Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-08-07
BLAST OF DEATH.
Awful Work of Cyclone Near
San Jose, Ill
Residence of DR.. A. g. Mcdowell Dee
niolished and the Owner and six
Other Inmates Are I<ilIed-Wife,
Son and Daughter Hurt.

San Jose, ILL.,, July 31.-Death and |
desolation followed rapidly in the wake |
of cyclone which swept across this sec
ton of the country at seven o'clock Fri |
day night. Seven persons were killed
outright and three seriously injured.
The house and barn of DIR. A. c. Nc
Dowell on the outskirts of the town
were demolished by the fury of the
wind. The town itself escaped only be-
cause the cyclone rose about 2h miles
north and passed over too high to cause
any further serious damage. 1t is prob
able that more deaths may be reported
later from the outlying districts. The
dead are: A. C. Mcdowell, Mrs. Samuel
Brownlee and three children, Jessie
Groves, and a grandson of Mcdowell.
The injured are Mrs. Mcdowell, son
and a daughter.
The day had been one of great oppres-
siveness. The heat had been almost un-
bearable and only those whose occupa-
ton brought them out on the streets
were to be seen. At six o'clock in the
evening the clouds began to pile up in
black, ominous banks and the air be-
came more oppressive. From the north
the clouds came tossing and tumbling
in thick masses of rapidly changing
yellow and black. They were accom-
panied by vivid flashes of lightning,
which seemed to rend the heavens, and
loud crashings of reverberating thun-
der caused the frightened people to
! rush for their homes. In many in
| stances occupants of houses took refuge
in their cellars. Just before seven
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 it's path.
The cyclone struck the northern end
of the farm and cut a clean path across
it in it's swiftly whirling vortex.
The Mcdowell homestead was torn
into fragments from it's foundation 10
the roof. The barn met the same fate,
and with its contents was swept out of
sight. Inside the house the family of
DR.. Mcdowell consisting of five mem-
bers, had taken refuge together with
Mrs. Samuel Brownlee and her three
children, and Jessie Groves, the daugh-
ter of neighbor, who had come to the
McDowells' to spend the evening. When
the cyclone struck the house every
thing it contained was swept in every
direction. Not n stick of timber nor
whole piece of furniture was left in
tact, and buried beneath the ruins were
all of the occupants of the house. Fol-
lowing the cyclone came n deluge of
water resembling a cloudburst. This,
however, did not deter neighbors who
witnessed the destructive work of the
cyclone from hurrying to the rescue of
the McDowells. Those who were alive
beneath the ruins were taken out as
soon as possible and carried to neigh
boring farmhouses, where their in
juries were given medical attention.
; Sioux Falls, S. D., July 31.-A hail and
: windstorm of great severity visited Dell
Rapids Thursday night. Elliott's grain
elevator was blown over on the railroad
track. The greatest loss in this vicinity
: however, comes from the lodging of
grain. The storm reached Garrettson
and destroyed a great deal of grain
Farmers have been coming to town and
4 some of them report a total loss. Heavy
hail also destroyed crops at Carthage
;, Bristol, Waubay, Alexandria and Bry
ant, all widely separated localities.
i Sioux City, Ia, July 31.-Hail severe
Z ly injured crops in this region lat,
Thursday night. From Rock Rapid:
I and Sioux Center it is reported so to Il
per cent. of the small grain was ruined
and that some fields were utterly de
{ stroyed.
Luverne, Mimi. July 31.-The crop
in strip five miles wide and 80 mile
s long in this county were entirely de
d stroyed by hail Thursday night. Tn
|, storm extended through five township
d and the loss is total where it struck.
I Emporia, Kan, July 31.-Hot wind
Thursday and Friday have completes
y the wreck of the corn crop in this vi
!, cinity. The crop will also be almos
s. II total failure in Chase county, west O
I here.