The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-06-16

q ahorel riow 80 1rDly driven into tlet
that be could not pull i out. Meanwhil,
preparations are making for the funerals
tspeaai cersesroaaesee u the Fress and frisane
S-kxLsSc, Ill, june 8, 1850.
| We returned Yesterday from the late city
of Camanche. While there the sight ,ha,
met the eye vas pe,fecsiy horrible to iool
upon, and no pen Is adequate to the task oi
conveying the most faint idea Of the disas.
ltrous effects of the tornado, - il passed
over that place.
Horses and cattle are lying in every d.
rec.ion, killed from the elects Of the stern.
Ths buildings look as though they had all
been torn in small fragments, scattered
over the whole country, and feathers from
the bed clothes line the groand, and then
all had been over-sxept with rushing
waters.
We went into one building whcso we're
fifteen hodies, some mangled in the most
/ frightful raaaes, aad only wrapped up in a
sheet, and pet into rough bcx, ready for
burial.
DR.. Howell, Of Futon, informed us that
from Sunday evening 20 Monday noon he
had visited Eiasiy-eae wounded, and set
.s,eass-fhYee broken limbs.
IL We saw latkats. right dead bodies. and
there was eigh,y-two that require strict
medical attendance, and ~ many more that
arc more or less hurt, We, are able to be
around. In addition to this number twenty.
eight were Swept from a raft in the river
that was passing Mt the time. and tet, are
vet missing from the town, that are SUP
posed TO be buried In the ruins, or are blown
into the river and drowned.
With the exception of half dozen houses
on the north side Of the town, ererg single
bui,ding is either torn down, unroofed, or
otherwise damaged.
A worse sigh, no human eye ever behe,d,
and the heart grows sick in seeing such
destruction of life and property. The town
is entirely ruined, and We do not see how i,
can ever be rebuilt. There are whole blocks
thing but the cellar TO indicate that house
ever stood there. aH
Ont Of the contents Il three dry goods
stores not one cents worth OF the goods
have ever been found.
Tho tornado struck the town little past
seven O'Clock, and in less than ten minutes
the whole was in ruins. After it had passed,
the town was all afoat with water: all that
could, began to run from place to place
screaming at the top Of their voices, calling
for friends and FOR children. In every pile
Of rubbish, and from every demolished
house, the croans Of the dying and wounded
were heard, and as the sound came from
every part OF the town, no one knew where
to 90 first. The darkness oceasioned by the
black clouds, the air being filled with rub
bish Of every conceivable character, and the
near approach Of night, rendered the scene
still more appalling. and such vail Of la
mentation, sorrow, and woe never went up
from any place in the history Of tofnadoes,
as did from this ruined ard destroyed city.
Nothing could be found to bind up tho
wounds Of the suffering, no medicines were
to be got, and the wails Of the mother over
her dead children, the anguish of n wife
over the lifeless remains Of husband, tho
father over his slaughtered children, hunt
ing in vain for his wfe--all these are scenes
that cannot DO possibly described.
In one family ail that was left were three
little girls, the father and mother and TIVE
children having been instantly killed. We
saw where fence board had been forced
, clear through the side Of house, end ways.
and hundreds Of shingles had forced them.
oSifes SaV"A shiouSu tAe SiobpohuS Va u
house.
We visited the grave yard. aud saw
isccaiy-eighi graves side and side Nil dug /,
waiting to receive the rough boxes contain
ing the remains Of the slaug ghtered people.
The whole atmosphere aronnd the town is
sickening, and stencil is pervndipg the
whole path Of the storm that is almost i'm.
possible to endure. .s.. ...
The los, Of proportyis immense, and can
never be known TO its iull extent.
We have just learned that three Of the
men on.the raft have made their appearance.
They state that they we're blown from the
raft clear on to the Illinois shore beyond
Albany, and for long time were unable to
move or stir, but after recovering from the
shock succeeded in cr.wling to house
| where they were kindly cared for. They
know nothing OF the rest Of their comrades,
not having seen them since they were on the
raft together.
In this vicinity, near Sterling, the wounded
are dying almost every day, and every farm
house is hospital for tho dying and
wounded. .z-...
Yesterday public meeting was called,
and relief subscribed to the sufferers with a
liberality unparalleled. They appointed q
committee who are now doing all in their
power TO aid and relieve the sufferers.