The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-06-05
The Tornado In Iowa.

The Tornado In Iowa.
: WASHINGTON, Iowa, Nay 70.
~ A terrific tornado or whirsNind, accom
panied with hal q and ratk pasel ovel
this county, ab0M six maes h0fth Of
Washington, yesterday after Don. came
up from the southwest, and 4ssed hut o.
the county little south OF. HStton.
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 thu
air like mere toys, and then dashed to the
ground with such violence as to produce
instant death with the animate ,beinfs
The houses and barns were torn to ffag
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 foremost into the soil. One car
scarcely conceive Of the devastation OF
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 quarter of mile from the school
house, and when found she was mashed
to a jelly. Miss Smith, the teacher, and
six or eight scholars were hurt, some
badly.
The wife of Henry Walters was killed
A 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 F. Campbell, near Keota, were
wounded. Mrs. Mccoy was seriously
hurt. -. r..'-
A gentleman who was near the tornado
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.
It commenced its fearful work neal
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, n and III. Waters, Mr.. Carringer
and Mr.. Kerr. .
Many persons lives were saved by their
hastily getting into their cellars. 80
Sad havoc was made with all kinds Of
stock.
From an eyewitness description, it is
almost a 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 a 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 a 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
so terrible and violent has ever
betallen this county, and we can only con.
template its devastation with awe, and
wonder that so many escaped alive.
Observation-Disclosures news from the
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
Housed, Mr.. Dawson, MIR. Baker, daugh
ter of Jacob Seek, and two children OF
Henry Waters There are MANY others
who are very low, and their lives are DIES.
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
of property has been Destroyed
1t is impossible to describe the scene after
the storm had passed. 1t resembled 8
long tract of country that had been sud
denly overlooked and everything carried
away, and as if the water had sudden fal
len and left everything in complete ruin
The force of the storm must have been
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 til.
earth. Wagons and farm implements o.
all kinds were strewn all over. Even thu
spokes were broken out of the wagon
wheels. A hog was found pierced through
with two by four timber, pinning it t.
the ground. Probably thousand persons
from this place visited the scene, and ren
dered all the assistance in their power.
A telegram from Sigourney says tina
in Lancaster, Keokuk County, every hous.
but one was entirely destroyed, but M
one is reported killed, though sevcra
were severely hurt.
KE0TA, Iowa, May q.
The most terrific storm ever known in
this part of the State, passed through herr
yesterday afternoon about three O'Clock
1t started, as far as heard from, ten mile!
southwest, on Skunk Bottom, travelling ii
a southeasterly direction to within two
and a half miles of this city, sweeping
everything before it. Up to the presen
time there are reported four persons kill
ed, eight or nine slightly hurt, eigh
houses, three barns, one saw-mill and sew
eral granaries blown down, and from 2O(
to 800 head of stock killed. Building
material and agricultural implements, in
Guiding threshing machines, reapers
corn-plows, planters, cultivators, ETC., il
every shape imaginable, are strewn tn
entire distance. The storm seemed t.
confine itself, in width, from 100 to 4O'
yards.
1t is reported that the town of Lancas
Ter, fifteen miles southwest, in this Wash
ington) county, is in ruins. As we ar
writing, more buildings are reported
blown down, further southwest.
"A professor of Cornell University re
Gently published number of hints as t,
"What to do in case of accident" - On,
of these was as follows: "If you choke
get down on all-fours and cough" On,
of our Woodward-read this
and determined to remember it. Day be
fore yesterday he was eating his dfnne
alone, and he choked upon a piece O
beef. Instantly he got upon all-fours ant