,
and fragments of it have so far escap-
ed discovery. The town had about 200
inhabitants, with the business houses
on one main street. This street is
blockaded with rubbish, the fronts of
the stores being broken in and the in
terror drenched with mud and water.
The x. OF P. hall block, with a general
stock on the first floor. was destroyed in
a queer manner the first story being
smashed in and the second story now
occupying thes ite Of the first story.
The Catholic church was wrecked and
the NJ. E. edifice was showed off its
foundation. The houses Of G. w. Lacey,
Sue Philson, Mr.. Woods, ]. NJ. Kearns.
Mrs. Wales, Sol Dickey, Harvey Pit
cock, Charles Couch and three business
houses owned by A. J. Lawrence are
all in ruins.
Those living in the country lost large
quantities of stock of all kinds. Horses,
hogs, cattle and all kinds of live stock
IL - nd hrr
ribly mangled. The work Of clearing
up the wreck and caring for the wound
ed and dead was carried on rapidly.
The diagonal depot was struck and two
sides of it knocked out. The wires were
all broken. the track torn up and
bridge blown out The creamery build
ing owned by corporation Of farmers
was destroyed A schoo! house west of
town has not been seen since the storm
and no one knows what became Of it.
The storm was over within two min
utes after the first rumble was heard.
Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. KraatZ were
standing in the front room of their
house when the cyclone struck it. They
made rush for the front door. and at
the same time the building was torn
to pieces They escaped without
scratch A fine frame residence be-
longing to August Henkel was turned
over on its side, rsting on the wing. The
main part was left standing up in the
air. The water works was partially de-
stroyed, the filtering house being wreck
ed. The cyclone struck tht city near
Cratiot street bridge and passed in a
northeasterly direction over the city,
leveling nearly everything in its path,
about $50 yards wide, the principal dam
age being on Front street. AT Robert
son street it left Front street, crossing
the river and striking the eastern por-
ton of the city at Dulac's mill, where
many houses were destroyed, the mill
badly damaged and the lumber in the
yards picked up like chaff and carried
over into the fields across the river.
Ortonville, Mich, May 26.-The cy-
clone which wrought such havoc here
travelled in a westerly direction. de-
stroying every house, barn. fence or
other obstacle, leveling trees and pull
ing down telegraph poles and killing
and manning the unfortunate farmers.
Il struck Thomas and Oakwood and
! wrecked these villages The path of the
cyclone was about milew ide and
nothing could withstand its fury.
Seventeen persons are reported kill