Cerro Gordo, IL Tornado, Mar 1892

SWEPT BY STORMS

Many Buildings Demolished by a Gale at Cerro Gordo, Ill - damage by Hail

Cerro Gordo, Ill., March 25.-- Ten buildings were completely wrecked by a cyclone Saturday afternoon and twenty other were more or less damaged. The cyclone was preceded by a terrible hailstorm which drove everyone indoors, and to this may be attributed the fact that no one was killed or even seriously injured. It was a few minutes before 9 o'clock when the windstorm swept through the village from south to north and its path was marked by a strip of wrecked and ruined buildings 900 feet in width. The path of the storm passed west of the business portion, where most of the population was gathered. Those who saw the hurricane approach took to their cellars, the inhabitants of several of the houses dismantled thus escaping injury.

Among the buildings wrecked were the residences of J. Clarkson, William Bowen, B. Hyatt and Edward Edwards. They were lifted from the foundations, unroofed and twisted out of shape. Clarkson's house was crushed like an eggshell by a huge timber blown from a lumber yard 200 yards away. The family was away on a visit and thus escaped. At Mrs. Griswold's the kitchen was blown from the main body of the house and hurled to the top of a tree in the yard. The barns of Joseph Auten, A. Manicke, Rob Hudgen, W. H. Howells, G. Frantz, John Marsh and B. Wyne were completely demolished. So completely was the destruction of the last mentioned that not a board of it can be found. The homes of ach of those above named were also badly damaged, as were a large number of other buildings. The only business building injured was the Shellabargers elevator. It did not receive the full force of the cyclone, but was unroofed and otherwise damaged. The total loss is estimated at $40,000, with but little insurance. No one was seriously injured.

Lorain County Reporter, Elyria, OH 2 Apr 1892

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In looking at the 1900 Census for Piatt Co., IL, Cerro Gordo, district 128: Mrs. Griswold could be Emily Griswold, head of household. B. Wyne could be Benjamin Wyne. B. Hyatt could be Bruce D. Hyett.
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