Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-06-07

over portions OF lOWb anu AliihgA9 tiiS AAS''
destructive in loss of life and property that
has ever visited the Northwest. II says:
From the best information we have been
able TO collect thus far, the track Of the tor
nado extends from the heart Of Linn county,
Iowa, near Cedar Rapids the present termin-
us of the Chicago Iowa & Nebraska Railroad,
in generally northeast direction across Clin-
ton count, crossing the Mississippi at Canaan
che and Albany,-towns fronting each other
respectively on the Iowa and Illinois shores,
and thence maintaining its course towards
the centre Of the State across Whiteside into
Lee codnty, its latest ravages heard from up
to the present writing being near Lee Cen
tire. -.rla t.l
The entire distance thus traversed IS up
ward of one hundred miles, and that through
a populous and fertile farming region, dotted
with thriving towns, some Of which, as we
have below TO record, fell in the path Of the
destroyer. w
To trace the entire route, and set forth in.
detail the devastation that marks this
march of the fearful messenger Of ~, the
catalogue of lives lost of homes laid waste,
would fill q volume. .f r1..la #.t
The tornado seems to have had its origin
as above stated, in Linn county, about 60 miles
west of the Mississippi river, about nighthll,
its ravages being, as far as heard from, IN the
vicinity Of Cedar Rapids. Thence it passed
in a direction a little northeast, several times
crossing the line Of the Chicago, Iowa / Ne
braska ,roailroad. At Lisbon Station, sixty
four miles west of Clinton, the depot stTuc-
lures were demolished, and train of ten
freight cars standing on the track, were lifted
bodily from their trucks and dashed to pieces
Some of these were loaded with grainl
which was scattered broadcast for rods One
was loaded with lumber, which was carried
and dispersed many yards distant.
A correspondent writes US from Dewitt
Clinton County, twenty miles west Of the
river, as follows: .u.itha.
WAbout O'Clock terrific hurricane passed
one mile south Of this place, taking every
thing in its course. The first house blown
down was that Of VIM Smith, who lost his
Youngest child; then L. Lowery's house was
all blown away and three injured Henry
DWires do. family saved; E. g. Drake do,
family somewhat injured; Mr.. PearsOls house
gone, himself and wife badly injured, three
children and mother slightly; Mr.. Belts
house gone; Geo. Ames' house gone, son in
iured slightly; Mr.. Fuller's house and barn
gone, his wife and child badly injured Mr.
Wolrod, house gone. There were seven per-
sons in the house, and six of them were
killed; Mr.. Wallace, house, barn aud corn
cribs all gone; family safe; Mr.. Hatfelds
house and barn gone; himself and wife bad
ly injured; Mr.. Foster and family, consist
ing of four persons visiting with him, were
ali killed; five other persons about his house
were also killed Mr.. Burnetts house gone
his Oldest daughter somewhat hurt. This In
cludes the most of the damage for about sew
en- miles in its track, beyond which we have
but rumors of disastrous effect. The whirl-
wind seemed to commence about four miles
southwest of here and come direct for ouI
town. but as It was within mile Of here, II
v0ered to the east and left US just outside o.
= vortex, and increased in fury as it weni
east, making a dull but heavy roaring
Lerpe tees were twisted like pipe stems, and
cattle, horses and hOgs-in fact anything
that had life was killed or mangled. Some
of the wounded were carried from 80 to loo
rods from where the houses stood that they
| were in. As far as heard from there hav(
brought into town last night
At point seventeen miles west OF thl
river, the name of which we are not in pos
session Of, several houses were torn to piece
and from which scene man set of on Sun
day evening, riding post haste to the rive
town of Camanche, Clinton Co., for aid. HI
| reached II only tn find the tornado had pre-
tedeu MN and left the town in ruins. II L
at this point that the most appalling force o
the tornado was displayed.
| Camanche is a town of about fifteen hun
dred inhabitants, eight miles south of Clinton
| 1t occupies a level plain or plateau, elevated
about fifteen feet above the river. The tow
was built along and Immediately upon tn
brink of the Mississippi, and somewhat com
pactly for a western town, this being one 0
the comparatively older points, and founde'
in 1887. It had numerous substantial build
ings, and others in erection, and thre
churches q lttL
The tornado came upon Camanche abou
l7P.7M. An eye witness describes it in ap
4 pearance as resembling an baerted hay-eoek
its broad point sweeping the earth in its fear
full march, AS it came, peculiar moaning
sound struck the ear, heard even at some dis
tanoe on either side the track. q -
Almost without warning it struck the de
voted village, and in track about quartz
of a mile wide the tornado passed across th
the, very heart of the town. Human pen Q
| tongue utterly fails to describe the scene {
terror, Of mortal peril and agony that er
sued. ..l
The air, darkened by the black pail thf
trailed rs a minister of death frOW the heaN
ems, was filled with rushing torrents of rain
fragments of crushed and Shattered building
and cries, and shrieks, and prayers for he'll
All was over in less than three minutes, ant
where, ere that brief interval, had stood
thriving village, all was now terror, desolt
ton. ruin. Not single business building
the town remained standing. The larg
three story brick structure, the Millard Hous
built and kept by H. G. Sessions, formerl
of Erie, Pa, was totally destroyed, and rel
ldered a shapeless mass of rubbish. In tn
building quite number of persons WEI
killed, though how many had not been def
nitelv ascertained. Three stores beneath Il
hotel were destroyed with their contents
The three churches Of the town were d
stroyed. ...... AKA.
A noble brick structure, nearly CompletC
for business purposes, three stories high al
one hundred feet front by eighty feet dee
was also totally destroyed. Our couespOni
ent-H. Van Deventer, Esq, Of Clinton, wi
visited the scene on Sunday night, writes tn
. "scarcely house is left in an inhabitab
r condition in Camanche, and more than he
l the population are without a place of al
kind to lay their heads. They are entire
destitute, without food, shelter, or clothin
except what they. wore when they rush
from the falling buildings to save their lives
The entire length Of Front street was
3 scene of ruin. The dwelling of,A Mr.. Wa
e dorf was demolished and Mrs w. killed.
I severaD dwellings standing on the brink
y the river, were blown into the river and ths
q inmates drowned. A large raft was passil
: ct the time with twenty men on board The
n were all Carried into hestream and drown
. and the raft broken up. SManHestly am
/ such terrific violence and ruin, the loss
Of life must have been serious, and it was 30.
I. One account places the number killed at ov
: fifty. Up to a. m. yesterday morni
. I - = ~ l l. =