Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-04-01
tn E STCR N.

We copy from the Fort Dodge North
Vest, the following fearful record Of the
horrors of the late storm in Northwestern
Iowa:
The terrific storm which came down so
suddenly upon us on Monday afternoon the
l4th, lasting until Thursday, has left its rec
ord of death around rs. No such storm has
ever before visited Northwestern Iowa so
late in the season, and none were expecting
such visitation.
THE FIRST vIcT1M.
james H.iney, an Irishman about IS
years of age, was employed by the ID. M.
Y. r. r. Co. 10 attend the Water tank, sew.
en- miles south of Resho. On Tuesday morn
ing, he and Mr.. CRIBS, who keeps the
boarding car near by, went over to the tank,
about forty rods distant. The storp' was at
its height, the wind bowling down with ter
rifle fury from the Northwest, shaking build
ings to their foundations, and driving the
snow with such binding fury that no one
could see an object three feet before him.
Mr.. Cribs upon starting to return to the
car, requested Hainey to bring keg of coal
when he came. When Mr.. Cribs left the
tank Hainey said he would come over in fl
teen minutes. Mr.. Cribs found the storm
so terrific as he faced it, that the railroad
track was entirely covered up beneath the
huge drifts, and there was nothing to guide
him to the car, which was as completely
hidden from him as though total darkness
had prevailed. After wandering about for
some time, he fortunately came upon the
Car. Waiting half an hour for Haney, he
did not come, and great uneasiness was felt
tor his safety, so much that two men start
ed back to look for him. They reached the
tank, and found that he had left with the
coal and was no where to be seen. 1t was
impossible 10 look farther for him until the
storm abated. The next day they found
him lying half mile east of the car, where
he had wandered about lost, frozen as solid
as a mass of ice. His cap was gone, and
he had wrapped his gu,h coat around his
head and apparently travelled on in vain
search for the car until he persisted. The
keg Of coal was found within tuo rods of the
car, showing that he had almost reached
shelter, when it is supposed that his cap
blew off, and. setting the kes down to
find it, he got bewildere1 in the search, lost
his direction and soon met his fate in the
binding storm.
FOUR MORE PERISH.
On Monday four men started from Car
roll City for their home five miles distant.
They were Mr.. Horn, his brother-in-law,
and two brothers named Bruner. Two of
them were young men and all dwelt under
the roof of Mr.. Horn. They left Carroll
City in four horse sleigh. They failed 10
reach their destination and search was made
for them. They were found, dead. Missing
the road they had turned their horses loose,
and turned the sled up as shelter from
the storm. Two of the bodies were :ound
under the vehicle and the others few rods
distant. The accident caused intense ex-
element in that community. The horses
were found on the prairie unnjured.
MORE SUFFERING.
A woman with two small children was
left in tent about fifteen miles west Of
Fort Dodge on the great prairie, on Mon
day by the husband who started into town
to get some fuel and provisions. The ter
ribe storm came on and he was unable IA
return. The woman had only coA enough
to keep fire until night, when the storm
became so terrific that she placed her chill.
dren in the bed, got in with them, and pull.
ling another bed over them, stad there for
tmo days and three nights without fire or
food, except one neal, which she managed
to cook with few pieces of Coal that SIZE
had saved. We have reports that whole
family of emigrants were frozen to death in
Cherokee Co., but no reliable information
has yet reached US concerning the particu-
lars.