The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-29
Father and Six Children in
One Family Lose Their
Lives.
COUNTRY LAID WASTE
Buildings, Orchards and Grain Lev
eled by a TwiSter in Nebraska
and South Dakota.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

Special Dispatch to The Call.
CHAMBERLAIN, S. Oak, May 2s.-
Word reached town this evening of a
disastrous and fatal tornado which
passed across the country in the vicinity
of Bijou Hills, twenty-five miles south
of this city, yesterday afternoon, re-
sulting in the death of seven persons
and the serious injury of two others.
The killed are:
| CHARLES PETERSON.
SIX CHILDREN of Charles Peter
son, ranging from to Is years of age
Petersons wife and two other chill
dren were so badly injured that they
may die.
The tornado formed on a section in
plain view of hundreds and moved in
q southerly course, the first place
reached being that of Arthur Coden,
which was totally destroyed. The
storm then destroyed a church and a
schoolhouse, after which it reached the
Peterson place, where the execution
was simply appalling. The dead and in
jured were strewn about the premises,
all being bruised and manned in
shocking manner, while the buildings
were crushed into splinters
After doing its worst here, the tor
nado passed into the range of hills
skirting the Mississippi river, where it
appears to have been dissolved. Every
thing in its course was completely de-
stroyed. The path covered by the tor
nado was only about twenty-five rods
wide and about three miles in length.
The wind was accompanied by a heavy
fall of rain and hail
IT'LL
appeared in this section.
OMAHA, May 2S.-A special to the
Bee from Central City, Nebr., SAYS:
Probably the most destructive tornado
that ever visited Nebraska passed
through the northern part of Hamilton
County last night at o'clock destroy
ing from $75,000 to 100000 worth of
property, including fifteen dwellings,
one church, one schoolhouse, two iron
bridges across Blue River, barns. corn
cribs, out buildings, orchards, fences
and stock.
The funnel-shaped cloud first struck
the farm of Peter Jacoby on section 8,
township II, completely destroying the
house, barn and other buildings. The
cloud then arose and did not again
strike the ground for two miles, when
dwelling, barn, n,outbuildings and wind
mill of W. P Lantzen, leveling them.
The residence and outbuildings on the
farm of William Steel, c. r. Eastman
and T. L. Clothier were leveled to the
ground.
On the Clothier place the family had
taken refuge in a cellar. An old-fash-
ioned hay knife stuck in the wall by
!
knife was blown from Eastman's place,
mile away. W. W. Shenberger's farm
occupied by George Noble, was the
next one visited. All the buildings were
leveled to the ground. The family had
taken refuge in the cellar, and while
there a horse was blown in. The horse
was killed, but none of the family were
| were injured.
On the farm of Mr.. Liebhart, one of
the finest in Hamilton County, the
house, barn, corncribs, granaries and
outbuildings were smashed into kind
ling wood and large orchard ruined.
Cottonwood trees nearly two feet IN
diameter were stripped completely of
their foliage. some were uprooted and
others twisted off. Many hogs, two
horses and a number of thoroughbred
cattle were killed.
The residences of Peter Herningsen,
Hans Luff and A. R. Buck. with all
outbuildings, were scattered to the
winds.
The Danish Lutheran Church, togeth-
er with a schoolhouse, parsonage and
large barn belonging to the church.
were wrecked. Rev. Mr.. Strandskow
and family and the family of Nels An
derson, nineteen persons in all, took
| raf,Joa in a cellar under the paTsOnaSe.
A large steel range dropped into the
| cellar but fortunately no one was in
jured. Every monument in the ceme-
terry adjoining the church was either
turned over, broken or destroyed.
A little north of the church the storm
crossed Blue River, taking the iron
| bridge, carrying 1t hundred feet or
more and twisting it into a tangled
| mass.
Other residences destroyed were
those of r. Olsen, Chris Hansen, Chris
Rasmussen, l. G. Anderson, c. p. Nell
son and George Cayahan. Cayahan
was slightly injured. A. P. Johnsons
place was the last in the track of the
storm to meet with loss. All his build
ings and much stock were lost
The track of the storm was sixteen
miles in length and about 100 yards in
width During the blow a little rain
fell. accompanied by immense hail
stones. In nearly every case the fami-
lies sought shelter in cellars. While
there were many narrow escapes,
strange to say no one was seriously in
jured The loss to crops will be slight,
but groves and orchards were ruined.
A majority of the. farms were insured.
but it will be impossible for several
days to get the amount of individual
losses Household goods and clothing
were all destroyed. Probably 5000 peo-
ple viewed the scene to-day.
BEATRICE. Neb., May .28.-A severe
hailstorm visited Beatrice early this
evening The storm came up suddenly
and hundreds of people were caught
while driving. Several runaways oc-
| crrred In which many neople were In