Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-05-30
TERRIFIC HURRICANE!
Many Lives Lost and Much Pro-
perry Destroyed!
Particulars and Incidental

PWsy DCCuVyCU
Particulars and incidental!
One of the most terrible and dis.
astrous storms that ever visited our
State swept across portions Of Keo-
kuk and Washington counties, on
Thursday of last week, carrying
death and destruction in it's track.
1t was whirlwind, and ACCOMPANY
led by the usual balloon shaped
cloud. 1t moved about twenty miles
an hour, and it's track was about
half mile wide. SO terrible was
its force that it seemed to wipe out
everything in its course, leveling
buildings, trees, fences, etc, taking
cattle bodily in the air and landing
them in remote localities; and, sad
dest Of all, killing and manning a
large number of persons. A dis
patch from Washington says:
The fatal Thursday was dark and
gloomy at it's dawn, and during the
morning rain fell in torrents all
through this section. A gentleman
living at Ainsworth, eight miles
east of this place, said he never
knew of a heavier pouring down
from the skies. This was followed
by hail, the air suddenly grow
ing chilly. Thon the weather seem
ed to become ashamed of itself; the
sun came out warmly, and at two
o'clock it was sultry, lazy day.
This did not last long, however.
Heavy clouds began to form until
they quite obscured the light which
Old Sol was endeavoring to shed
down on mother earth, who sorely
needed his smiles. A rumbling as
of thunder was heard for an hour
before there was any storm. At 8
o'clock, the hour when the whirl-
wind had completed its makeup
and started out, it was so dark at
Ainsworth, and in this city, that
shop-keepers had to light their
lamps in order to continue business.
The roaring increased mightily,aud
was soon recognized as something
worse than thunder, from its pecu-
liar and ominous sound, as if war
ring with the ground and elements
in conjunction. Preceded by
storm of hail of short duration, the
meeting swept on its way.
STATEMENT OF JOHN WISEMAN.
Mr.. John Wiseman, editor of the
Washington Gazette, gives the fol-
lowing careful statement, gathered
from all the sources at his COM
mand:
The storm commenced about two
o'clock on Thursday afternoon,
in Keokuk county, the
exact location being impossible to
ascertain, but it was probably a few
miles west of Lancaster. The town
was entirely destroyed. There
were about twenty houses within it's
limits, and the inhabitants number
ed $50. The cyclone tornado, hur-
ricane, whirlwind, or whatever you
may choose to call it, was the strong
est blow ever experienced in this
western country. 1t came on in a
northeast direction, passing north
Of Talleyrand, and about three
miles south of Kiota, through the
German settlement, destroying a
vast amount of property. farm
houses, barns, graneries, sheds,
corn-cribs and fences, and carrying
off cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens,
turkeys, geese, and everything that
came within reach. When it struck
he Washington county line the tor
nado seemed to have raised and
Jumped a territory about ten miles
ong. Touching the ground again,
It caught up everything in its path.
It alighted first at Frank Browns,
six miles northwest of Washington.
1t remained on the ground for six
Or eight miles, passing up to the
Highland township line, where it
lifted again, coming down in Mid
and township, but not doing any
considerable damage. In that town
ship the storm must have exhausted
Itself, as we have no news of any
destruction Of property beyond
,hore. North of Washington, the
on the farms of Mr.. Cald,
we'll, Mr.. Gilchrist, Henry Walters,
J. G. Cunningham, Thos. Walters,
J. p. Babcock, Jacob Zeck, Mr..
Harringer, Mr.. Kerr, and of several
others, were totally destroyed. Mrs.
Henry Walters was killed almost
instantly, and one of her twin chill
lrcn, which was found in her arms,
lied the next morning. Two others
IF her children were at school when
hat building was blown down, and
hey were seriously hurt. The re-
twin was in the house when
hat was blown away, but he escaped
injury, although found in the yard.
Mr.. Gibson had very fine barn,
probably the best in the county, de-
Mr.. Babcock's residence,
he most substantial in the neigh
Dorhood, was reduced to splinters.
A part of it was carried a mile |
away, and dumped into slough.
MIR. Zeck's house was lifted from
he foundations into the air and bro
Ken up, the fragments being scat
.ered like chat. The dwelling of
Mr.. Davidson, who lived near Jack
son township, was struck and
thrown dawn. He was killed, and
4 hired man named Housed was so
badly cut up that he died in y few
hours. In nearly all the houses l
have mentioned somebody was
or killed. The Huddleford
school house was destroyed. 1t was
located near Thos. Walters house,
the roadway. The school
was in session, and the teacher and
nearly all the scholars were bruised,