Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-05-04
TERRIBLE CASUALTY IN l0WA.-DROWHlHG OF
SEVEN PERSONS.

From the Lansing CI5wa) Journal, April 10.
The floods in this part Of Iowa, in
strength, volume, and distructiveness,
which lately visited us, have never had
a parallel in the memory of any one.
The northeastern portion of our county
IS very rough and broken. Hills and
holloWs are on every hand the former
towering into respectable mountains, the
latter sinking into the bowels of the earth
two or three hundred feet, and this char
acteristic Is particularly marked along the
Iowa river and vicinity, for many miles
from its mouth
The rapid descent of the river in places
near the Mississippi, into which the Iowa
river empties, affords many valuable wa
ter powers, as we'll as do the smaller trib-
Utaries to the latter stream. On one of
these, Bear Greek, near the Iowa, is a
mill. or rather was, and near by. on ground
a trihe more elevated, but above all pre-
viOus high water marks stood a dwelling.
These were the property of John Nc
LaughIin, who occupied them They
stood IN large ravine at the confluence
Of two smaller ones. On Sunday even
ing, the 1st inst, the sky was overcast
with black and threatening clouds, and
angry flashes Of lightning darted in ev-
cry direction around the horizon and at 8
or 10 o'clock the food gates of heaven
were rent 9sundCF. apparently by the
fierce artillery which roared incessantly
on every hand, and the water descended
in torrents. The entire family perished in
that food under circumstances Of the
most heartrendiug nature As no one of
the seven souls lived to tell the horrid
tale Of their death, almost all we know is
from conjecture The family had retired,
The rushings of the water and terrible
noise of the thunder probably awakened
them, in time to find the mill battered
into fragments by the winds, the floating
ice, and the floods meeting above and
leaping In tremendous force Mr.. Nc
Laughiin, supposing the valley would
soon be submerged, including the house,
in his shirt and pants, and In his naked
feet, ran to the stable, harnessed his
horses, and hastily putting his family In
the wagon. started by the road to higher
around. Between his dwelling and the
bluff was a depression in the ground.
He probably reached this. when the cur
rent swept the horses, wagon. and the
precious load of human lives into the
surging food, among the floating trees
and cakes OF ice, leapIng and dashlng to-
wards the river, and there amidst the
merciless storm, terrified, bruised, and
bleeding, the thunder crashing in deafen-
ing peals overhead. the sky now a glare
Of dazzling brightness, and again a blank
of pitchy gloom, these seven souls were
forever freed from the agonies of a death
which embodies the whole meaning of
the word terrible.
The following are the names of the un-
fortunates John Mclaughlin, sr., age
40 years: Mrs McLaughlin 38; John,
il, I3; Sarah, II Bridget, 8 James, z,
Katie, 5.
The body of the father was found near
the horses, about mile and half from
the house; the horses lodged against
some trees close by. The bodies of Mrs
Mclaughlin and the two younger chill
dren had not been found at last accounts.
Each of those found presented a most
pitiful spectacle. Their bodies we're
bruised and mangled. and limbs broken ::
their sufferings must have been great.
Mr. Mclaughlin was wealthy and
respectable farmer, and his family bright
and interesting.
An examination of the house revealed
the fact that the water never reached
over one foot high in the first story Had
Mr. Mclaughlin remained he aud family
would yet be alive