The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-19
SCORE OF LIVES. LOST
TORNADO SWEEPS PART OF IOWA,
ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN.
Luckily No Towns Were i'm the Path
of the Storm, but Country Prop
erty Suffered.

CLINTON. Ia, May 1s.-Over score of
lives were lost and thousands of dollars
worth of property destroyed by tornado
which swept Clinton and Jackson counties
this afternoon. The storm jumped into
western Illinois near Savannah and it was
at that point that the loss of human life
was greatest Telegraph and telephone
facilities are paralyzed tonight, and the
full extent of the storm is yet to be learned.
The dead so far reported are:
At Preston, Ia.-Charles Flora, Mrs
Charles Flora and three Flora children.
At Quigley, Ia.-Wiliam OMeara and
child of John Clark.
At Riggs Station Ia.-Martin Hines and a
daughter of Michael Scion.
Luke Maloney. "a -s-..,-,
At Delmar Junction Ia.-Oba Allison and
Sauren ClemenSen.
At Savannah, Ill.-Four persons, names
unknown.
The storm which worked such devastation
in the rich farming counties along the east
ern border of Iowa and western Illinois
started shortly after 3 o'clock this morn
ing mile south of Stanwood From Stan
wood the storm moved rapidly in a north
easterly direction, passing over the north
eastern part of Clinton county and then
over the southeastern portion of Jackson
county. This section of the State is thick
ly settled. No towns were in the path of
the storm but farmhouses and barns were
torn to pieces by the score. The storm
was seen approaching by many of the
farmers and they sought refuge in the cell
lars. At least twenty-five were, however,
unable to find shelter and probably as many
more were seriously injured by flying tim
bers. The path of the storm varied from
forty rods, in some parts of Clinton county,
to eighty feet in Jackson county. Hundreds
of cattle were killed Half a dozen school
buildings are known to have been destroyed
Near Preston, Ia, more buildings were de-
stroyed than in any other locality. Charles
Flora, with his wife and three children,
were killed and their home torn to pieces.
The cyclone crossed to Illinois between
Savannah and Thompson. One family of
four persons was wiped out near Savannah.
No lives are thought to have been lost any
where in Illinois except those mentioned
near Savannah. Telegraph and telephone
wires are down in all directions, but it is
believed that the storm spent its force short
ly after passing over Savannah.
Another tornado formed at Amboy, ILL.,,
shortly before dark this evening. The storm
cloud formed about six miles south of Am
boy and took an eaSterly course Travelled
about twenty miles and destroyed every
thing in it's path-orchards, farmhouses and
barns, but no lives are known to have been
lost Owing to the peculiar atmospheric
conditions prevailing all afternoon the in
habtants were on the lookout and at the
first alarm took to the cellars, and many
of them were imprisoned for hours by the
timbers of their wrecked homes. The loss
to property generally will amount to thou
sands of dollars.
At Amigo, Wis, scores of houses were
leveled, many were unroofed and score
of people injured. The electric light plant
and water works were wrecked. A heavy
storm was general in Wisconsin and farm
property suffered great loss
Michael Nelson was destroyed. Nelson, his
wife and two children were killed: TWO
persons, names not known, were killed at
Adeline Ill. Richard Reese, at Byron, ILL.,,
and Mrs. Frank Chichester, at Paw Paw,
ILL.,, lost their lives.