The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-05-29
FEARFUL TORNADO,
TREMENDOUS sToRMOF
WIND AND HAIL
IN IOWA AND
ILLINOIS.
THE MOST TERRIFIC AND DESTRUC.
TIVE CYCLONE ON RECORD
IMMENSE DAMAGE.
LARGE NUMBER OF LIVES 1nsT
-WONDER THAT ANY
ESCAPED,
FEARFUL TORNADO IN IOWA.

FEARFUL TORNADO IN IOWA.
WASHINGTON, Iowa, May 23.-A
terrific tornado or whirlwind, accom-
panied with hail and rain, passed over
this county about six miles north Of
Washington, yesterday afternoon. 1t
came up from the southwest, passed out
of the county little south of Yatton
The tornado was about one half a mile
10 width and tore into fragments every.
thing that came in its course. Houses
and barns, fences, trees, cattle aud hu-
man beings were caught up and whirl-
ed through the air like mere toys, and
then dashed to the ground With such
violence as to produce instant death to
animate beings, and houses and barns
were torn to fragments and scattered
for miles around. The fields are dot
ted with large timbers driven into the
ground at an angle of ninety degrees,
and cattle are actually driven into the
ground. Oae can scarcely conceive
the devastation, or realize the force Of
the tornado, and We heard of thirteen
farm houses and many bsrns that were
literally torn to pieces, and many 9TH
ers badly damaged. School was in ses.
sion at school house six miles north,
and tho tornado tore the building to
pieces and carried = IA year old daugh.
tor Of Mr.. Bathnel quarter OF = mile
from the school house, and when found
she was mashed to jelly. Miss Smith,
tho teacher, and six or eight scholars
we're badly hurt. The wife of Henry
Writer'S was killed. A Miss Gordon
and a son of L. johnson lie at the point
of death. Jacob Leek was seriously
hurt. Mr. Baker was badly hurt IN
the back. Several Of the family of
F. Campbell, near Keota. we're wound
ed. A gentleman who was near the
tornado, six miles north when it passed,
reports 1t was egg-shaped, with the
small end to the ground, and moved a,
the rate Of about twenty miles an hour
1t commenced its fearful work nea,
keota, whore it destroyed several resi-
dences. We next hear of it about siz
miles northwest, where it demolished
two or three houses, and as it passed on
northeast it scattered to the four winds
The fns residences and barns of Alex
Gibson, A. Bsbcock aod j. G. Culiog.
ham were leveled to the ground also
the dwellings of E. F. and II. Waters
MI. Corriger and Mr. Kerr. Many
persons lives we're saved by hastily
getting into their cellars. Sad havoc
was made with all kinds of stock
From an eye witness description it ii
almost miracle that aoy thing in it
track escaped alive. He says he could
see large pieces Of ice hurled from tn.
clouds, as though shot tr6& a canen
Hail stones fell that marsured nine
inches in diameter. Some were
brought to this city and four hours af:
ter they were picked up they were still
as large as hens eggs. The roaring
of tho tornado was fearful and coulo
have been heard easily ten miles. A
this place, six miles away, it was terri
bly, appalling, surprising in terror any
thing We ever heard, except the roa1
and din of terrible battle. A tele
gram from Keota last evening, says tina
five persons were killed about three
miles from that place. One child wa
torn to pieces. Our reports are from
only few points on the line Of tht
terrible destroyer, and We cannot esti
mate the amount Of damage done, but
it must be many Thousand dollars
Many more lives were probably los
than those reported, aud no sstimat'
can be made of the stock killed, Moth
ing heretofore so terrible and violep
has ever befallen the country, and VI
only ooatempIate its devastation Will
awe and wonder that 80 many es scapsl
alive.
! ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
/ KEoLA, Iowa, May, 93.-The mes
terrific storm ever known in this par
Of tho State passed through here abou
p. M. yesterday. 1t stated as far al
from ten miles southwest, on Skunk
bottom, travelling IN a southeasterly di
rection to within two and 4 half mile
Of this city, sweeping everything before
it. At the present time there are re.
ported four persons killed, eight NOR
slightly hurt, eight houses, three barn'
and one saw mill and several granarie!
blown down. From two to three hun
dred head Of stock were killed.
! WASHINGTON, Iowa, May 23.-Ad
ditional news from the tornado make
the damage done great deal NOR
than has been reported. Six more per
sons have died s,use the report Of thi
morning, making eight in all. Tb
names of the victims not before reporte,
are Ladian Housle, Mr.. Dawson, NJ,
Baller, . daughter Of Jacob Seek
aud two children Of Henry Walters
and there arc many others who are YER
low and their lives despaired of. Thes
are all reported to US within six or eigh
miles on tho line of the storm. W
hsve not get been able to hear iron
other parts Of tho country to what e1