Iowa
Old Press
Osage News
Osage, Mitchell County, Iowa
September 30, 1894
CYCLONE!
A Terrible Storm Brings Awful Destruction of Life. Five Killed In
Burr Oak. Reports from All Quarters.
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Many Localities About the County Visited by the Storm.
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Thrilling Stories Told by the Survivors. Relief Work.
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The Cyclone of 1894. What a terrible night. What a scene of
destruction! What a trail of death through northern Iowa and
southern Minnesota. We thought we knew something about
cyclones,but we didn’t. We heard of Comanche, saw pictures
of the wreck at Grinnell and read of the destruction at Pomeroy.
But they were so far away. Now it is right at our door. Amid the
roar of the storm there comes the moan of the bereaved and the
wail of those in distress. We have looked upon the scene of
desolation. We have seen the faces of the dead, heard the groans
of the suffering, and wept with our friends mid the ruins of
their desolated homes. No imagination about this. It is all too
real much too serious and entirely too near for safety or
comfort.
What a dreadful night! It was a Black Friday to so many people.
Its black shadow will hover over and about a great many homes,
and darken the path of many lives. The storm came as a thief in
the night. People had little or no warning. Who thought of a
cyclone the 21st day of September? Last Friday was a day of
ordinary kind, a little warm and sultry in the afternoon. It
looked like rain along towards night, but there was nothing to
indicate a storm. Except those at the entertainment in Music
Hall, most people had retired. It rained a little about nine
o’clock. Along about ten o’clock there came a heavy
rain storm from the southwest, accompanied by hail. The flashes
of lightning and rumble of thunder were almost continuous. There
was some wind, but not enough to cause serious alarm. About 10:00
the wind veered to the north and a torrent of hail came from that
direction, but leaving no damage except some broken glass.
Osage had an almost miraculous escape. Had the cyclone grappled
with this city it would have left noting but death and
destruction in its course. It was at the time of this second
storm that it dropped its writhing form on the people of Burr
Oak, as indicated by Mr. Herbert’s watch, which he wound at
one minute past ten.
The first place that received the shock was the farm of C. H.
Cotter, and occupied by Mr. C.Jensen. The large hay barns were
destroyed and the roof torn from the house. The next was Louis
Donner’s place, whose barn was crushed and the house
somewhat damaged, but no one seriously injured. The home of Phil
S. Herbert was the next to suffer. A large, new barn was nearly
all taken and the house completely demolished. Mr. Herbert and
three children were carried twenty rods north with the house,
which was all broken into kindling, yet only one of them was
killed. But his wife and little boy, Harry, were carried some
forty rods to the east and both of them lost their lives. The bed
spring on which Mrs. Herbert was sleeping was taken along with
the house, and lay but a short distance from Mr. Herbert.
Opposite, and a little farther on, the house of Mrs. Lonergan was
all taken and her life passed out with the storm. Her son, Dennis
and daughter, Kate, were injured but will recover. The house of
Wm. Perry suffered a like fate, with the others. Mr. and Mrs.
Whitney who are old people, Jacob Finley, a hired man and Mr.
Parry were badly bruised up, especially so was the last. Their
daughter, Annie Perry, was killed, while her mother and sister
escaped unhurt.
Miss Jensen’s Narrative.
The Family Sought Shelter in the Cellar and Escaped Unhurt.
Miss Celia Jensen, whose people occupy the C. H. Cotter farm,
gave this account of their experience. “We were up stairs
when the wind came. Brother Jake found that the wind was apt to
wreck things unless the doors were kept closed, and so stayed up
stairs for that purpose. Father, mother, Alfred and myself and
two men working here, sought protection in the cellar. Amidst the
terrible crashing and roaring we did not know that the house had
been wrecked so badly, though the rain soaked through the two
floors and was pouring in on us. A part of the upper story of
this higher part of the house was torn away, but the greatest
damage as you see was done to the other buildings on the farm.
Every one is flattened to the ground. Over there where that pile
of hay is, stood the big barn, one of the largest in the county.
It was 60 by 120 feet in size. There’s very little of it in
sight now. The two next largest barns, the walls of which are
partially standing, were 40 x 50 and 40 x 45, I think. The wind
mill and creamery stood between the two, and all are gone. None
of our farm animals, excepting nine hogs which smothered under
those large overturned stacks, were killed. We are very thankful
that our lives were spared.”
A Thrilling Story.
What Happened to Jacob Finley in the Space of a Few Seconds.
At the ruins of Mr. Perry’s home we had an interview with
Jacob Finley, a gentleman who was employed on the place and was
in the house at the time of the cyclone. He is somewhat bruised
up, but thankful that he still remains to tell his story. He said
“ We were all abed, but when the storm grew fiercer, I
stepped out of the room. As I did so, the cyclone struck the
house and I remember hearing a loud crash, and then finding
myself out in the storm, with the air filled with flying
missiles. I collected my senses and found Will Perry lying
insensible near me. He had received a bad wound in the head. Old
Mr. Whitney was sitting there near the cellar wall, but crawled
over to where his aged wife was. All but Annie were found when
Mr. Streeter came to help us. We found her lying here east of the
house, but she died soon after they took her to Streeter’s.
We took shelter under that piece of wall until we were able to be
cared for. It was a horrible night and I doubt if any of us could
stand a repetition.
A Broken Story
By Mr. Herbert, Who Lost His Wife and Two Children.
A News Reporter met Mr. Herbert for a few minutes on
Saturday mid the rain and desolation of a once happy home..
Though bowed down with grief and almost prostrated by the work of
that terrible night, he tried to give us a little of his own
experience.
“My wife and children had retired, two them in the room with
their mother, baby Ruth in her cab. I had taken off my coat and
shoes and sat down by the table in the sitting room to look over
my paper. I sat there looking over an account of the great forest
fires, but with no thought or fear of the danger that threatened
us. We had no warning. The first blast turned the house on its
side where it seemed to stop for an instant. Then came a crash,
and the next thing I knew I was at the crossroads twenty rods
north in the pelting rain and hail. I caught my fur coat that lay
near me and threw it over my head for protection. A flash of
lightning revealed the torn body of our little babe, which I
picked up and wrapped in a quilt. I started , I hardly knew
where, but seeing a light at Mr. Streeter’s, found my way
over the quarter-mile of wreckage. Just imagine my feelings. My
house was destroyed, my family all gone, as I thought, and that
dead baby -in-my arms-“ but here Mr. Herbert broke down and
we have but a broken story to give our readers.
A brief funeral service was conducted at the home of his
brother–in-law, Mr. Streeter, on Saturday afternoon by Rev.
E. J. Lockwood of the M. E. church of this city, and the remains
were taken to their old home in Illinois for burial. James
Weaverling accompanied Mr. Herbert on his sad journey.
A Terrible Experience
I. L. Streeter’s Work of Rescuing the injured and the Dying.
We interviewed Mr. I. L. Streeter at his home which though very
much wreaked, served as morgue and hospital for the dead and
wounded. “Come into the room”, said he, leading us into
a small bedroom, “and let me show you a sight. These
blood-stains on the mattress and those on the floor are from the
wounds of the dying and injured, and those on the bed soaked
through several quilts. My God, sir, you don’t know what we
have endured, you never willknow until you have passed through a
similar experience. Yes, I will tell you what I can recollect of
the terrible affair. It is a wonder to me that I am not
white-haired today after what passed that night. “You see,
my wife and I had just retired, and I think I must have fallen
asleep, I was awakened by my wife and the first thing I heard was
a terrible crashing and roaring. A large scantling was blown
through a south window, and the wind gushed in and the hail found
an entrance. Something struck the roof with great force and
knocked the chimney off. I clasped my wife in my arms as she
frantically cried amidst the increasing din. The house seemed to
have a twisting,rocking motion, and we expected to be carried
away. The wind continued with great force, but I managed to nail
up the broken windows downstairs. It was then that I found all
our out buildings leveled to the ground. I hurriedly commencing
dressing, and noticed it was just 10:30 o’clock, when there
came a rap at the door. It was opened and such a sight as met my
eyes!
Phil Herbert, my brother-in-law bare-headed, bare footed with a
fur coat on and all covered with mud stumbled in and cried as he
unfolded a bed quilt wrapped about the mutilated body of little
Ruth. “This is all that is left of me and my family!”.
“No one can picture the anguish in that man’s words and
face. It was a terrible moment. I tried to brace him up. We found
some shoes and a cap for him. We padded our caps so the hail
would not hurt our heads, as he had suffered much in coming over
the quarter mile in that half crazed condition. We left the child
and started out into the storm. Our lantern did not avail much
against the strong wind, but the incessant lighting assisted in
helping us over the fallen trees and wrecks which strew the road
and pastures. While hurrying along, we heard loud calls for help
at the Whitney farm and stopped for a moment to assist them if
possible. There we found old Mr.and Mrs. Clark Whitney, Jacob
Finley and the Perry family cuddled under the shelter of a piece
of wall. Their house had been completely demolished and the
occupants scattered among the ruins. Some of them were seriously
injured, but all had been found except Annie, who was killed. We
gathered up a few quilts for these people who were shivering in
their scanty night clothes soaked with the cold rain. We then
hastened on towards Phil’s, but were stopped again by loud
shrieks coming from Lonergan’s barn. The lightning revealed
the horrible fact that everything was swept away except the barn,
in which we found Dennis Lonergan and his sister Kate, the latter
crazy from a blow received on her head. I calmed them down as
best I could and charged Dennis to keep her in out of the wet,
while we rushed to Herbert’s.
“At the corner a bright flash of light revealed two of his
children, Willie, aged two and Louise aged four, lying in the
ditch, the former being half buried in water, but both of them
alive. We picked them up and started for Lewis Donner’s
where there seemed to be a light. The hail had beaten upon their
tender little bodies and they cried with pain. Just as we started
we met Mr. Donner who told us not to go on to his house as it was
also terribly wrenched and they themselves were seeking shelter.
I asked if his family were safe and he said yes. Then we took the
children to my house, but Herbert stayed to look for his wife,
whom he rightly supposed had been killed. We stopped at
Perry’s on our way back, and got old Mr. and Mrs. Whitney
aged seventy-four and seventy-six pectively. You can’t
imagine what it was to get them through the debris of trees and
fences, though they encouraged and strengthened each other all
the while; their bare feet were badly lacerated and they were
terribly chilled after lying in the rain and cold for about an
hour. Lewis Donner was left to care for them while I returned to
lend assistance to the others. I found poor Annie Perry and
picked her up in my arms and carried her to my house. My God,
sir, can you know a man’s feelings who is carrying a dying
human being in his arms, at such a time, the warm blood streaming
down his back and through his fingers! She was gasping for
breath, and died soon after I reached the house. She had received
a terrible blow on the head which crushed the lower part of the
skull. W. O. Perry, her father had received a similar blow, but
not so severe, so that we steadied him, Mrs. Perry and I, till he
reached my house, where he was put to bed and cared for the best
we could. Mrs. Perry and their daughter Grace came through
without injury.
“By this time the strain was beginning to tell on me. But I
could not give up. I had been spared and must render what service
I could. Again I started out to find Herbert. I had no lantern
and the water was very deep. I shouted to him several times but
received no answer. The wind still blew very strong, and the hail
and rain beat down upon me. While groping about in the darkness I
fell over some hazel brush and struck flat on my face. As I did
so my cheek came in contact with something soft and clammy.
Immediately a flash of lightning revealed the body of Harry
Herbert, Phil’s seven year-old boy. But, say sir; you
can’t tell that so the readers of The News will understand
the horror I felt at that moment, I was nearly frantic. Where was
Phil? I could imagine he had found his dead wife and had swooned
there beside her. Blind and almost insensible I left the awful
sight and started towards Lonergan’s barn. Dennis and Katie
were still there and almost frozen. It was just past idnight. I
told them we would go to my house.
Dennis was so frightened that it was necessary to speak harshly
to him to convince him it was essential to go. Katie was still
raving and nothing like reason would get her to come out. But it
was necessary so I continued to work with them. Katie was dressed
in a thin night gown which had been badly riddled and I knew it
would not do to leave either in their condition. After much
argument they were induced to come out and try to get to our
house which was about a quarter mile away. The water came nearly
to our knees. Katie wandered on ahead but I was frequently
obliged to carry her and push her along. Poor Dennis came back of
us, and how he managed to get along so well is more than I can
tell. But by crawling, limping and assistance we made the trip,
though all were more or less cut and bruised and I was now
completely exhausted. Right here let me say that if anyone has
true grit, that Katie is well supplied. “ I shuddered at the
thought of starting out again, I could not stand any more. I knew
that Harry was dead and thought the rest of Phil’s family
were. By this time Ben Kersting, whose house stood over there,
had gotten his wife and children over to my house having seen the
light in the windows. During this time my wife had been busy
helping the injured and clothing the naked.
I tried to convince myself that I must go out there again, but I
could not go alone. In some way I did get up to Donner’s a
half mile east where I got John, Fred and George Donner, to help
in rescuing the injured and finding the dead. While Fred and
George went down into the field, where they saw a number of
lanterns, Phil had gone up to John Runkle’s and Willard
Laughlins and secured help. I told John to go to Osage after a
doctor. We got him a horse and gave him a hammer to tear away the
wire fences across the roads. It was then probably 12:30 or 1
o’clock. I dragged myself to the house, wet, cold and
completely prostrated. I got into the house and found the floor
of this room covered with the wounded who were moaning and asking
for help in their pain and distress. There was just room to walk
by stepping over them.
They had by now found Mrs Herbert in the hog pasture a long
distance from the house, and brought her here, but there was no
room left so the body and that of the little boy was placed in
the barn where George Donner was alone with them for two hours;
after that Mr. Catherman kept him company. The remains of Mrs.
Lonergan had been taken to Mr. Laughlin’s. All was
confusion. It was probably 3:30 or 4 o’clock when Dr. Barret
arrived from Osage. Now came another series of horrors. As none
of the others could stand the sight, I held the lamp while the
Dr. did his work. The sight I can assure you was sickening in the
extreme, especially to one in my condition. Three men were
required to control Mr. Perry while his wounds were being
dressed.
“ Here in my house and barn lay four dead bodies, three
closely related, while on the floor were ten more sick and
suffering. Before daylight the neighbors came to lend assistance.
“For several hours my mind was a blank. I remember nothing
that happened after that. It was a terrible, terrible night. No
human being can picture the awfulness of such a night. No man can
live again even in memory all that we endured. It cuts me to the
heart, and I would not tell the story to you were I not anxious
to have it published just as it really was. I wonder that I am
not gray haired today. I never want to see the like again."
DEMOLITION AT LONERGAN’S
How the Twister Attacked the House and Its Three Occupants.
As both the surviving occupants of the Lonergan residence are
suffering on beds of sickness, we have been unable to secure
direct information respecting the action of the cyclones at that
point. Frank Laughlin, however gave this information, the
correctness of which has been vouched for by others. The house
was occupied by old Mrs. Lonergan, her son, Dennis and daughter
Katie. When they felt that danger surrounded them, Dennis arose
and made an effort to open the cellar door. When the wind came
the door flew open with such force that he was knocked down. The
house was demolished and scattered in all directions. When Dennis
came to himself he found himself and sister near the barn, where
they cried for assistance. Katie had received such an injury as
left her in a crazed condition, which made matters still worse.
Finally Mr. Streeter and Mr. Herbert, while seeking the injured
and killed came to their rescue and they were soon taken to Mr.
Streeter’s home. They body of Mrs. Lonergan was found by
Louis Donner in the grove near the house, under the trunk of a
fallen tree. Though nearly every bone in her body was broken, she
was still alive when found, but expired in a short time. With the
assistance of Willard Laughlin and John Runkle, Mr. Donner
carried her body to the home of Mr. Laughlin, from which it was
taken to the home of her son, Mr. Frank Lonergan, four miles east
of Osage. Miss Mamie Lonergan, an elder sister, had come to town
that evening to attend an entertainment, and did not know
anything of the disaster till they reached home about midnight.
HOW ST. ANSGAR FARED.
Big Bridge Gone and Some of the Farmers Suffered Heavy Losses.
The storm was very severe in the vicinity of St. Ansgar, and did
much damage to property a couple of miles northeast of the town.
No lives were lost, though several narrow escapes are reported.
The large bridge across the Cedar at Newburg was destroyed by the
storm. The heaviest losers are Andrew Tollefson, T. M. Tollefson
and H. A. Groth. At the farm of Andrew Tollefson the big
whirlwind ruined the house, barn and some of the other buildings
about the place. The family were at home at the time, but were
fortunate enough to escape with but a few flesh wounds. An
unoccupied house owned by T. M. Tollefson, together with the barn
was wrecked. Some household goods in the old house were
destroyed. The loss is in the neighborhood of $1,500. H. A. Groth
was another heavy loser. We are informed that all his buildings
were blown to atoms. No one was seriously hurt, though Mr. Groth
suffered some painful injuries. From that point the cyclone
seemed to lift itself and again continue its terrible work of
destruction in Union township still father north.
Since the foregoing was put in type we have received the
following from our regular correspondent, who made a careful
personal inspection of the devastated district.
We hardly know where to begin or leave off when our thoughts turn
to the terrible storm which swept so near that it seemed
providential we have escaped. We will cross the river at the new
St.Ansgar bridge and go upon the west side, getting no view of
the many demolished building, windmills, etc. on the prairie
west, but follow the river road for a distance, where we see the
great oaks standing with broken splintered trunks or piled up as
though some mammoth stump puller had been at work. When we get to
Newburg we find boards, shingles, etc. in the road and begin to
look around as we come out of the woods. On the westside of the
river the damage is not so noticeable, except fences, sheds and
windmills from L. G. McKinley;s. But now we will cross to the
east side. But where is the bridge? Do you see that pile of iron
and wood showing above the water: Two horses are in the wreck
too. When the storm came Mr. McKinley’s herd of horses
stampeded across the bridge and the last two were too late. We
will ford and take the Middleburg path to the northeast. As we go
through the woods we are impressed with the increasing violence
of the storm, shown by the greater destruction of trees. We reach
the home of T. M. Tollefson, facing the Illinois Central railroad
north of town about a mile, and find the fields strewn with
evidences that the king of storms has been here. The fine farm
home so well kept scarcely looks natural. The outbuildings are
destroyed; the barn nearly so as it stands unroofed, shaken with
one side gone. Following the storm for a couple of miles past the
corn fields swept bare and broken railroad fences we come to
where Mrs. Andrew Tollefson’s beautiful home had stood.
Home! Now nothing to be seen but piles upon piles of debris.
Everything, even the pump is gone. Mr. Tollefson’s wife and
children were just in the cellar and Mr. T. going down when the
house went and threw him into the cellar. The next moment, they
were homeless. He had just built a fine house. His loss is about
$3,500, as rough money estimates go. A short distance east is the
pile marking the spot which Mr. H. A. Groth called his home. They
started for the cellar on hearing the storm, but were too late.
Mrs. Groth received some flesh wounds, but will recover nicely.
Mr. G. and the child were not hurt. His buildings were also good
and new. A small granary only is left standing here. Just north
is Theodore Tollefson’s place where some out buildings were
taken, but the house left.
DISASTER AT STACYVILLE.
Buildings Blown To Atoms-Heavy Loss to Several Farmers.
A brief account of the damage near Stacyville has been given us
as follows:
The first place to be attacked was the farm of David Rogers,
three and one half miles west of the town, where all the
buildings except the house and one badly demolished barn were
swept away. John A Daub’s windmill was torn from the tower
and carried some distance and his machine shed moved a foot or so
and grain stacks blown off considerably. About a half mile east
of there it tore a kitchen off of the house of Mr. Wogen on the
Hill Rogers place and leveled the barn. C. L. Gibeaut was the
next sufferer. His unoccupied house was demolished, part of the
barn carried off and his windmill blown down. R.
Schoonover’s house was wrecked and his windmill destroyed.
D. M. Nicol’s windmill and outbuildings were scattered b the
wind and some of his live stock injured. J. R. Reynold’s
came next in order. losing his windmill, and a number of
buildings. Philip Blake’s place, occupied by his son, Frank,
was badly smashed up. The house was tipped over and wrecked, the
barn left in a dilapidated condition, and the windmill blown to
the ground. A long shed on this farm used for storing machinery
was blown about a mile, pieces of it being found in the Little
Cedar River. John Springman suffered the loss of his barn, grain
and other property. The worst of the attack seemed to be over on
reaching this point, but the following named gentleman lost their
windmills and other property: John Steiner, J. P. Miller, Joseph
Wagner and Hubbard Hackmiller. Fortunately no serious injuries
were sustained. It is reported that a box containing notes,
papers, etc. from Algona was found by Peter Wolf on his place the
next morning after the storm.
AMONGST THE FLYING DEBRIS.
Benjamin Kersting’s Awful Story of the Cyclone’s
Fury-Miraculous Escape.
The News man found Benjamin Kersting seated on a pile of
splintered boards which was once a part of his barn. His house
had been swept away entirely. His face was almost covered with
bandages, as he received many deep gashes about the head, ears
and face. He told us his experience as follows: “We had all
retired, but I had not fallen asleep when the wind struck us. I
can’t describe the sensation. We seemed to be thrown about
among flying debris. I landed over there about four rods from the
house. The four of us, my wife, the two children, Mary,Louis and
I, managed to find each other, though we were of course badly
frightened. We happened to find some quilts which we wrapped
about our bodies to protect us from the pelting hail. When the
worst of the storm seemed to be over we found our way over to
Streeter’s where we were taken care of. Our wounds are not
considered serious, only bad flesh bruises. Yes, I had my
buildings insured. I don’t think I lost any stock. Say, that
sow with eleven pigs was in the pen over there, and all but four
of the little fellows, less than a day old, came out alive. They
tell me that a team was found tied to a piece of the barn which
was blown over near the fence ten rods east of where the barn
stood. I had my dog tied in that shed and he came out of it
alive. Yes, were are very thankful that we fared as well as we
did.”
LONG LIST OF HORRORS.
Destruction in Douglas Township Strange Freaks of the Wind.
After doing the damage in Burr Oak spoken of elsewhere, the storm
lifted for about two miles where it dropped again on this side of
the Little Cedar on the farm of Samuel A. Smith where it tore off
one gable of the house, moved it from its foundation and rent the
barn to pieces. T. A. Black and his family who occupied the house
were not injured. It did not strike again seriously until it
reached James McCarty;s where it took the roof off the house and
moved it from the foundation. It crossed the road, blew the
windmill down, crushed the barn and carried seventeen hogs across
the creek and planted them on the bluff some forty rods away.
Needless to mention that they will not consume any of our high
priced corn the coming winter. Of a wagon near the barn, it took
the box north and the running gear southeast across the bluffs
with the hogs tearing one hub entirely loose from the rest of it.
At the home of Jay Schultheis there stood a burr-oak tree two
feet in diameter within two rods of the house, which the storm
picked up by the roots and carried it two or three rods away and
dropped to the ground but the wind didn’t so much as shake
the house. About a half mile east of McCarthy’s it crushed
the house and barn of James McCann all to pieces. Upstairs was
Will Stanton, who found himself lying in a cornfield some seventy
rods away with the hail pelting him in a lively manner. He found
a piece of board which he held over his head to protect it, and
made his way back to the house. Mr. and Mrs McCann who are
elderly people were both badly bruised and one of Mr
McCann’s legs was broken. A little farther on it took the
roof off Robert Murphy’s barn and blew one of the plates of
the barn through the upper part of the house.
A tenant house on Murphy’s farm, occupied by Corney
O’Brien was entirely demolished but no one was hurt. One of
the Kruger’s was building a large house and barn but they
were left a total wreck. At Duanie Hamilton’s all their
buildings ----- to the ground. Crossing the Wapsie into Howard
county it make kindling of the hay barns belonging to William and
Jerry Cushmon. At Lowther, on the Great Western road south of
Riceville, the warehouse was blown to pieces.
A store picked up bodily carried about 100 feet and let down
without hurting three men who were in it. The school house went
on an excursion and no word of its whereabouts had been received
at last account.
Farther on it struck the home of Philip Andres, destroying his
property and killing his mother.
A Mr. Timmerman’s home was injured and his wife seriously
hurt.
--
Mr. Phil S. Herbert returned yesterday afternoon from Belvidere,
Illinois, where he buried his wife and children. He bears up
bravely under the dreadful loss he has suffered. In conversation
with him and Mr. Streeter they have stated that so far as they
know or have any thought at this time they will remain right
where they are and rebuild their ruined homes.
Among the victims of the storm at Spring Valley were Mr. and Mrs.
Harper, parents of Robert Harper, of Osage. He and his wife, who
went up there Sunday, found them cared for in a temporary
hospital, their own home being totally destroyed.
The funeral of Maude second child of Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Fluent of
Otranto Station was held at the house Saturday last at 10
o’clock. The body was taken to Floyd cemetery for burial.
Rev. A. K. Beem conducted the services.
---
We had the pleasure Tuesday evening of listening to a lecture on
Honolulu and the Hawaiian Islands, by Mr. Julian D. Hayne, an
attorney from New York City, who has spent most of his time for
twenty years in that country. He spoke in flattering terms of the
native people. They are not cannibals, nor savages, as some
suppose, but a very quiet, courteous, inoffensive people. Mr.
Hayne lunched with the queen just before leaving there, and
represents her was very much of a lady, cultured and refined,
instead of being the dissolute character most people here think
her to be. He carries with him a cabinet photograph with her
autograph on the back. The natives have declined from 400,000 in
1778, when the islands were discovered by
[transcribed by M.O., December 2005]