Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-06-06
The Tornado IN Iowa.

up from the southwest, and passed out of
the county little south of Yatton.
The tornado was about one-half mile in
width, and tore into fragments everything
that came in its course. Houses barns,
fences, trees, cattle and human beings
were caught up and whirled through the
air like mere toys, and then dashed to the
ground with such violence as to produce
instant death with the animate beings
The houses and barns were torn to frag-
ments and scattered for miles around
Fields are dotted with large timbers
driven into the ground at an angle of nine
ty degrees, and cattle were actually driven
head-toremost into the soil One can
scarcely conceive of the devastation or
realize the force of the tornado.
Already we have heard of thirteen
houses and many barns that were literally
torn to pieces, and many others badly
damaged.
School was in session at a schoolhouse
| six miles north, and the tornado tore the
building to pieces, and carried fourteen
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 Waters was killed.
A Miss Gardner and 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 Off Campbell near Keota, were
wounded. Mrs. Mccoy was seriously hurt.
A gentleman who was near the tor-Ldo
six miles north when it passed, reports
that it was balloon-shaped, with the small
end to the ground, and moved at the rate
of about seventy miles an hour.
| 1t commenced its fearful work near
| Keota, where it demolished several resi-
| dences. We next hear of it about six
miles northwest, where it destroyed two
or three houses, and as it passed on north
east, it scattered to the four winds the fine
| residences and barns of Alex. Gibson, j
A. Babcock and j. c. Culingham, and also
leveled to the ground the dwellings of D.
Cancer, f. and II. Waters, Mr.. Carringer
| and Mr.. Kerr.
Many persons lives were saved by their
hastily getting into their cellars.
Sad havoc was made with all kinds of
stock
From an eyewitness description, it is
almost q miracle that ANYTHING in its
track escaped alive. He says that he
could see large pieces of timber hurled
from the cloud as though shot from can
non.
Hail fell that measured nine inches in
diameter. Some were brought to this city,
| and four hours after they were picked up
they were as large as hens eggs.
The roaring of the tornado was fearful,
and could have been heard easily ten
miles. At this place, six miles away, it
was perfectly appalling, surprising in ter
ror anything that we ever heard except the
roar and din of terrific battle.
a telegram from KeOta, last evening,
says that five persons were killed about
three miles from that place. One child
was torn to pieces.
Our reports are from only few points
on the line of the terrible destroyer, and
we cannot estimate the amount of dam
age, but it may be many thousands of
dollars. Many more lives were probably
lost than those reported, and no estimate
can be made of the stock killed. Nothing
heretofore so terrible and violent has ever
befallen this county, and we can only con-
! template its devastation with awe, and
wonder that so many escaped alive.
EvENING.-Additiona news from the
tornado makes the damage a great deal
more than has been heretofore reported.
Six more persons have died since my for
mer telegram, making eight in all Below
are the names not before reported Ladan
Housel, Mr.. Dawson, Mr.. Baker, daugh-
ter of Jacob Seek and two children of
Henry Waters. There are many others
who are very low, and their lives are des-
paired of. These are all reported to us
within six or eight miles on the line of the
storm.
We have not been able to hear from
other parts of the country to what extent
the storm has ragged An immense
amount of property has been destroyed.
1t is impossible to describe the scene after
the storm had passed. 1t resembled a
long tract of country that had been sud
denly overflowed and everything carried
away, and as if the water had suddenly
fallen and left everything in complete
ruin. The force of the storm must have
been tremendous. Nothing resisted it,
Heavy cattle were carried over a 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 all over. Even
the spokes were broken out of the wagon
wheels. A hog was found pierced
through with two by four timber, pin
ming it to the ground. Probably a thous-
and persons from this place visited the
scene, and rendered all the assistance in
A telegram from Sigourney says that in
Lancaster, Keokuk County, every house
! but one was entirely destroyed, but no one
is reported killed, though several were
severely hurt.
KEoTA, Iowa, May 23
The most terrific storm ever known in
| this part of the State, passed through here
yesterday afternoon about three O'clock
| 1t started, as far as heard from, ter miles
southwest, ON Skunk Bottom, trayLling in
a sOutheasterly direction to wlthin two
and a half miles of this city, sweeping
everything before it. Up to the present
time there are reported four persons kill
ed, eight or nine slightly hurt, eight
| houses, three barns, one saw-mill and sew
eral granaries blown down, and from 200
| TO 300 head of stock killed. Building
material and agricultural implements, in
| cluding threshing machines, reapers,
| corn-plows, planters, cultivatoTs, etc, in
every shape imaginable, are strewn the
| entire distance The storm seemed to CON
fine ITSELF in width, from 100 to 400
yards.
1t is reported that the town of Lancaster,
fifteen miles southwest, in this (Washing-
tom county, is in ruins. AS we are writ
| ing, more buildings are reported blown
down, further southwest.
| INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
The following statements are made in
an account sent from KeOta:
At Sigourney, fourteen miles from here
the storm was observed, according to the
preponderance of opinion, about O'Clock
in the afternoon. Hail fell heavily; such
hail as has not been seen since the plaques
of Egypt, came down thick and fast in a
straight line, the air being unusually calm
and outside the disturbing influence Of
the tornado, which was some ten miles
away. The size of the hail will test the
credulous powers of many, and, were
there no concurrence of testimony,
would hesitate to mention it. Mr., j, N
DOraty, conductor on the Rock Island
Railroad, a man of intelligence, stated
that he was in a drug store when several
were picked up, weighed, and measured
One of them weighed seven and hal
| and Nuoo ton inpbng in pirpunn