The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-05-24
Track of the Storm from
Desmoines, Iowa, in a
South East course
through Illinois.
Death of Father De Smet
the great Missionary.
A Methodist Parson arrest
ed on a charge of
Bastardy.
The New Board of Police in
New York.

23.-The most terrific storm ever known !
in this part of the State passed through |
here yesterday about 3 O'Clock P. NJ. 1t
started, as far as heard from, about ten
miles southwest, on the Skunk Bottom,
travelling in a southeasterly direction to
within two and a half miles of this city.
and sweeping everything before it. Up to
the present time there are reported four
persons killed, and eight or ten slightly
hurt Eight houses, three barns, one saw
mill, and several granarieS we're blown
down. From two to three hundred head
of stock were killed. Building material,
agricultural implements. including thresh-
ing machines, reapers, corn plows, plan
tiers, cultivators, &c, in every shape lmag-
Unable. were strewn the entire distance
/ The storm seemed TO have confined itself
to an area of from one to four hundred
yards. 1t is reported that the town of
| Lancaster, fifteen miles southwest in this
county, is in ruins. As we are writing
more buildings are reported blown down,
further southwest
WASHINGTON, WASHINGTON COUNTY
Iowa, May pa terrific tornado or
whirlwind, accompanied with hail and rain
passed over this county about SIX miles north
of Washington yesterday afternoon. 1t
came up from the southwest, and passed
out of the county little south Of Cation.
/ The tornado was about half a mile in
width, and tore into fragments everything
that came in its course Houses, fences,
trees, cattle. and human beings were
caught up and whirled through the air ike
mere TOYS and then dashed to the ground
with such violence as to produce instant
death. Houses and barns were torn to
fragments and scattered for miles around.
Fields are dotted with large timbers dTiv-
en- into the ground at an angle of ninety
degrees. and cattle are actually driv-
en- head foremost into the ground. One
can scarcely conceive Of the devastation or
realize the force Of the tornado. Already
we have heard Of thirteen farm houses and
! many barns that were literally torn to
pieces and many others badly damaged
\ school was in session about six miles
north Of here. and the tornado tore the
buildings in pieces, and carried the four
teen -year-old daughter of Henry Rathmel
about a quarter of mile from the school
house and when found she was mashed to
/ Jelly. Miss Smith, the teacher, and SIX
or eight scholars were hurt, some badly.
The wife of Henry Walters was killed,
and Miss Gardner and a son Of Alexander
, Gibson lie at the point Of death Jacob
. Seek was seriously hurt; Mr. Baker was
: badly hurt in the back; several of the
family of Mr. Campbell, near keota, were
wounded; Mrs. Mccoy was seriously hurt.
e 4 gentleman who was near the tornado
S six miles north when it passed, reports
that it was lloon-shaped, with the small
Q end TO the ground and moved at the rate
\ of twenty miles an hour. Il commenced
its fearful work near keota, where it de
. molished several residences. We next hea1
: Of itabout six miles northwest where it scat
Y tered to the four winds the fine residence
n and barns of Alex Gibson, J. A Babcocl
+ and J. c. Cunningham, and also leveled t
+ the ground the dwellings of D. Canueer, II
!, Matters, Mr. Carringer and Mr.. Kerr.
/ Many persons lives were saved by hasti
ly getting in their cellars.
Sad havoc was made with all kinds G
stock. From an eye witness's description
it is almost miracle that anything in il
IF track escaped alive He says he could Sc
ID large pieces of timber hurled from tn
I clouds as though shot from cannon
Hail fell that measured nine inches in d
ameter. Some were brought to this city
and four hours after they were picked u
= they were still as large as hens egg,
The roaring of the tornado was fearfu
and could have been heard easily te
miles distant At this place, six mile
\. away it was perfectly appalling, surpass
h ing in terror anything we ever heard e2
y cept the roar and din of a terrific battle.
= A telegram, last night, from Keot;
Keokuk county-the next county west {
r US, says five persons were killed aboJ
three miles from that place and one chil
was torn TO pieces.
\ Our reports are from only a few poinr
on the line of the terrible destroyer "
cannot estimate the amount Of damag
. done, but it may be many thousands of do
lars. Many more lives probably were lo
than those reported, and no estimate ca
F. be made of the stock killed.
Il, LATER.
Additional news from the tornaC
- makes the damage done great deal wor.
than has been heretofore reported s.
more persons have died since my form
telegram, making eight in all. Below al
4 e the names not before reported Lada
w Housed, Mr.. Davidson, Mr.. Baker,
'p daughter of Jacob Seek, and two childrt
of Henry Waters, and there are maj
- others whose lives are despaired {
These are reported to us within six
eight miles on the line of the storm. "
have not been able to hear from 9th
parts of the county, to what extent Il
storm has ragged 1t is impossible to d
scribe the scene after the storm had pas
ed. 1t resembled long tract of count
that had been suddenly overfowed al
everything carried away, and as if the "
ter had suddenly fallen and left ever