! Commencing at Springer's saloon, near the railroad track, on the Vinton road, we note its progress, as nearly correct as we can. The saloon building was blown down. A man of the name of Davis was seriously injured. Mrs. Springer had her leg broken. The Popernell building, occupied by the Farmers' Manufacturing Company, was completely unroofed and otherwise badly injured. A new two-story brick, the property of Mr. Fuley, nearly completed, was leveled to the ground. The dwelling of Mr. Carpenter, foreman of the Grain Growers' Foundry, was entirely destroyed. A two-story frame dwelling, being built by John Bryon, on contract, and nearly finished, was destroyed. The dwelling of I. B. Hinkley was completely unroofed. The back end wall of the old Clement House, on the river bank, was blown in. The roof of the twostory brick tenement below Benton street bridge was blown off; and the front wall of Mr. Narriner's business house was blown down. Commencing at the upper end of Commercial street, on the North Side, the kitchen of Brown's Hotel was demolished; the roof of Daniel's block entirely blown off; the greater portion of the City National Bank unroofed; the front of the frame building adjoining it, on Iowa avenue, blown in; the rear of Higley Brothers' hardware store unroofed, and the work shop blown down; goods much damaged by water; Camp's block, the second story of which was occupied by Thayer & Young, photographers, and the first floor by "Cy's. store," was unroofed; Wetzel & Hart's block was completely unroofed, and the rain poured down in torrents upon the dry goods store of Gillette Brothers; Churchill's block, adjoining, suffered a like damage. Across the street from Churchill's block, the two-story frame house of Ben Springer, occupied as a saloon and dwelling, was badly damaged-roof blown off and front of the building badly shattered. The roof and roof timbers of Wetzel & Hart's hall struck Springer's building, battering it down like a battering ram, knocking holes through the sides like solid shot. A bed in the front room up stairs was literally shattered to pieces, and the front of the building badly damaged throughout. Walker's livery stable, adjoining Springer's, was slightly damaged. Passing down Commercial street, the tornado demolished the old frame feed stable, near Park avenue, jumped over the intervening building to Soule & Miller's carriage manufactory, demolishing the rear end of the building, and, coming with full force upon Shaur & Dow's cracker factory, almost demolished the building, hurling the machinery down into the basement. This is the severest individual injury. Passing across the street, the tornado moved in an easterly direction, taking Ed. Green's lumber yard on its way, and smashing the piles of lumber to fragments. Next the butter and egg house of Marion & Co. was unroofed on the south side, and Wadsworth block, on Washington street, partially uncovered. Almost all of the chimneys on the south side of Park avenue were leveled and the trees in that vicinity blown over. The gas works were partially unroofed and otherwise injured. Leaping across from Washington street to Adams street, the tempest gathered renewed energy, spending its fury upon the houses between Brown and Carpenter streets. At the end of Adams street, the storm was probably the most severe, sweeping everything before it on each side of the street for a distance of one block or more. The residences (all frame and mostly one-story high, occupied by Bohemians), outbuildings, fences, shade trees, all suffered more or less; nothing, in fact, in that immediate vicinity escaped. Mr. Phil Gray's building, a two-story frame, was carried several feet and totally destroyed. Gray was away at the time, and his mother was sleeping up stairs. She was found lying in an adjacent yard, severely but not fatally injured. The contents of the house were almost a total loss. The building was carried against two large white-ash trees, breaking one of them to the ground. The kitchen portion of the house on the next lot north of the above was carried a distance of several hundred feet and mingled with the debris of the buildings on the opposite side of the street. The furniture was scattered over two or three adjoining lots. The house of James Braghock was almost entirely destroyed. The large frame building at Sinclair & Co.'s packing establishment, used as a cooper shop and storage rooms for barrels, was twisted out of shape and stands at an angle of about 45°. A portion of the roof from one of the buildings blown down nearly a block distant, fell upon the roof of this building, crushing in a portion of it. This building is about 28x200 feet in size, and is so badly damaged that it may be considered a total loss. The large two-story boarding house of William G. Walter, on the east side of Adams street, was entirely destroyed. There were eleven persons in the house at the time, none of whom were seriously injured. The two-story building belonging to Nathaniel Coultor, the upper portion of which was occupied by himself and family, and the lower part by Sinclair & Co.'s meat market, is almost, if not wholly destroyed, a part of the frame only remaining, and the whole removed several feet from the foundation. One of the chimneys fell through the ceiling, and came crashing upon a bed occupied by several children. Strange to say, not one of them was injured seriously. The house of Wesley Kudner was entirely demolished. The one-story house of G. A. Gates, on James street, was unroofed and partially destroyed. The family had several narrow escapes from death from flying timbers which penetrated the side of the house as though it had been paper. G The first four buildings north of James street, on Adams street, were entirely demolished. The first two were owned by Manzel Stalba, and the other two by Joseph Linsky. occupied by these and other families. They were The houses of Vantret Keopski, John Quillp and John Melsch were destroyed. two-story house of Jonas McCalley was unroofed. The houses of James Lynch and Frank Souka were almost entirely destroyed. Wesley Kurik had just completed a good-sized dwelling which is almost a total loss. The kitchen was blown against another building, a distance of twenty feet. The family of I. B. Hinkley, on the West Side, had a frightful experience. Mr. and Mrs. Hinkley were sleeping in the front room of the second story, and their little boy and hired girl in the rear room. Mr. Hinkley hearing the storm, arose, and finding the house shaking at a fearful rate, rushed to the back room for the boy and girl, and just succeeded in getting them out when the back wall and chimey fell upon the bed where the boy was sleeping. down stairs and into the house adjoining, when the entire front of the house blew out. They ran A piece of timber, thirty-two feet long and 10x12 inches, was blown down Commercial street a distance of 1,000 feet. The timber was blown from the roof of Wetzel & Hart's Hall. Two children on the West Side were carried quite a distance in the straw tick on which they were sleeping, and landed on the roof of a house. Two others were carried quite a distance in the same way, and landed safe and sound near the railroad track. Among the deeds of heroism is the following: John Melsch, a Bohemian, whose house on South Adams street was destroyed, while the storm was at its height, endeavored to hold the door shut; but when the roof went off, the door was torn from its hinge, and the debris began to fall thick and fast, he thought of his wife and children sleeping on a bed near by. Placing himself across the bed in such a way as to partly protect them from falling timbers, he patiently awaited the fate which he thought was sure to come-thus exhibiting his willingness to sacrifice his own life to save his family. None of them were seriously hurt, but the deed deserves to be mentioned. WAR HISTORY. A REVOLUTIONARY HERO. Nathan Brown, who settled in this county in May, 1839, and for whom Brown Township was named, was born at White Plains, New York, July 22, 1761. At the age of 14 years, he began to drill preparatory to entering the American army, and at the age of 16 years joined the forces in the field. The exigency of the times is shown by this fact. Mere boys were admitted to full duty as soldiers in the cause of liberty. The first battle in which Brown engaged was at Harlem Flats, and the second was fought on the present site of Greenwood Cemetery. He was wounded, but not seriously, in some of the many battles in which he participated. Seven brothers of the family served in the army, and young Brown himself enlisted under an uncle, who held a Captain's commission. Mr. Brown died at his farm home in this county November 25, 1842. There have also been several residents of this county who served in the war of 1812. T. J. McKean, whose record forms an important page later on, was the recruiting officer under whom men for service in the Mexican war were engaged. The party from this county consisted of T. J. McKean, William Hampton, "Democ" Woodbridge, George A. Gray, A. R. Sausman, Mr. Courtney and S. D. Thompson. They were assigned to Co. K, 15th Regulars, which was one of the regiments created under the "Ten Regiments Bill" of Congress. Company K was commanded by Capt. Guthrie, and was pushed on into service June, 1847, in advance of the remainder of the regiment. Before being joined by the regiment, the company was for a time assigned to the regiment of which Gen. Lee, of Confederate fame, was Major. A story is told of the irrepressible "Democ," which is so characteristic that it should be reproduced. The shade of profanity establishes its authenticity. One night, shortly after "Democ's "introduction to military life in the field, he was posted guard. One of his officers chanced to be beyond the lines. without the countersign. Stepping up to Woodbridge, he demanded admission. The sentry brought his musket to a charge and ordered the officer back. "Don't you know me, Woodbridge?" asked his superior. "In daytime I do," responded the soldier; "but after tattoo a sentinel ranks Jesus Christ. Corporal of the guard, arrest this man!" And the officer was duly put in custody of his subordinates. The men enlisted for during the war. Woodbridge went no further than Vera Cruz. There he was taken sick and sent back to New Orleans, where he died. Courtney and Hampton also died. Gray became unfitted for service, and was sent to New Orleans, where he was made hospital steward. McKean, Sausman and Thompson returned after twenty months of service in the army. The battles engaged in were Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec and the City of Mexico, into which city they marched with Gen. Scott. The skirmishes were innumerable. For five weeks, at one time, the men obtained no water but that for which they fought. At the present time, S. D. Thompson and George A. Gray are living in the county. Mr. Sausman is living in California. T. J. McKean is dead. The bravery of the Linn men is a matter of undisputed record, and many incidents of their life in camp might be given to show this fact. Gen. Thomas Jefferson McKean was the only man from Linn County to receive the commission of Brigadier General in the war of the rebellion. Gen. McKean's life was an unusually eventful one. He was born in Bradford County, Penn., in the year 1810. At 17 years of age he entered the Military Academy at West Point, and graduated with honors four years later. With the commission of Lieutenant he entered the service almost immediately after the completion of his studies, taking but a brief furlough for recreation. He was stationed at two or three different posts in Louisiana, and performed continuous duty for a term of years. He then resigned his commission and engaged in the profession of civil engineer, and followed that pursuit for some time. The military education he had received while a boy had left so strong an impression on his mind, that he was unable to resist the temptation of life in the field, and upon the breaking out of the Florida war McKean joined the volunteer army. He served until the close of that campaign, and again took up the work of surveying. In 1840, Mr. McKean removed from the South to Marion, and was living there when the Mexican war was declared. Again he stepped to the front with the tender of his services, and was accepted. He raised a squad of six menS. D. Thompson, A. R. Sausman, Mr. Courtney, George A. Gray, William Hampton and " Democ" Woodbridge, and joined Company K, Fifteenth Regulars, the only company sent out by Iowa in that war. McKean was appointed Sergeant Major. His military experience was recognized by his comrades, and his personal daring commanded the admiration of all men. He participated in the leading battles of that brief but bloody campaign. In one of the engagements he stood waiting for orders to charge the enemy. While in the face of danger, he coolly surveyed the field, and near him discovered a brilliant little flower growing in that terrible place, which was soon to be crimsoned with the blood of noble men. McKean allowed the impulse of the moment to overcome his soldierly habits, and stooped to pluck the blossom. As he lowered his head a shot from the Mexican battery whistled over him and buried itself in a column far to the rear of the ranks. The flower saved his life. The period of service in the Mexican war extended over a year and a half, and upon its completion, McKean returned to Marion. When the rebellion began, he was holding the office of Sheriff of the county. He resigned the place to accept a post as Paymaster in the Union army, and entered upon his duties early in 1861. At that time, West Pointers were eagerly sought after by the Government, and in spite of the rather advanced age of McKean, the Governor of the State, Samuel J. Kirkwood, promptly proposed his name for a Brigadier Generalship. In the Fall of 1861, he was commissioned, and later in the war, he commanded at the memorable intrenchment and defense of Corinth. The plan was his, and the two days' fight was under his direction. There is no doubt about the eminent ability of the General as a commander of such works. His best service was shown in the plans of forts and the retention of them. Had he been a |