The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-05-26
The Terrific Tornado i'm IOWl-Great
Loss OF Life and PrOperty-Distress-
Ing and Fearful Scenes.

WAsHlSGToN, Iowa. May pa terrific
tornado or whirlwind, accompanied BY hail
and rain. passed over this county. about six
miles north of Washington. yesterday after
noon. Its path was about half mile in
width, and it tore into fragments everything.
in its course. T
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 destruction. Housesslnd
barns were torn into fragments and scattered
in all directions, and for miles around the
fields are dotted with large timhers driven
into the ground at an angle of ninety degrees.
Cattle were actually driven hcadtorcmost
into the ground.
One can scarcely conceive the devastation
or realize the force Of the tornado. Already
we have heard Of thirteen tarm-holSeS and
many barns tiIat were literally torn to pieces,
and many Others badly damaged. School
was in session at a schOot-hollse six miles
north of here, and the tornado tore the build
ing to pieces, and carried tourlecn-year-
old daughter of Henry Rothmcl about aqlar-
ter OF Il mile from school. When found she
was mashed to Jelly. Miss Smith, the
| teacher, and six or eight other scholars were
injured, some Of them severely.
The wife of Henry Walters was killed. A
Miss Gardner and 4 son of Abe Gibson lie al
the point of death. Jacob Seek was seri-
ouSIy hurt. A Mr. Baker was hurt in the
back. The lamily Of }. Campbell, near kc-
o,a. were injured. Mrs. Mccoy was scri-
ou,ly hurt. \ gentleman who was near the
tornado reports that it was shaped with the
small end to the ground. and moved at the
rate OF twenty miles an hour.
it begun its fearful work near keota.
where it demolished several houses. We
next hear Of it about six miles northwest,
where il destroyed two ur three hOu>es, and
rs it passed OH to the northeast scattered to
the four winds five residences and barns OF
Alexander Gibson. j. 4. Babcock, and j. G.
Caliughau. Ii also levelle1to the ground
the dwellings of ID. Cancer,F and III. Wal
terS, Mr.. Carriuger. and Mr. Kerr.
The lives Of many persons were saved ny
their hastily getting into the cellars OF their
houses Sad havoc was made with all kinds
of stock. From the description of IN eye
witness, it seems almost miracle that any
thing in its track escaped alive. He says he
could see large pieces OF timber hurled ucn
the cloud as though shot from Il cannon.
Hai!-,tones fell that measured nine inchc.
in diameter. Some were brought to this
city, and four hours after they were picked
up they were still rs large as hens egg.
The roaring of the tornado was tra'lul, and
could have been easily heard ten miles. Al
ibis pace, six miles away, ii wls perfectly
appalling, surprising in terror anything eyer
herd except war and the din oi Il terrific
baUtle. -"E ~ - '..... .#@
A telegram from keOta last evening says
five persons were killed about three miles
from that place. One child was torn to
pieces. The reports received thus far ARE
from only few points along the line OF the
terrible destroyer, and the amount of damage
cannot be estimated, but it must he many
Thousands Of lul!ai's. Many more lives were
ptolnbly lost than tliorIplorted, and no IS
tima'e can be made of the stock killed. NJ
thing SO terrible or Violent li;,s ever hciaiel
this section of country, and 1t is considered
q miracle that SO few lives were lost.