The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-06-15
The Great Tornado in Iowa and
Illinois.
Fearful Destruction o. LAKE
and Property.


tails of the devastating tornado which pass |
ed over Southern Iowa and central Illinois,
on the evening Of the 81 inst. In violence
it seems to have been equal to the hurri
canes Of tho tropics. The Press d 7riJ- !
une Of yesterday says:
From the best information we have been
able to collect thus far, the track of the
tornado extends from the heart OF Linn
county, Iowa, near Cedar Rapids, the
present terminus Of the Chicago, Iowa u
Nebraska Railroad, in generally North
east direction across Clinton county, cross
ing the Mississippi at Camanche aud AL
banY-towns fronting each other respec-
lively on the Iowa and Illinois shores, and
thence maintaining its course towards the
centre Of the State, across Whiteside into
Lee county. its latest ravages heard from
up to present writing, being near Lea Cen
ire.
The entire distance thus traveTsed is up
wards of one bundred miles, aud that
through populous and fertile farming re-
gion. dotted with thriving towns, some of
which, "a we have below to record, fell in
the path of the destroyer.
70 trace the entire route, and set forth
/ in detail the devastation that marks tits
march of the fearful messenger of III, the
catalogue Of lives lost, Of homes laid waste,
would ell volume.
At Lisbon Station, sixty four miles west
eff Chicago, the depot structures were de
moIished and train Of ten frsig ht cars,
standing on the track, were litlei bodily
| from thsir trucks and dashed to pieces. -
Some OF these were loaded with grain,
which was scattered broadcast for rods
One was loaded with lumber, which was
carried and dispersed many rods distant.
The greatest loss of life and property
occurred at Camanche, Iowa, and Albany,
Illinois. The same account says:
Camanclo is town of about / 500 III
haJilants, eight miles south Of Clinton
It occupies level plain or plateau, eleyat-
ed about fifteen feet above the river. The
town was built along the Mississippi, and
somewhat coupaciIy for Western town,
this being one Of the comparatively older
points a0d founded in 1887. 1t had na-
a erous substantial buildings, and others IN
erection, aud three churches.
Tie tornado came upon Camanche
shout 7 o'clock 2. 81. An eye witness
describes it in appearance As resembling an
jagr'e{ dry cocb, its broad point sweeping
the earth III It's fearful march. As it came
a peculiar moaning sound struck the ear,
+. beard even at some distance Oh either SIDE
the track.
Almost without warning il struck the
devoted village, and in q track about 3
quarter Of mile wide, the tornado passed
across the very heart Of the town. Human
pen or tongue utterly fails to describe The
scene OF terror, Of mortal peril and agony
that ensued.
The air darhened By the black pail that
tralel as a minister Of death from the
heayeQs, was filed with rushing torrents
Of rain, fragments Of crushed and shattered
buildings, ard cries, shliehs and prayers
for Islp. Ali was over in less than three
minutes. and where, ere that brief interval
had stood thriving village, all was now
terror, desolatioD. ruin. Net a single
business building III me town remained
standing. The large three story brick
structure. the MjIlard House, bull: and
kept by II. g, Se-+,ans, formerly Of Erie,
Ia, was totally Destroyed, and rendered a
shapelcss mass Of rubbish. In this build
ing quite number Of persols were killed,
though how many had rot been definitely
= ascertained. Three stores beneath the
hotel had been destroyed with their con.
tents. The thTee churches Of tie town
we're Destroyed
\ noble brick structure nearly conplot
ed for business purposes, three stories
high, and one hundred feet front Is eighty
feet deep, was also totally Destroyed
One correspondent-J.V Van Deventer, ESQ.
Of Clinton, who visited the scene on Sun
day night, writes that "scarcely house
! is left in an inhabitabIe condition IN Cam
anchc, and more than half the population
are without place Of any kind to lay
th9jr heads. They are entirely destitute
without food, shelter or clothing, exccp
what they wore when they rushedfr tn,
falling buildings to save their lives"
TIE entire length of front street WAS {
scene Of ruin. Tie dwelling Of Mr.
Waldorf was demolished and Mrs. " kill
ed. Several dwellings, standing on thC
brink Of the river were blown into the riy
er and their inmates drowned. 4 large
: raft was passing at the time with twent,
: men on board. These we're all carried in
to the stream and drowned and the raf
, broken up. Manifestly amid such terrific
sjoIence AMI ruin, the loss Of life mus
have been serious, and it was so. One ar
: count places the number killed over fifty
G Up to 7 A. N. yesterday morning thirty
/, eight dead bodies had been recovered from
tile ruins and were being identified amid
t scene Of grief and anguish that surpasse
: description.
i The tornado struck Cananche abou
seven p. N, and passing across the rive
struck the opposite and smaller town c
p Albany in Whitosids County. This IN
about 500 Inhabitants, and is about th
same age as Camanche. A bluff, ? no
! very abrupt rise Of about fifty feet extend
= along at the rear of the business part 0
e the place As at Camanche the tornad
:, passed through the heart Of the village
leaving sct RELY house uninjured, and al
. terly demolishing many of them.
= -