The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-29
DID IMMENSE DAMAGE,
The Most Destructive Tornado That Ever
Visited Nebraska

Ae t"ost destructive Tornado That Ever
Visited Nebraska.
Omaha, May 2S.-A special to the Bee
from Central City, Neb., says:
PROBABLY the most destructive lorna
40 that ever visited Nebraska passed
through the northern part of Hamilton
county last night at Z o'clock, Destroy
ing from $4,000 to 100000 worth of
property, including Is dwellings. one
church, one school house, two iron
Dfldges across the Blue river, barns,
corncfibs, out buildings, orchards
FENCES and stock
Inc funnel-sfaped cloud first struck
the farm of Peter Jacoby, completely
destroying the house, barn and other
buildings. The cloud then rose and did
not again strike the ground for two
miles, when it again descended and
caught the dwelling, barn, outbuildinss
and windmill of w. P. Lantzen. level
ing them In order the residences, out
buildings and trees on the premises of
William Steele, C. r. Eastman. L.
lsaacs and T. L. Clothier were leveled
to the ground, everything being swept
clean.
On the Clothier place the family had
taken refuge in cellar An old fash
Toned hay knife stuck IN the wall by
the side of Mr.. Clothier's head The
knife was blown from Eastman's place,
mile away.
w. w. Shenberger's farm, occupied
by George Noble, was the next one yis-
tied All the buildings were leveled to
the ground. The family had taken
refuge in the cellar. Their horse was
killed, but none of the family were in
jured. On the farm of Mr. Liebardt,
one of the finest in Hamilton county,
the house, barn, corncribs and granar-
les and outbuildings were smashed into
kindling wood and large orchard
ruined. Cottonwood trees nearly two
feet in diameter were stripped COM
pletely of their foliage. some were up
rooted and others twisted off. Many
hogs, two horses and a number of thor
oughbreds We're killed.
The residences of Peter Hermingsen,
Hans Luff and M. r. Buck, with all
outbuildings, were scattered to the
winds
The Danish Lutheran church, to-
gether with school, parsonage and
large barn belonging to the church, were
wrecked. Rev. Strandskow and family
and the family of Nels Anderson, 10
persons in all, took refuge in a cellar
under the parsonage. A large steel
range dropped into the cellar, but for
tunately no one was injured Every
monument in the cemetery adjoining
the church was either turned over
broken or destroyed.
A little north of the church the storm
crossed the Blue river, taking the iron
bridge, carrying it a hundred feet or
more and twisting it into tangled
mass. Other residences destroyed were
those of Chris Hansen, Chris Rasmus-
sen, l. c. Anderson. C. P. Nelson, r.
Oleson and George Cayahan and Caya-
han was slightly injured
A P. Johnson's place was the last in |
the track of the storm to meet the loss |
All his buildings and much stock We're
lost.
The track of the storm was 16 miles |
in length and about 100 yards in width. |
During the blow a little rain fell, ac-
companied by immense hailstones, some |
as large as tin cup. In nearly every
case the families sought shelter in Gel
lars, While there We're many narrow
escapes, strange to say, no one was
seriously injured. The loss to crops |
will be slight. but the groves and or
chards We're ruined. A majority of the
farms were insured, but it will be i'm
possible for several days to get the
amount of individual losses. House
hold goods and clothing were all de-
stroyed. Probably 5000 people visited
the scene to-day.