Year: 1878

CHICAGO, May 24.-The heat in this city
last evening was intense and many antic-
pated a hurricane, but Chicago escaped with
only little wind and a slight fall Of rain.
struck the farm of VIM. Brun, German,
about three miles south of the village of
Darlington. The storm cloud was observed
first by Henry Stofel, the hired man, who was
at work near the house, advancing from the
southwest, bounding over the ground, ac-
companied by an almost indescribable noise


When 1t got within about 200 yards Of the
farm house, 1t struck the ground with deaf
ening noise and seemed to rest there for a
moment. It then rose in the air about fifty
feet, carrying with it mass Of earth,
trees. sticks and debris, and as it ap-
preached the house 1t again descended strik-
ing the side of the building and literally lift
ing 1t up and whirling it over, tearing it to
pieces and scattering 1t In every direction.
The work of destruction took place in the air
at the height Of about $50 feet.


Stofel ran towards the house when he saw
the storm coming, taking with him the little
son Of Mr.. Brun, but the tornado struck him
about ten rods from the house, throwing him
the ground about thirty feet distant on his
back and lay there stunned for a few minutes
The first thing he saw was the house going
up and he was obliged to hang on to the grass
with might and main to keep from being
sucked into the vortex of the storm.


1t was over In few minutes, and he got up
to see what had become Of Mrs. Brun and
the children. The boy, who was with him, he
picked up alive in a lot short distance away,
and in pasture about one hundred rods off,
one of the little girls was found, with her
head torn from her shoulders, and her cloth
ing entirely stripped from her body, which
was fearfully disfigured. The other little
girl was found in the yard, lifeless, where
both children were playing when the storm
struck. Nearly every bone In the little ones
body was broken. Mrs. Brun was found
dead about fifty rods in northeast direction
from the house.. She is supposed to have
been alone in the house at the moment the
storm struck it, and consequently was carried
up with 1t, and must have suffered fearful
death. Mr.. Brun was at Plane Grove about
four miles distant when the storm arose, and
seeing the direction it took, started with all
speed for home, but was met halfway by
neighbors, who broke to him the sorrowful
tale Of his loss. The grief of the strong man
was heartrending, as he went hither and
thither through the ruins, calling for his wife
and babes. The surviving child lies in crit
ical condition, and it is doubtful if it lives
The hired man is also badly bruised.


the barn of Henry Myers and demolished it
instantly. The barn of H. Mundhenke ad-
Joining that of Myers, was lifted from it's
foundation and carried some distance away
damaging it slightly. After leaving this
locality it crossed Salt creek, scoopng up the
mud and bushes which were deposited in the
outskirts OF Darlington to the depth of sew
eral inches. AS it neared the village it was
seen to lift up and pass over in a northeasterly
In several places where the storm struck the
ground, it would take earth and everything
In Its path, leaving great hole from $50 to
800 feet square