Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-23
a Terrible Tornado.

WASHINGTON, Iowa, May 23.-A tcrrlllc
tornado, or whiIlwind accompanied by hail aud
rain passed over this county, about SIX miles
north CT WaShintou, yesterday afternoon. The
path WAS about a half mile III width and tore
into fragments everything in its course. Houses
barns, fences, trees, cattle and human beings
were caught up aud whlred through the air
like mere toys and then dashed to the ground
with such violence as to produce instant &C.
struction. Houses and barns were torn into
fragments and scattered in all directions and
for miles around the fields arc dotted with
large tinlbers driven into the ground at an angle
of ninety degrees. Cattle we're actually driven
head foremost into the ground One can scarce
Is conceive che devastation or realize the force
of the tornado Already VIC have heard OF
thirteen farm houses and many barns that were
literally torn TO pieces. and many others badly
damaged. School was III session at a school
house six miles north OF here, and the tornado
tore the building to pieces and carried the four.
teen year old daughter Of Henry Rothenel
about a quarter OF mile from school, When
found she was mashed to jelly Mrs. Smith,
the teacher aud six or eight scholars, were n-
iurcd, some of them severely. The wife of
Henry Walters was killed. a Miss Gardner
and sou Of Abe Gibson arc at the point Of
death. Jacob Seek was seriously hurt in the
back The family OF }. Campbell, near Keota,
were injured. Mrs. McC0y was seriously hurt. A
gentleman who was near the tornado reports
that it was balloon shaped, with the small end
to :hc ground and moved at the rate Of twenty
miles per hour. 1t began It's fearful work near
kcota, where it demolished several houses
We next hear OF it about six miles northwest,
where il destroyed two or three houses, and as
it passed on northeast scattered to the four
.,,I., Il, md rf
der Gibson, J. A. Bahcock, and j. G.. Colling
ham, 1t also lcvccd to the ground the dwell
I.Iings of d. Corner, L. and LII. Walters, Mr.
Corrngcr aud Mr. Kerr. The lives Of many
persons were saved by their hastily getting into
the cellars of their houses. Sad havoc was
made with all kinds of stock.
From the desert ption of an eye witness it
seems almost miracle that anything in its
track escaped alive He says he could see
large pieces Of timber hurled from the cloud
as though shot from q cannon. Hail stones
fell that measured nine inches in diameter
Some were brought to this city and tor hours
after they were picked up they were still as
large as hens eggs.
The roaring Of the tornado was heard ten
miles At this place, six miles away, it was
perfectly appalling surprising in terror any
thing ever heard except the roar and the din
OF Il terrific battle.
A telegram from Kcota last evening says five
persons were killed about three miles from that
place; one child was torn to pieces Reports re-
ccved thus far arc from on y a few points along
the line ofthe terrible destroyer aud the amount
Of damage cannot be estimated, but 1t Eust
amount to many thousands. Many more lives
were lost than those reported and no estimate
can be made of the stock killed. Nothing so
terrible has ever bcfalcn this section of the
country aud it is considered i miracle that so
few lives were lost.