Evening star., 1897-07-31
WAKE OF A CYCLONE
Death and Desolation Spread About
San Jose, Illinois.
SEVEN KILLED And THREE INJURED
Fatal Work of Wind, Lightning
and Rain.
STORM IN NORTH w E S T

SAN JOSE, Ill. July 31.-Death and desc
lation followed rapidly in the wake of a
cyclone which swept across this section
of the country last night. Seven persons
were killed outright and three seriously
injured.
Following are the rames of the killed:
A. c. Mcdowell
Mrs. Samuel Brownlee.
Three Brownlae children.
A grandson of Mcdowell
Miss Jessie Groves.
The following were seriously injured:
Mrs. A. Mcdowell.
Charles Mcdowell, son.
Mary Mcdowell daughter.
The day had been one of great op-
pressiveness. The heat had been almost un-
bearable and only those whose occupa-
tion brought them out on the street We're
to be seen.
In the evening the clouds began to pile
Up in black ominous banks, ard the air
became more oppressive. The clouds were
accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning
which seemed to rend the heavens and loud
craShings of reverberating thunder. In
many instances occupants OF houses TOOK
refuge in their cellars
Just before Z o'clock a funnel shaped
cloud separated itself from the others and
came rushing with frightful velocity toward
the town. The house and barn on the farm
of DR.. A c. Mcdowell lay directly in Its
path
Mcdowell homestead was torn into frag-
nlents- The barn met the same fate and
with its contents was swept out of sight
Inside the house the family of DR.. Nc
Dowell, consisting of five members, had
taken refuge, together with Mrs. Samuel
Erownlee and her three children and Miss
Jessie Groves, the daughter of a neighbor
who had come to the McDowells to spend
the evening.
everything it collected was swept in every
direction. Buried beneath the ruins were
all the occupants of the house.
Following the cyclone came deluge of
water resembling a clOudburSt.
Neighbors who had witnessed the de-
struction of the Mcdowell homestead hur-
riediy summoned assistance. Those who
We're alive beneath the ruins were taken
out as soon as possible and carried to
neighboring farm houses. where their in
juries were given medical attention. These
were Mrs. A. C. Mcdowell, her son Charles
and daughter Mary. 1t is not thought
that either of these can survive their in
jures.
The dead received the next attention.
These were DR.. A. c. Mcdowell. Mrs. Sam
uel Brownlee and her three children. Jes-
sic Groves and a grandson of the McDow-
ellis. Their bodies were fearfully torn and
nangled by the force with which they had
been tossed about in the ruins of the house.
The cyclone also struck the farm of John
yCnd destroying his barn and a fine walnut
grove. The house escaped the cloud, which
passed within few feet.
1t Is probable there were other casualties
in outlying districts which will be reported
later.
MILLION ACRES OF CROPS RUINED.
destructive Hail Storm Passes
Through South Dakota and Minnesota
SIOUX FALLS. S. D., July 31.-A de-
structive hail storm passed near here. The
storm started three miles west of Dell
Rapids and went in southwesterly direc-
tion. destroying absolutely everything in
its path around Garretson. One branch of
the storm passed over Shermantown and
Iuverne. Mimi. Here 1t went in two pa his
one north and the other south, across Rock
and Mobiles counties. The path of this
branch storm was over ten miles wide. 1t
is estimated that fully 1,00O,00O acres Of
crops were destroyed.