Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-27
STRUCK By A STOR N
Boone County is Hit by Wind that Rival,
Hurricane.
ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE HAIlST0NES
Ground is Covered with Ice Until the Surface
Becomes White,
SEVERAL P tRSONS ARE SERIOUSLY HURT
Houses Blown Down and Their Contents
Scattered Over the Country.
,tRAL PERSONS ARE SERIOUSLY HURT
STOCK IS KILLED AND TREES FRUSTRATED
People in st. Edward Take TO Cellars
and Cyclone Caves ana Thus
Escape with Their
Lives.

ST EDWARD, Neb, April 26.-(speclai
Telegram)--A terrific windstorm swept oveI
this place about 62O tonight and did much
damage.
About o'clock a heavy shower of hail
fell, covering the ground to such an extent
that it was white Some of the pieces OF
ice We're as large as a goose egg. One was
picked up measuring about five inches in
diameter.
About this time cloud was noticed COM
ing from the southwest which acted
strangely. When about two and half
miles south OF town it blew the house of
Mr. Russell all to pieces. The family had
gone in a cave and were thus saved, but
trees two and half feet in circumference
We're broken off and some torn up by the
roots. The house was total wreck. House.
hold goods were distributed for a mile to
the east. The barn and granaries were also
destroyed and live stock turned loose.
Leon Sissons. living near, had a barn,
granary and kitchen torn down. At w. A.
McCutchins the fury of the cloud was
shown. Mr.. McCutchins mother, very old
NoAhuH, pplaBuS VI olOuA Slly, Il
visitor of the McCutchlns, and Mrs Nc
Cutchin were going into the cellar when the
storm struck them. Mrs. w. A. McCutchin
was hit in the back, hurting her very Sc
verely A physician was sent for and every
thing is being done to help her. but she
still remains in a serious condition Grand
ma McCutchin was also hurt slightly. Cat
- hoo ,ls,
right, and trees torn up by the roots, The
house was torn all to pieces, hardly two
boards being fastened together.
From here the storm passed along a
wheat field to the northwest, tearing down
fences and destroying the slaughter yards
OF +. .. f'isboi, tte. teuIii.g Ga9n .ho clo
graph wires Of the Union Pacific Railroad
company for nearly quarter of a mile,
cutting off st. Edward from the outside
world.
Your correspondent. with the help of the
depot force, took down a number of car
doors and raised the wire above the ground,
which work was finished by 1045 p. m.
Barely Misses the Town.
The storm passed on to the northwest,
missing the town about 300 yards on the
south, tearing up a few trees but doing no
further damage in town.
Just east of town it tore George Toll
mans barn down and scattered farm imple-
ments for over a quarter of a mile AT
John Adams it tore one end of the barn
off and scattered fences and machinery
everywhere. A buggy was taken about 700
feet to the southeast and twisted all out
of shape as though some one had tried to
tie it up in knot.
w. H. Kealy was in the barn when the
wind struck him and left with his wife.
Just as he left the barn a wagon box came
by and just missed him, but bruised his
arm considerably.
The storm then went to the southeast and
took the roof off Nels Hassellalch's house,
which was occupied by Lem Rogers. The
windows were all broken, the roof taken off
and it seemed as though the house was In
the center of the path of the storm. Some
of the horses were taken to the east ana
a cow weighing about LOO pounds was
carried bodily over 400 feet and not hurt
at all. His barn was laid close to the
ground.
The storm next struck James Cummings
place, about two and half miles east or
town. The house was made a total wreck
but, strange to say. did little damage to
anybody.
Everyone in town ran into caves, but,
fortunately, the storm passed to the south.
The property loss will foot up over $685.
OOC.
Very meager reports are coming in from
the country at this late hour 01;3O p. M,
but the storm looked as though it would do
damage over near Newman Grove or Lima
say.