NINETEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 541 



ance of the pendant cloud at Eldridge has been variously described as 

 resembling a funnel, a question mark and a column of nearly uniform 

 diameter. Most observers agree that where it approached the ground the 

 cloud viras greatly enlarged and intensely black, resembling smoke arising 

 from burning crude oil or asphaltum. With a progressive motion of about 

 50 or 60 miles per hour, the pendant cloud appeared to approach the towrn 

 of Eldridge in a rather leisurely manner and was deliberately viewed by 

 a considerable number of persons, some of whom were miles away on 

 either side of the track. As it reached -a group of buildings, the structures 

 were suddenly hidden from view, as if by a dense smoke screen, and 

 boards and other debris were to be seen a few moments later emerging 

 from the lighter portions of the cloud column at great elevations above 

 the ground. One careful observer stated that he and his grown daughter 

 had estimated the funnel or column to be about half a mile in length. The 

 noise of the oncoming tornado seemed to some like the roar of an 

 enormous conflagration, and to others like an approaching express train 

 moving at its highest speed, with an additional whistling sound like that 

 of escaping steam. 



Trees on the northern side of the storm track were found to be lying 

 towards the southwest and south; those on the southern side towards the 

 northeast, north and northwest, while in the middle of the path of greatest 

 destruction there was no regular arrangement of trees and other wreckage. 



The path of the tornado was about 600 feet wide and nearly eight miles 

 long, the greatest damage occurring within a strip about 450 yards in 

 width and about four miles in length, terminating at the northeast corner 

 of the town of Eldridge. At a farm about three miles northeast of Eldridge 

 the barn was unroofed and some other outbuildings were wrecked, after 

 which the pendant cloud gradually lifted and disappeared. 



Dwellings and all outbuildings on four farms to the southwest of Eldridge 

 were totally destroyed. On two other farms the outbuildings were wrecked 

 and the farm buildings badly damaged. Five houses and a small church 

 within the town were blown down, v.hile a number of other houses were dam- 

 aged to a considerable extent. The money value of the buildings, household 

 effects and farm implements destroyed in the country has been reliably 

 estimated at $36,200, and the amount of loss in the town has been placed 

 at $25,100. Considering the severity of the storm, the loss of live stock 

 was remarkably light and will hardly exceed $2,000. About a dozen head 

 of cattle, a team of horses, some hogs, and a considerable number of 

 suckling p'gs were killed or badly injured. The total amount of damage 

 has been placed, therefore, at $63,300. No com was up and the damage to 

 other crops were almost negligible, with the possible exception of fruit trees 

 which were in blossom at the time, but for which no estimate of loss can 

 be given. 



Eleven persons were injured more or less seriously, and eleven others 

 sustained such slight injuries as cuts, sprains, bruises, nervous shock, etc. 

 Mrs. John Priester, one of those injured died on May 14th, but all others 

 are expected to recover. 



Freakish performances were not missing m the case of the Eldridge 

 storm. A fully grown horse, said to weigh about 1500 pounds, was picked 

 up by the wind and carried a distance that has been reported as 250 feet. 



