Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-05-26
The Iowa Tornado.

Dispatches from Washington, Iowa, on the
23d, says terrific tornado, or whirlwind, &C.
companed by hail and rain passed over this
county, about six miles north of Washington,
yesterday afternoon. Its path was about half
a mile in width, and it tore into fragments
everything in its course. Houses, barns,
! fences, trees, cattle and human beings were
caught up and whirled through the air like
toys and then dashed to the ground with such
violence as to produce instant destruction.
For miles around the fields were dotted with
large timbers driven into the ground at an
angle of so degrees. Cattle were actually
driven head foremost into the ground. One
can scarcely conceive the devastation, or
realize the force of the tprnado. Already
we have heard of thirteen farm honses and
! many barns thas were literally torn to pieces,
aud many others badly damaged. A school
WAS in session in school house six miles
north of here, and the tornado tore the build
ing to pieces and carried the fourteen years
| old daughter of Henry Rothmel about quar-
ter of a mile from the school house. She
was found mashed to jelly.
Miss Smith, teacher, and six or eight schol-
ars were injured, some severely. The wife
of Henry Walters was killed. A Miss Gard
ner, and son of Abe Gardner lie at point
of death. Mr.. Baker was hurt in the back
and the family of J. Campbell, Mt ar Keota,
were injured. Mrs. Mccoy was seriously
hurt.
gentleman who was near the tornado re-
ports it was balloon shaped, with the small
end to the ground, and moved at the rate of
twenty five miles an hour. 1t begun its fear
full work near Keota, where it demolished
several houses. We next hear of it about
six miles northwest where it destroyed two
or three houses, and as it passed on north
east scattered the fine residences and barns of
Alexander Gibson. }. A. Babcock and j. c.
Callingham. 1t also leveled the dwellings of
ID. Cancer, f and ii. Walters, Mr.. Carrin-
ger and Mr.. Kerr. The lives of many per-
sons were saved by their hastily getting into
the cellars of houses. Sad havoc was made
with all kinds of stock.
From the description Of an eye witness it
| seems almost miracle that anything in the
track escaped alive. He says he could see
large pieces Of timber hurled from cloud as
| though shot from cannon. Hailstones fell
that measured nine inches in diameter. Some
| were brought to this city, and four hours after
| they were pickedup they were as large Is
| hens eggs. The roar of the tornado was
fearful and could easily have been heard ten
miles. At this place, six miles away. it was
perfectly appalling, surprising in terror any
thing ever heard. except war and the din of
| terrific battle.
| A telegram from keota, last evening, says
that i've persons were killed about three
miles from that place. One child was torn to
pieces. The reports received thus far are
from only few points along the line of tho
terrible destroyer, and the amount of damage
cannot be estimated. but it must be many
thousand dollars. Many more lives were
probably lost than those reported, and no es-
innate can be made OF the stock killed. Moth
Ing so terrible or violent has ever befallen
this section of the country heretofore, and it
is considered Il miracle that so few lives were
lost.
A despatch on the oath says:
Additional dispatches of the tornado make
the damages great deal more than at nrst
reported. Six more persons have died, max.
ing eight in all. There are many others
| whose lives are despaired of. These are all
reported within six or eight miles on the line
of the storm. To what extent the storm
ragged in other parts of the country is not yet
| learned An enormous amount of property
has been destroyed
II is impossible to describe the scene after
the storm passed. 1t resembled a long tract
of country that had been suddenly flooded
and every thing carried away, and as il the
water had suddenly fallen and left everything
in complete ruin. The force of the storm
was such that nothiag resisted it. Heavy OBJ
jects were carried over quarter Of . mile
and thrown to the ground with such violence
as to half imbed them in the earth. Wagons
and farm implements of all kinds were strewn
around. Even the spokes were broken out
of the wagon wheels.
A hog was pierced through and pinned to
the ground by piece of timber two by four
inches. Over q thousand persons from
Washington visited the scene Friday, and
rendered all the assistance in their power to
the sufferers. A telegram from Sigournsy
says that at Lancaster every house was de-
stroyed but one. No one was reported
killed, though many were seriously hurt.