Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-06-01
TERRIBLE CYCLONE.
A Father and His Six Children
Killed in the Bijou Hills.
TERRIFIC HAILSTORM IN NEBRASKA.
Over 1000 Panes OF Glass Broken and
Much Other Damage Done at Hastings
and Beatrice Cyclone at Central
City-T0rnadO at Keswick.

Omaha, Neb, May ga special from
Chamberlain, :. d., Sunday evening
said: Word has Just reached the town
Of disastrous and fatal cyclone which
passed across the country in the vicn-
ity of Bijou hills, % miles south of this
city Saturday afternoon, between four
and five o'clock, resulting in the death
Of seven persons and the serious injury
of two others. The killed were Charles
Peterson and his six children. The cy-
clone formed on section in plain view
OF hundreds and moved in a southerly
course, the first place reached being
that of ART Coden, which was totally
destroyed. The storm then destroyed
. church and a schoolhouse, after which
itreached the Peterson place, where the
execution done was simply appalling.
The dead and injured were strewn about
the premises, all being bruised and
manned in shocking manner, while
the buildings were smashed into splin-
ters. After doing its worst here, the
cyclone destroyed the Criegor premises,
then passing into the range Of hills
skirting the Missouri river, where 1t
appears to have been dissolved. The
path covered by the storm was only
about 30 rods wide and about three
miles in length. The wind was accom-
panied by a heavy fall Of rain and hail.
the latter being as large as goose eggs.
The cyclone was fearfully destructive.
everything in its course being com
pletely destroyed, large amount of
stock also being killed. This is the
first cyclone that has ever appeared in
this section of the country.
TERRIFIC nAILsT0RM IN NEBRASKA.
Hastings, Neb., May Ca terrific
hailstorm struck this city at S;45 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon and continued 10
minutes, during which time over 1000
panes Of glass were broken, fruit and
grain destroyed, chickens and birds
killed and injured and several persons
hurt. At the asylum for the chronic
insane, 400 panes Of glass were broken
In the main building and 1900 in the
greenhouse, where an immense amount
Of damage was done. The hailstones
were as large as hen eggs and came
down with such force as to kill many
chickens, knocking birds out of the
trees and breaking shutters on win
dows. Young fruit on cherry, apple and
peach trees was all knocked off and
many limbs stripped from the trees.
All winter wheat was destroyed, but
corn and other grain was not up far
enough to be affected. Several persons
were slightly injured.
A severe hailstorm visited Beatrice
early yesterday evening, doing i'm
mense property damage, injuring sew
eral persons, killing birds and break
ing glass by the wholesale. The storm
came up suddenly and hundreds of peo-
pie were caught while driving. Dead
birds lie in the streets by hundreds,
trees are stripped Of their leaves and
fruit and crops destroyed.
DESTRUCTIVE CYCLONE AT CENTRAL CITY.
Omaha, Neb., May 20. "A special from
Central City, Neb., says: Probably the
most destructive cyclone that ever Wis
tied Nebraska passed through the
northern part Of Hamilton county Sat
urday night at seven o'clock, destroy
ing from $4,000 to 100000 worth of
property, including ID dwellings, one
church, one schoolhouse, two iron
bridges across the Blue river, barns,
corn cribs, outbuildings, orchards,
fences and stock
TORNADO AT KEswICK, IA.
Montezuma, Ia, May 30. A tornado
which struck half mile south of Kes-
wick, yesterday evening, did consider
able damage. The farmhouse of Mr.
Mccoy was demolished and five parsons
were injured, Mrs. Mccoy PROBABLY
fatally. Rain and hail followed the
storm and did great damage to the
growing crops.
LIGHTNING KILLS AN ONO FARMER
Sandusky, o., May 29.-Louis 4.
Bert, farmer Of Oxford township,
was killed by lightning Saturday night
at barn warming near his home.
About 80 persons were in the barn and
all were Frustrated, several of them
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