Dane County, Wisconsin - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 6 of those read), 1880 (part 2 of 2)

R i1 n fi'''''^ Fourth was appropriately celebrated by the Veteran Reserve Corps at Camp ttandall. Capt. Balcom and eighty-four veterans of the Third Regiment arrived; notwithstanding the privations they have evidently endured, they are full of the pluck and spirit that only eave the freeman's heart and cease to animate his frame with life. On the evening of the 24th, musical entertainment was given in the Theater Hall, in Madison, to the soldiers of the Fifth ^^^^ Sixth Regiments, who have just returned from the field of battle, their term of service the m^ The Euterpean Club, the Madison Brass Band and several ladies took part in them ho P® '^^^ care-worn soldiers were highly pleased with this effort to do onor. Ihe beautiful and touching manner in which Miss Anna Main sung " Home,

Sweet Home," must have found a warm response in the hearts of these noble heroes who are just returning to their homes after an absence of three years in their country's service. James F. Spencer is promoted to the adjutantcy of the Eleventh Regiment. Some sixty veterans of the Fourth Regiment under Adjt. Chittenden returned. Capt. Wheeler, of Middleton leaves for Nashville to perform his duties as Commissary of Subsistence. Dr. A. J. Ward, wlio served so long and faithfully with the old Iron Second, is welcomed back.

August. - Col. John H. Burnham, of the Sixteenth Connecticut, was among the prisoners released and exchanged. Mr. Burnham was formerly a resident of Madison. Cassius, a son of Dr. A. H. Davis, of Madison, died from effects of exposures and injuries received at Kenesaw Mountain, Ga. The veteran Nineteenth, Col. Horace T. Sanders, arrived in Madison the 22d. In all positions in which they have been placed they have done honor to themselves and Wisconsin. Two sons of Elias Ingleby, of Middleton, both belonging to Company G, of the First United States Sharpshooters, were killed ; one, Israel, was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness. The other, Levi, was wounded at Deep Bottom, Va.

September. - On the arrival of the returning hundred-day men of the Fortieth Regimeot, they were welcomed by the citizens of Madison. The Forty-second Regiment, Col. Sprague, left for Memphis. Lieut. Col. Paine, of the Forty-third, was in Madison. The "blue" becomes him well.

October. - The old colors of the Nineteenth were left in charge of the Governor. May the memory of the brave men who rallied around these dear old flags, many of whom sleep where " no sound shall awake them to glory again," be ever fresh in the hearts of a noble and generous people. John Beath, of Dane County, member of the Legislature of 1860, has shouldered the musket in the Forty-third. Col. J. W. Jefferson, of the Eighth, Capt. Henry Dillon, of the Sixth Battery, Capt. N. P. Bird, of the Seventh Regiment, and Col. La Grange, of the First Cavalry, are in Madison. The First Battery, under Capt. J. T. Foster, arrived in Madison on the Eleventh. Capt. Henry Turner, of Company D, Twenty-first Regiment, is home. Maj. Lu H. Drury is also visiting his old friends.

November. - J. S. Webster, of Berdan's Sharpshooters, has returned safe and hearty. "Barney," the favorite horse of the late lamented Brig. Gen. Ransom, and which has borne his heroic rider through much hard service and many hard-fought battles, arrived in Madison with his trappings and accouterments, having been presented by the General's mother to his late Aidde-Camp, Lieut. J. D. Tredway. Dr. A. J. Ward has been appointed Surgeon of the Fortythird Regiment. John Reiner, of Madison, of Company A, Thirty-seventh Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, died on the 14th, of wounds received in battle. Silas S. Bush, of Sun Prairie, died of disease contracted in the service ; he was a volunteer in the Tenth Regiment.

December. - Between $400 and $500 were realized for soldiers' families from the ball given by the Soldiers' Aid Society in Madison. Roderick J. Park, of Verona, of Company I, Twentythird Regiment, died November 25. David M. Kanouse, of the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin, a son of Rev. J. G. Kanouse, of Cottage Grove, who was captured in June last, and has been spending several months at Anderson ville, Ga., was recently paroled. He fully confirms the previous accounts of the barbarous treatment which Union prisoners there have received. Capt. John Sumner, of the Twenty-third, is home for a fortnight, on his first leave of absence since his regiment left the State.

February. - Capt. W. J. Colburn, Assistant Quartermaster, is home on a short leave ot absence from Chattanooga. Company F, of the Forty-fifth Regiment, mostly German, lett tor the seat of war. Martin Brazee, of Company F, Thirty-sixth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, died while confined as a prisoner in Salisbury, N. C. The Forty-seventh, Col. George C. (xinty, with about 850 men, left for Nashville. - r i h

March. - William R. Inman, of the Eleventh, who was home on a sixty days' sickfurlongn, died on the 9th. Mr. Warren W. Nye, a member of the Eleventh Regiment of the Wisconsin Volunteers, died in New Orleans, in Barracks Hospital, March 29.

halleluiah! Richmond is ours ! President gone to the front ; 20,000 prisoners taken ! " Such was the glad tidings heralded abroad to make glad the loyal hearts of Dane County. The news of Lee's surrender was received in Madison the evening of the 9th. A national salute was fired, the bells of the city rung, the crowd, when not hearing dispatches, sung " Star-Spangled Banner," "Johnny Comes Marching Home," "Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow." The proceedings were protracted till between 1 and 2 o'clock in the morning. Abraham Lincoln assassinated by J. "Wilkes Booth, at Ford's Theater, the 14th, at 9.30 P. M. The shock to the people of the country, as the news flashed over the wires, was terrible. On the Sunday following, the churches in Madison, and most of those in the county, were draped in mourning, indicative of the profound sorrow of the people.

Crovernors Cfuard. - The "Governor's Guard," an independent company, attached to the Eighteenth Regiment of Wisconsin State Militia, was organized at a meeting held in the city of Madison, January 30, 1858.

The history of the company from the time of its organization to the commencement of the rebellion, is much the same as that of similar organizations. In common with them, its members had to patiently endure the taunts of overwise civilians, as to the childishness of "playing soldier," belonging to the " floodwood " militia, and the like.

Their close application to drill under the direction of competent officers, soon gave them the reputation of being one of the best disciplined companies in the Northwest.

At the time of the first call for troops, in April, 1861, the roll of active members was smaller than it had ever been before. At their last street parade they turned out but little over thirty muskets.

Promptly on the first news of the call the company tendered its services to the Governor, and, after being recruited to the maximum, was assigned to the First Regiment of three-months men. The military history of its individual members is as follows :

Rpriment Infantry (three months). Henry Pellage, leader of Gen. Blunt s Band ; murdered W oTiantrell's Guerrillas. T. D. Kanouse, Musician Sixth Regiment Infantry. George W. Smith Private in Berdan's Sharpshooters. T. T. Richardson, Private in Berdan's Sharpshooters. A. C. Mills, Private Fortieth Regiment Infantry ^ , , ^ ,t -

The last meeting of the Governor's Guards as a militia company was held on the 20th of April 1861 ; then they enlisted, determined no longer to " play " soldier. It is doubtful whether any military organization in the United States of its age and numbers can show a bettei; record.

Bane County's Roll of Honor. - Among the citizen-soldiers of Dane County - those who volunteered to save the country when its existence was threatened - are the following :

Town Op Bukke

Twentieth Infantry - Co. A - Jerry Brandon, Stephen Glover. Co. B - Edgar Lewis, W. M. Small, Smith Pierce, A. S. Bush. Co. I - Anthony G. Cook.

Town Op Fitohbueg

Infantry unknown - Company unknown - Peter Nelter Koven, John Vanhoraen, Seth Bryan, F. A. Lueimman, Dudley Wyman, Daniel W ebster (Capt. and promoted Maj. Jan., 1865).

Town Op Tokk

The storm which swept over Central Iowa, Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, during the afternoon of May 23, 1878, was accompanied, in Wisconsin, by a tornado, which for extent and violence, surpassed any storm before recorded in the history of the State. The tornado struck the ground for the first time on the farm of Jefferson Rewey, near the south line of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 8, in the town of Mifflin, Iowa Co., Wis., carrying destruction and death in its track. Its course was northeasterly, sweeping along the north side of Mineral Point, the county seat of Iowa County ; thence in the same general direction, until it entered Dane County, with its southern border on the quarter-line between the north and south halves of Section 18, Town of Perry (Township 5 north. Range 6 east). On the southwest quarter of this section, L. Olson's barn was destroyed, and his house slightly moved on the foundation. One mile farther east, the log house of H. Hoibg was totally swept away. Mr. Hoibg, his wife and a large family of children were in the house at the time, and none of them were hurt. A short distance northeast of Hoibg's, Mrs. M. Daly and her daughter lived in a small log house. When the storm struck the house, Mrs. Daly told her daughter to hold the door closed. She endeavored to do so, and immediately she found herself lying upon the ground about twenty feet east of the house, the door with its casings attached lying, upon her. Of what occurred between the time of her taking hold of the door, and that of finding herself in the position above described, she has no definite knowledge. When the storm had passed, she was standing outside of the east wall of the house, which was then but two logs high, but could not tell how she got there. She was uninjured, although the logs had fallen all about her.

The parsonage of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of Perry, in the southeast corner of the northwest quarter of Section 18, was occupied by Mr. Jacobson. When the storm struck the house, Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson, and Charles Anderson were in a wood-house attached to the north side of the main building. This wood-house was torn to pieces, and the debris, with the three persons in it, carried south of west about ten rods. Anderson was killed, Mr. Jacobson severely, and Mrs. Jacobson slightly, injured. Abaut one-third of the east side of the roof of the house was carried away. The barn, a few rods to the northeast, was torn to pieces, the fragments being carried southwest.

A few rods west of the center of the northwest quarter of Section 17, stands a large stone church. The roof of this building slopes north and south. The windows upon the sides were broken inward. The ceiling, which was of wood, was lifted several feet toward the roof, and the west end of the north side of the roof was raised off the walls. The walls of the building were also injured to some extent. This church and the parsonage were near the north border of the storm.

About thirty rods east of south from the church, the stone house of G. Jenswald was unroofed and partially torn down. The debris was carried to the northeast, and the walls of the north end were injured m.uch more than the south. A girl, twelve years old, was buried in the »lling stones nearly to her shoulders, yet was scarcely hurt. One-fourth of a mile east of the /"""y * jl^use, occupied by Dr. McFarland, was destroyed. The house seems to have been I^OTed bodily to the southwest about fifty feet and then torn to pieces. A portion of the frag- ments were carried thirty-five rods farther southwest. Dr. McFarland, Andrew Olson and two other men were in the house at the time. Olson was killed ; his body was thrown about twenty rods nearly west of where the house stood. Dr. McFarland was slightly injured. B. Christianson was carried several rods southwest, but not seriously injured. The fourth man was unhurt. Three-fourths of a mile farther east the north limit of the storm crossed the point where Sections 8, 9, 16 and 17 join, and from this point its course was due east for three and one-half miles.

The house and outbuildings of T. Bower, forty rods south of the northwest corner of Section 16, were n6xt destroyed. These buildings were near the center of the storm's track, and were situated upon the east side and about twenty feet above a north-and-south valley, and at the mouth of a more shallow valley entering from the east. As the wind struck the house, it took it bodily from the foundation and immediately tore it to fragments, which were mostly c.arried up the valley directly east. Mrs. Bower and daughter were in the house at the time. Mrs. Bower was carried about 100 feet and thrown upon a large pile of stove wood, while the daughter was carried but a few feet, thrown upon the ground, where a portion of one side of the house, clapboards, studding and plastering, all intact, fell upon her. With the exception of a few bruises, neither was hurt. Great damage was done to standing timber, across Section 16, the larger and more valuable trees being nearly all broken off, torn up by the roots, or so badly twisted as to kill them.

Sixty rods south of the northwest corner of Section 15, the barn of A. Gobel was blown over to the northeast. This barn was a large, new and very strong one. The ruins looked as if the building had been destroyed by an irresistible crushing force moving from the southwest downward, and were but partially carried from the foundation. The tops of several haystacks, partially protected by standing timber, were here blown oiF to the north. Mr. Gobel's house, ten rods farther south, was untouched, it being without the limits of the storm. For a mile and a fourth east, the storm passed over timber again, coming out upon high rolling prairie upon Section 14. Sixty rods south of the center of the north line of this section, a small house, occupied by L. H. Lewis, was blown away. Mrs. Lewis was seriously injured. Near the northeast corner of the same section, an unoccupied house was destroyed. One-half mile farther east, the storm bent very slightly to the north, its course from this point being north 85° east.

In the northeast corner of Section 13, the barn and house of L. Bowar were unroofed, several rafters and flying boards from the barn passing through the walls of the house, which was southeast of the barn, the direction in which the debris was mostly thrown.

West of the barn is a valley running north and south, about fifty feet deep and one hundred yards wide. Near the west side of this valley, quite close to the bank, was a blacksmith-shop. - The side of the valley west of the shop is covered with a thick growth of timber-about forty feet in height, extending westward from the shop about twelve rods, entirely up on to the high land. The roof of this blacksmith-shop was lifted bodily, carried westward over these trees and dropped upon the high prairie twenty rods westward from its starting-point. It could have been carried to this point only by being raised nearly perpendicularly to the height of about one hundred feet before being carried westward, or by being carried north and upward more gradually, then westward when above the trees, and back to the southward again, thus describing in its course the arc of a circle. The shop stood about six rods south of the north limit of the tornado's path, which here was sixty-five rods wide.

The storm passed into the town of Primrose (Township 5 north. Range 7 east), on both sides of the line separating Sections 7 and 18. In the southwest corner of Section 18, the house and outbuildings of M. Obermbt were swept away. The house was torn to pieces and scattered to the south and southeast. Mr. Obermbt and seven children were in the house at the time, and were thrown into the yard with the flying fragments of the house. Qne boy, fifteen years oi age, was carried about fifteen rods nearly south into a ravine. Although the ground was so thickly strewn with the ruins as to be literally covered for one hundred yards to the south and southeast, no one of these eight persons was seriously injured. The farm wagon before the storm stood six rods east of the house. After the storm it was in ruins twelve rods west of the house. Fifty rods south of Obermbt's, where a granary was being built, a wagon loaded with lumber was broken to pieces. One wheel was carried one-fourth of a mile directly east, and another one and one-fourth miles in the same direction.

Nearly half a mile east of Obermbt's the house and outbuildings of J. Osmonson were destroyed. Mr. Osmonson, seeing that a severe storm was approaching, left the field where he was at work that he might not get wet. Becoming somewhat alarmed at the roaring, the continuous lightning and thunder, and the very threatening aspect of the sky, he waited at the stable only long enough to unharness one horse, hurried into the house and told his wife they must hasten to the cellar. A boy of fourteen years and a girl of eight got into the cellar, and Mrs. Osmonson with an infant three months old, was partly down when the house was taken bodily. At this time, Mr. Osmonson, with a child in each hand, aged respectively four and six, stood at the <!ellar door waiting for the mother and her babe to get fully down. Besides these, there was in the house a girl twelve years old. This girl was found thirty yards distant north of east, senseless, nearly buried in mud, with two severe scalp wounds, and her right arm broken three times between the shoulder and elbow. About four rods north of the house was the border of a large field of second-growth oak and poplar timber, from twenty to forty feet in height. The house was carried over the timber, with Mr. Osmonson and the two children, whom he still held firmly in his grasp. While in the air over this timber the house " went to pieces," the larger portion of it falling sixteen rods directly north of its starting-point. One portion of "the roof was twenty-five rods distant in a direction north thirty degrees west, and another portion sixty rods distant north twenty-five degrees east. The stove was mainly found seven rods directly north of the principal ruins of the house ; some parts, however, were carried several rods farther in the same direction.

Mr. Osmonson and the two children fell about twenty feet north of the main ruins of the house. Mr. Osmonson had his face scratched and one rib broken in falling through the top of a tree. The children were entirely unhurt; the youngest one did not even cry. Large hail was fajling at the time, and the children were laid under the ruins of the house while the father hastened to find the other members of the family. The children in the cellar were not hurt. Mrs. Osmonson was injured in the back, probably by something striking her as the house moved off. The stable in which the horses had been put was eight rods southwest of the house. One of the horses was blown into the cellar, and lay there upon his back when found, while the other was in the standing timber, twenty-two rods distant, north thirty-eight degrees east from the stable, with his hind feet resting upon the ground, while his fore feet were hanging upon a bentover sapling. The position of the horse, and the thick growth of timber, rendered it impossible for him to get there only by being carried above the tops of the trees and dropped down. He was umnjured. An iron pump, with forty-six feet of zinc pipe, was taken from a well, and carried north fifteen degrees west, a distance of fifteen rods. A lumber wagon was broken entirely to pieces. One wheel and an axle were carried north sixty-five degrees east, seventy-five rods ; while the larger proportion of the remainder went northeast sixteen rods. One wheel was entirely broken to pieces, and the tire left hanging on a tree ten feet from the ground. Ihis tire, one-half inch thick, one and a half inches wide, and very slightly worn, was broken twice in two, and bent in such a manner as to show that it had been acted upon by a force of great power.

Eighty rods northeast of Osmonson's stood a house belonging to Mrs. Ketchum. This house was on the south side of a hill. It was taken bodily from the foundation, up the hill north, and left in a little niche in the woods northwest from its starting-point fifteen rods. The lamily escaped by going to the cellar.

found, lay in a ravine about fifteen rods northeast of the house. The stove, and the larger part of the ruins of thfl house, were found near them. A barrel was carried directly east half a mile. Mrs. Byrge was injured to some extent. One man escaped by jumping into the cellar. Very nearly directly north from Byrge's, and one hundred rods distant, the barn, granary and hay-stacks of Mr. Hobbes, were blown down, the debris falling directly south. Between Byrge's and Hobbes' a marsh, some forty rods in width, fairly bristled with pieces of boards, timber and other debris that had come from the house on the south, and from the barn on the north.

Three- fourths of a mile further east, J. T. Chandler had upon one side of the road a house and three barns, and upon the other side stood a house and two barns belonging to R. B. Chandler. These buildings were utterly destroyed. It would be difficult to imagine a picture of greater desolation than was to be seen here after the storm. It was not over thirty rods from one extreme of this group of buildings to the other. The ruins were consequently strewn over a comparatively small space, and were correspondingly thick. The broken foundation walls, the debris of the buildings, fragments of tables, bedsteads, bureaus and chairs, shreds of bedding and clothing hanging upon bushes and trees, or lying upon the ground in a state which rendered it difficult to distinguish the garment from the mud, gave to the scene an indescribably saddening air of ruin and desolation.

The debris of these buildings was thrown east and northeast. One piece of timber, eight inches square and six feet long, was carried east one-fourth of a mile. The sills of one barn were twelve inches square. One of these was broken four times in two, and others twice. Very few whole timbers were left. The deed of J. T. Chandler's farm was found next day nearly ten miles distant, directly east. A portion of an organ from R. B. Chandler's house was found four and one-fourth miles directly north, while the boiler and some cooking utensils were carried east one mile. The family of J. T. Chandler escaped injury by going to the cellar. W. Osborne and family were living in R. B. Chandler's house. Mr. Osborne was slightly injured ; Mrs. Osborne had one leg broken twice, the knee of the other seriously injured, and was bruised all over by the hail. A daughter was so severely injured as not to be able to walk for three months. Seventeen pans of milk in the cellar were not disturbed by the storm.

One mile east of Mr. Chandler's, on the bank of Sugar River, R. Shepard's granary and log house were destroyed. The stove, a part of the furniture, and some of the logs of the house were blown into the river. A lady school-teacher, boarding at the house, was saved from the same fate by a log falling upon her and holding her down. Mrs. Shepard was somewhat hurt by falling hail. This house was on the northern border of the storm. One hundred rods directly south, upon the southern border, the house of 0. S. Olson was unroofed. Chandler's buildings were in the center of the tornado's path, which there was only eighty rods in width. It had consequently widened about twenty rods, and curved slightly to the south between Chandler's and Shepard's. Near the center of the southwest quarter of Section 12, a log house was blown down, and Mrs. Galena killed by falling timber. With the exception of the destruction of timber and the blowing down of fences, little damage was done for the next four and a half miles, where the buildings of A. F. Clark, on Section 10, in the town of Montrose (Township 5 north, Range 8 east), situated one-fourth mile south of the village of Paoli, were struck. Clark's house was a stone structure, 35x40, about five rods within the northern limit of the storm. The roof of the house - a square hipped roof - was taken off. The one-fourth portion of the roof sloping to the south, struck the ground twelve rods distant in a southwesterly direction, then took a circular course to the eastward, and was found fifty rods nearly south from the house, a little beyond the center of the storm's path, lodged among trees, against which it had been blown from the west. The course of this portion of the wreck was easily traced by the furrows made in a field of oats, which showed by their depth and extent the great force that was impelling it forward. The cupola was found thirty-five rods from the house, south by east. Other portions of the root were found three-fourths of a mile away, in a southeasterly direction. About one hundred bricks from a chimney were scattered over the area described by the course of the quarter of the root above given, and a line connecting the point where the fragment was found and the

Windows upon the east side of the house were broken inward by the storm. Some of those upon the north side were broken by flying debris. A young child was sleeping in its crib in a room having a north window. When found, after the storm, the window was shattered to fragments, and a limb of a poplar tree, three inches in diameter and six feet in length, was lying across the crib above the child. Trees, a few rods northwest of the house, were broken over to the south. Mr Clark's barn, fifteen rods southeast of the house, was carried away to the foundation stones. The debris was thrown southwest, south and southeast. One beam, nineteen feet long, 6x8, was carried fifteen rods south and four rods west. A buggy, taken from the barn, was carried fifteen rods southwest, and broken beyond the possibility of repair. A man, standing in the west barn door watching the storm, was carried directly west across the road five rods, and lodged in a small tree. A sitting turkey was almost entirely deplumed, and so injured, apparently without anything having struck her, that she died.

One-fourth of a mile east of Clark's, V. S. Parkhurst's granary was torn to pieces and his large frame house moved off its foundation. The northeast corner of the house was moved three - feet southeast, and the west end moved around this corner as a pivot, eight feet from the original position. Half a mile further on, the log house and cattle sheds of J. Berg were blown down, the logs being carried northeast. In the southwest corner of Section 1, the house of J^. Warner was torn to pieces, and everything above the foundation walls carried away. The debris was mostly carried southeast, some portions northeast, and onie timber from the foundation went north. One child was carried eight rods south of east ; when found, a carpet was wrapped around her and around a tree, and portions of the side of the house were resting against the tree. The carpet prevented the child from being blown away, while the tree prevented her from being crushed.

Warner's granary, fifteen rods northeast of the house, was moved eighteen inches southeast. This granary was upon the north border of the storm. Eighty rods southeast, near the southern border of the storm, the granary of R. W. Salisbury was carried off its foundation to the northeast. The barn of R. Taylor, sixty rods south of the northeast corner of Section 12, was partially destroyed. Taylor's house, situated further within the storm, was uninjured. The storm widened in the western part of the township of Oregon. Up to this point, the width has been quite uniformly from seventy to one hundred rods in width ; on Section 5, Oregon, it is fully one-half mile wide. The first damage of any importance in this township was a little east of the center of the south line of Section 6, where the dwelling of JM. McCarthy was demolished. The house was carried northeast and north. Mrs. McCarthy and eight children were in the house, all of whom were slightly injured, the mother quite seriously. She was thrown ten rods, directly north. One sill, 9x9, fifteen feet long, was carried eight rods north, and another of the same dimensions fifteen rods northeast. Many chickens were killed, but not deplumed. J. bavin's house, a little further east, was unroofed, and in the southwest corner of Section 5, the farm buildings of S. Cowdle were struck. One barn, 25x5-S, had its east end moved four feet north, the -west end one foot in the same direction. Another barn, 26xlG, had a wagon shed upon one side and a stable upon the other, each thirteen feet wide. The stable and wagon-shed were torn to pieces ; the barn was moved its length (twenty-six feet) to the north, and turned slightly to the northwest. A thick grove of timber stood close to the latter barn on both the south and the southwest sides, which must have furnished a great degree of protection, and without which doubtless all the buildings would have been totally destroyed. Some of the debris of the barns was carried half a mile, a little east of north.

have been at this point one-half a mile in width. Sixty rods east of Fleming's, another large barn, belonging to S. Cowdle, lost the south half and the west portion of the north half of its roof. The west end and a portion of the south side were blown in.

One hundred and fifty yards south of the center of Section 4, a barn belonging to 6. W. Montanye was unroofed, the debris being carried east, northeast and north. A little less than one-fourth of a mile directly, north of this barn, the house and barn of J. Pierce were destroyed. The first gust of wind that struck the house blew a door open. A grown son of Mr. Pierce started to close the door, when immediately he was taken out of the house and carried over two fences about thirty rods south of east. He was unable to tell how he got into the field. He remembered starting to shut the door, and was conscious of trying at two or three different times to regain his feet and an upright position, but further than that he seemed not to know what happened or how he was transported. When the storm had passed and he had regained his feet, the house and barn were gone. The house was moved off' its foundation to the east, then turned over to the north, and was literally torn to pieces. Mrs. Pierce was thrown upon the stove and held down so that she could not extricate herself. She died from her injuries two weeks later. Mr. Pierce was so badly injured that five months after he could scarcely walk with the assistance of crutches. The debris of both house and barn was mainly carried northeasterly. A pine plate of the barn, 9x10, thirty-six feet long, was carried eight rods directly north. One of the barn doors was taken northwest at least forty rods. The east-and-west fences on both the north and south lines of the farm were blown down. The south fence was carried north and the north fence south. At George Pierce's, forty rods further north, and on the north limit of the storm, a white oak tree about sixteen inches in diameter was blown over to the northwest. Two large limbs of another white oak were broken off and carried thirty paces to the northwest.

East of Pierce's, the log houses of H. Underwood and of J. Underwood were unroofed, and the bedding, clothing, etc., from the chambers, were carried away. On the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 3, the outbuildings of H. Palmer were destroyed. Of 600 biishels of grain in his granaries, but about thirty bushels were ever found. Cattle and pigs were carried from one field to another. A horse was carried eighty rods, striking two or three times in the distance, and when found a few minutes later, was feeding as quietly as though nothing had happened. One man had a leg broken, and one horse was killed. Mr. Palmer's house, situated about eight rods soutlT of his stables, and within the track of the storm, was not materially injured. The chimneys were blown down and the upper half of a window upon the south side of the house was carried outward, the curtain of which was found one^quarter of a mile away northeasterly, the direction in which most of the ruins was carried. Mr. Rice's house, fifteen rods southeast of Palmer's, was moved off its foundation, turned over and then torn in pieces. The joists were 2x8 inches. A section of joists and floor 12x15 was carried ninety rods east. A part of the flooring was found at the cemetery one and one-half miles distant north of east, while blue base-boards, similar to those in this house, were picked up near First Lake, eight miles distant north of east. ' Mr. and Mrs. Rice were on the piazza watching the storm, and were carried very unceremoniously five rods northeasterly, and left in a clump of bushes, covered with mud, but not injured. The entire contents of the house were destroyed. The storm entered Section 2, on the farm of J. C. Kiser, passing north of his buildings. Perhaps no better illustration of the terribleness and the mighty force of the storm was to be seen in the whole course, than upon Mr. Riser's premises. No adequate description can be given of the fury and destructive power, the effects of which were here visible. The storm's course was partly over a piece ot second-growth oak timber, and partly through a timber pasture which was bare of undergrowth, but in which the large timber was still standing. This timber was.torn up by the roots and broken in an indescribable manner. One green black oak, ten inches in diameter, was torn out by the roots and carried bodily twenty-five rods east. Another, two feet in diameter, was broken off an carried four rods southwest. Upon the very northern limit of the storm, an oak-tree two feet id diameter, was carried over to the west. Granite bowlders, a foot in diameter, were rolleiout o their beds. Scarcely a square foot of sward could be found upon which the soil had not been torn up by some flying fragment, while the whole surface of the ground looked as if a rapid current of water a foot in depth had swept over it, washing along its course straw, twigs, stubble, and other light material, and which, after the storm, were lying against trees and brush in such a way as to indicate the subsidence of a flood. As the storm emerged from the timber into open fields all fences were torn down, and posts left standing were coated with mud two inches thick, which although heavy rains had since fallen, still remained on them a week after. On- the farm of G. H. Fox next east, two horses were carried from an adjoining field, and thrown against the railroad embankment with such force as to kill them. The high board fence on both sides of the railroad was blown away, and the fragments scattered over fields for three-fouTths of a mile in an easterly direction. Straws were blown against the dry cedar telegraph posts with such force as; to cause them to penetrate the wood. At the cemetery, a little farther east, several monuments were blown over, and a large number were broken off by boards, rails and other flying fragments.

The north border of the tornado entered the town of Fitchburg (Township 6 north. Range 9 east), one and three-fourths miles west of the southeast corner of the town. The southern hmit entered the town but a few rods before reaching the east line. The only buildings struck in this town were those of E. Bement, situated seventy rods north of the southeast corner of Section 36. The house was partially unroofed, the barns and outbuildings destroyed, and many fine evergreens broken over and uprooted. Near the southwest corner of Section SO, town of Dunn (Township 6 north. Range 10 east), the house and stables of G. Geary were badly damaged, and Mr. Geary severely injured by a falling timber. From this point onward, the storm widen* put, and is much less severe in its effects, still, however, remaining most severe in its central portion.

Near the line between the towns of Fitchburg and Dunn, the storm makes quite a sharp bend in its course, going to the more northward than at any previous point. On the west line of Section 29, the house of J. A. Nesbitt was unroofed, his cattle-sheds blown down, and his orchard partially destroyed. Half a mile northeast of Nesbitt's, a log house was unroofed, and one-fourth of a mile farther east, J. Keeley's house was unroofed. The buildings of R. Henry, one.fourth mile west of the center of Section 22, were very near the middle of the storm's path, but were not injured, although several apple-trees were torn up by the roots. The next house within the path of the tornado was that of C. Thompson, on the southeast quarter of Section 14, was unroofed. The tobacco barn of R. Everson, eighty rods east of Thompson's, was demolished, and his granary moved southeast two feet. The standing timber across the Catfish River, north of Thompson's and Everson's, was quite badly twisted and torn, but no further injury was done in this township.

In the town of Pleasant Springs (Township 6 north, Range 11 east), the first house injured was that of J. Ingebretson, on Section 7, which was partially unroofed. Near the northeast corner of Section 8, the house of J. Melos lost a roof, and across the road east, on Section 9, w. Kittleson's tobacco shed was blown over and his barn unroofed. On the line between Sections 7 and 8, the greatest width of the storm was not over eighty rods, and the effects are not very severe. Near the center of the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 4, the house I A ^}'^^^^^^' ^"8 unroofed, his wind-mill broken, and his barn badly damaged. A portion of the debris was carried sixty rods in the line of the storm. On the western part of Section 3, the storm passed through a piece of standing timber. Passing down the east side of a hill, the timber was very badly prostrated, showing that at this point the storm was more severe than at any other place east of Geary's on the west side of the town of Dunn. When the storm had reached e east side of Section 3, it was only a severe wind, blowing down a few trees and scattering lenoes, and, after climbing Liberty Mound one-fourth the distance across Section2, left the earth anoth *V*^' P*"°f Section 32, in the town of Christiana (Township 6 north, Range 12 east), ner wind-storm moving in a direction north 75° east, struck the earth, blowing down trees and fences, but doing little damige for the first three miles. The wind seems to have been increasing in force during this time, and when it reached the house of C. Helleckson, sixty rods north of the center of Section 26, it had assumed the characteristics of a tornado. This house a small frame structure, was literally torn to pieces, the fragments being principally deposited from four to eight rods northeast. The stove was carried fifteen rods in the same direotioa, Oae window sash was carried twenty rods, east of north. Pictures were carried several miles nearly east, and a bed-quilt was found three-fourths of a mile distant north of east. The storm was thirty-five rods wide at this point, and was not severe enough to materially injure standincf timber. A's it crossed the valley of Koshkonong Creek, it widened and increased in violence. Across the southwest quarter of Section 24, the timber was badly twisted and torn for a width of seventy-five rods. The tornado entered Jefferson County, near the southwest corner of Section 19, in the town of Oakland ; swept around almost due east, crossing Rock River on the hne between Sections 26 and 27, in the town of Jefiersou, and dissipated itself in a marsh on Section 29, in the town of Hebron. An offishoot struck the earth to the northeast, doing some damage, but soon spending its force.

Some time before the tornado came to the ground, there had been brilliant lightning, accompanied by heavy, rolling thunder, both of which increased in frequency and severity until the storm struck the earth. Some carpenters working near said "there was a great boiling in the clouds in that direction, for a long time before the storm came." An intelligent Welshman, in describing it, said, " I allowed that we had the lightning right down here with us." Many saw clouds from the north come in contact with clouds from the south, producing the tornado. But this phenomenon was witnessed by observers along the entire line of the storm. I can account for this appearance only by supposing that the same whirling motion in the clouds was seen even before the storm struck the earth, which others farther east saw as the storm approached them.

The appearance of the storm-cloud while moving along over the surface of the earth, as given by different individuals, differs greatly. W. T. Henry, of Mineral Point, saw it when several miles distant, coming directly toward him, and described it as being much narrower at the base than above, or somewhat tunnel-shaped, composed of very dark, heavy-looking clouds. No other person spoke of its tunnel-shaped appearance. S. Terrell, of the town of Mineral Point, Iowa County, watched the storm as it was approaching his place, and described it as a column of black cloud reaching to the ground, shooting up and dpwn, and whirling in indescribable confusion, filled with leaves, hay, straw, limbs of trees, and other debris.

Mr. Osborne, of Primrose, described it as a low, black cloud with bands or strips of cloud hanging to its under surface, and coming to the ground. Mr. Rice, of Oregon, saw it commg half a mile distant. The south part of the upper side of the cloud looked like a blaze of fire, the north portion was dark. Near the ground it was dense and dark, and the whole mass appeared as if rolling to the north. The dark color and opacity of the cloud near the earth were, to a great extent, due to the sand and mud with which the air was filled. Pences were covered with mud, often several inches in thickness, which was packed on so firmly, that in some cases it was still to be seen, four months afterward. The eyes, skin, and wearing apparel of those exposed to the storm were filled with mud and sand, and the faces of the dead were frequently so masked with mud as to make them unrecognizable.

The appearance of the cloud was certainly very unusual, as is shown by the large number of persons who saw it approaching, and, fearing danger, sought places of safety for themselves and families. It has been a matter of surprise that so few who saw the storm, both of those who were in it and those who saw it passing by, could give an adequate description of it. Lightmng and thunder seem to have begun about an hour before the advent of the tornado, and to have grown more frequent and violent until its approach, when they were almost continuous. ,

Very little rain fell with the tornado. But soon after it had passed, variously estimated from five to thirty minutes, rain fell in torrents, continuing for an hour. The amount oi rain which fell directly in the line of the storm was recorded nowhere except at Milwaukee, where it was 1.13 inches. But as the wind, lightning and thunder were much less violent for forty miles before reaching Milwaukee, the storm, as a whole, was doubtless being dissipated throughout that distance, and the rainfall was consequently less than farther west. At Madison, nine miles north of the path of the storm where it crossed the cemetery in Oregon, 1.48 inches of rain fell from 4:10 to 6:45 P. M. Probably the amount in the vicinity of the storm was considerably greater. The appearance in the track of the tornado was that of a region which had been

In the ffestern part of its course, a few small-hail stones fell immediately after the tornado had passed. The size of the stones, as the storm passed eastward, gradually increased until, in the township of Primrose, they reached their maximum dimensions. I found no well-authenticated weight or measurement of these ha,il stones. The size was variously given as " the size of a man's fist," " as large as a goose-egg," '- as large as a good-sized apple, " "as large as a big snow-ball," etc. After the most careful inquiries, I have no doubt all the above statements are within the truth. The hail-stones were few in number, and diminished in size eastward from Primrose. Dr. G. H. Fox, of the village of Oregon, measured hail-stones in the township of Dunn that were four inches in circumference. All that he saw were somewhat pyramidal in form. They were everywhere described as being irregular in outline, with a rough, jagged surface, having upon the outside the appearance of frozen snow, within being transparent like ice. The hail was not confined to the track of the storm, but extended several miles both sides, some falling as far north as the city of Madison. The tornado was accompanied by a continuous roaring, which, by those near, was described as a " fearful, deafening roar." This noise was so loud as to be distinctly heard for some time before the approach of the storm. At "Madison the sound was like that of a train of cars passing over a covered bridge, and was distinctly heard for one-fourth of an hour. A man, painting in the house of N. B. Van Slyke, called the attention of the latter to it by saying, " It takes a long time for that train to pass over the bridge," and still afterward the noise was distinctly heard for several minutes.

This tornado was a whirlwind of unusual proportions, having its motion of revolution in a direction opposite to that of the sun, or from the east to the north, west, south, to the east again. This fact was very evident to one following its path even for a short distance, and it is believed the following observations will substantiate the point beyond question.

The opportunity for ascertaining the motion of the wind by the direction in which tiie trees were prostrated, was not relied upon to a great extent, on account of the peculiar nature of the timber, which, with one exception, to be mentioned later, was oak timber, much of it of " second growth," and consequently small, very tough, and the trees so close together that the wind could neither turn them over nor twist them off. However, in many^places there were clumps of black oaks, interspersed with poplar. In such places frequently nothing would be left standing, and the wind's motion could be well studied. No observations with a compass of the direction in which trees had fallen, and of the angles at which they had crossed each other, were taken. All the trees south of the axis of the tornado fell eastward. Most of them fell north of east, and tne angle to the north gradually increased from the southern limit of the storm northward, somewhat beyond the axis, where they generally lay north or nearly north. A few trees in the south nail of the path of the storm fell with their tops pointing south of east. These trees, when crossmg those pointing northeast, were invariably uppermost, showing that they were last in laliing. On the north side of the track, extending about two-fifths its width inward from the northern limit, there was much less uniformity in the direction in which these trees were prostrated than upon the south. Quite a large number of trees fell to the northwest, others directly west, a few to the southwest, and a still greater number to the southeast. The bodies of trees very ireqaently lay across each other, in this portion of the storm's track. The order in which they ery generally crossed each other is well illustrated by a group of three black oaks which fell on jj land ol J. S. Frary, near the east line of Section 3, town of Oregon. The angles are as af tl k"^'^^''* ^ "°"'*^ ^^ estimated by reference to a north-and-south fence near by. The tree tne bottom pointed north 45° west, the middle tree south 50° west, the upper tree south 40° east, the last two lying at right angles to each other. These trees were seventy paces south of the north boundary of the tornado. Throughout the whole course of the storm, within the limits mentioned, trees crossed each other in the same order. Beginning at the bottom with their tons to the north, and lying above as the tops lay more to the westward, around to the south and to the southeast, where they were uppermost. But few trees were prostrated directly west, and these were very near the north side of the track. On the northwest quarter of Section 2, Oregon an oak-tree, two feet in diameter, fell directly west. An apple-tree on the farm of R. Henry Section 22, Dunn, -was torn out by the roots and carried twenty-five rods, making a completerevolution, describing in its path an epicycloidal curve. On the east line of Section 4, Pleasant Springs, a wild black-cherry tree, eighteen inches in diameter, growing in the open field, was turned over by the roots, falling a little south of west.

On the land of B. Hake, Section 26, town of Jefi"erson, Jefiierson County, the tornado passed for sixty rods through a piece of timber, consisting of oak, elm, white ash, maple and basswood. Nearly every tree was thrown down for the entire width of the storm - sixty rods - and an excellent opportunity was here given to ascertain the direction of the wind within the tornado, by the direction in which the trees were prostrated. The same results were observable here as to the direction in which the timber fell, angle of crossing, etc., in different parts of the track, as were noticed on a smaller scale in other places, and which have been noted above.

Another proof that the storm was a whirlwind is found in the direction in which fences were thrown down.' North-and-south fences in the south two-thirds of the path were always thrown east. In the north one-third, they were generally thrown east, but frequently were thrown west. East-and-west fences, south of the center of the storm's track, were carried north. Near the north limit of the storm they were perhaps most frequently thrown north, but were very often prostrated to the south. On J. Underwood's premises. Section 3, town of Oregon, Dane County, nearly all of the fence which was prostrated near the north side of the storm was thrown south ; many of the boards were carried south twenty rods.

Debris, south of the center of the storm's path, was universally thrown northeast, east or southeast, usually north of east, the angle to the north increasing as the object stood farther from the south limit. Within the north one-third or two-fifths of the track, the direction in which the ruins were thrown was much less uniform. They were, perhaps, most generally carried southeast, but were frequently carried north, northwest, west, southwest and south: Particular attention is called to the cases in which debris was carried westward, and to those phenomena which show that the wind was blowing in a direction opposite to the progressive motion of the storm, the account of which has already been given.

On the farm of A. F. Clark, near Paoli. upon three acres of land lying near the north border of the stofm, the timber had been removed, and the brush piled for burning. These brush were entirely cleared off the piece by the storm, being carried directly to the west. At Perry Post Ofiice, the store of 0. B. Daley stood just without the north limit of the storm. The chimney of this store was blown off to the west. In the township of Oakland, Jefferson County, a son of E. A. Hart, while in the field, and near the north side of the track, was overtaken by the storm. The wind came upon him from the east with such force as to throw him prostrate upon the earth ; his hat was blown over his eyes, and he experienced the feeling that, had it not been for his hat, his eyes would have been torn from their sockets. Still another indication of the storm s rotatory motion was the fact that while there were very few well-authenticated instances of debris having been thrown south of the path of the storm, and no instance of fragments being thrown far to the south, a very large tract of country, in places fourteen miles wide, upon the north side ot the storm's path was thickly strewn with leaves, straw, cornstalks, laths, shingles, papers, fragments of clothing, and other light materials. The northern limit to which such debris was thrown is a line connecting Blue Mounds, Pine Bluff, Middleton Station, Mendota, passing three miles north of Sun Prairie Village to Waterloo, in Jefferson County. This would include an area in Dane County alone of over four hundred square miles. The only explanation known for this peculiar method of scattering fragments is the rotation of the storm in a direction oppo- site to that of the hands of a watch, while the wind without the tornado was blowing from a direction west-southwest, or nearly parallel with the track of . the tornado.

The fence on the west side of the cemetery, on Section 1, town of Oregon, Dane County, was of boards nailed on horizontally. In front of each post a board cap was nailed on perpendicularly over the horizontal boards. The mud was driven under these caps from the south, and filled the angles made by their south edges and the horizontal boards. Two weeks after this tornado, this mud was still there, although very heavy rains had fallen during the interval. In the corresponding angles upon the north side of the caps no mud was to be seen, although the entire front of the fence was badly spattered. There can be no doubt that the mud struck the fence from a southwesterly direction. The north side of this cemetery was very nearly in the center of the course of the storm.

There were three distinct storm-paths west of Rome, Jefferson County. It has been found impossible to trace any connection upon the surface of the earth between the different storms. The direction in which each was moving where the last evidences of it were visible, when taken in connection with the point where the next one began, and the direction of its forward motion, prove their being entirely separate.

It has often been noticed that the severity and destructive violence of tornadoes were much greater in some portions of their path than in others. This peculiarity was frequently observed in the storm under discussion. There were frequently places where a few trees were left standing, while all about them the timber was entirely blown down. Such a place may be seen where the tornado climbed the bluff southeast of James Spensley's furnace, near Mineral Point. There are two little islands of standing timber in the town of Primrose, east of Osmonson's, while all about them the timber is prostrated. The same peculiarity was noticed in regard to buildings. In the town of Mineral Point, Stephen Terrell's house was very near the center of the track, but was not injured, although his barn, fifteen rods west, was torn to fragments.

In the town of Oregon, the residence of H. Palmer was not injured, while his stables and granary, ten rods northeast of his house, were swept away, and Rice's house, across the road south, was entirely demolished. The escape of the granary and house of William Ward, in the town of Oakland, is another example of buildings remaining uninjured, while strong ones near, by were destroyed. In many places where there was continuous timber, there would be strips firom ten to thirty rods long, in a direction parallel to the axis of the storm, where nearly every tree wos prostrated, then an interval where little damage was done, and again another piece where all were down. Very frequently, these plats so completely prostrated were on ground descending to the east, or just at the bottom of such a slope. A very marked example of this character is to be seen near the west line of Section 3, in the town of Pleasant Springs, on the land of T. Kittleson. Tracts of interrupted violence frequently reached entirely across the track of the tornado, but they usually extended only partly across.

S.9(\ nnn '*j^l^' individual losses were those of Mr. Gillman and John Spensley, respectively farm ^"Ij^-^'*^^^' ^°^'^ '" the city of Mineral Point. The greatest loss reported by any Jeff ^^ ^^^ v^i^OO. This amount was given in two instances, one in Dane County and one in p.^^"'**"' '"^"y instances, the only damage done was in the destruction offences. In such cases, no account was taken of the loss.

Jefferso P ^ °^ ^'^^ ^^^ ^ follows : In Iowa County, twelve ; in Dane County, six ; in knnwn ." T^'7' ""^^ ' '"^ all, nineteen. How many afterward died of their iniuries is un- Known, probably the number was small.