The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-05-31
TERRIFIC ToRNADOEs.
49,.
Men, Women. and Children Killed
Churches and Houses Destroyed.

Dies Moines. lac says that the severest
thunderstorm In that region for years oc-
Cured yesterday. Nine houses were blown
down or moved from their bases BY the
wind. The Methodist Church was blown
down. An unknown man stopping at a
farmhouse was killed id his bed BY lightning.
WASHINGTON, Ia, May 23-A terrific
tornado or whirlwind, accompanied by hail
and rain, passed over this county, about
six miles north Of Washington, yesterday
afternoon. Ii path was about half ! mile
IN width, and It tore into fragments every |
thing 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 destruc-
ton. Houses and barns were torn into
| fragments and scattered in all directions,
and for miles around the fields are dotted
with large timbers driven into the ground
at an angle Of ninety degrees. The cattle
we're actually driven head-foremost into
the ground.
One can scarcely conceived the devasta-
ton or realize the force Of the tornado
4 Already we have heard Of thirteen farm
houses and many barns that were literally
torn to pieces, and many others badly
damaged. School was in session at a
Il school-house six miles north Of here, and
the tornado tore the building topieces and
carried the fourteen-year-Old daughter Of
Henry Rothmel about quarter Of a mile
from the school. When found she was
mashed to jelly. Miss Smith, the teach
err, and six or eight scholars were injured,
! some ofthem severely. The wife Of Henry
: Walters was killed. A Miss Gardner and
} the son of Abe Gibson lie at the point Of
! death. Jacob Seek is seriously hurt. A
] Mr.. Baker was hurt in the back The
: family of u. Campbell, near Keota, was
! injured. Mrs. Mccoy was seriously hurt.
/ A gentleman who was near the tornado
! reports that it was balloon-shaped, with the
] small end to the ground, and moved at the
! rate Of twenty miles an hour. 1t began
7 its fearful work at Keota, where it demol-
j ished several houses We next hear Of it
( about six miles northwest, where it de-
v stroyed two or three houses, and as it passed
S on northeast scattered to the four winds
Q the fine residences and barns of Alexander
Il Gibson, j. A. Babcock, and ]. G. Calling
It ham. It also levelled to the ground the
, dwellings of d. Cancer, F. and H. Walters
# Mr.. Carringer, and Mr.. Kerr.
i The lives Of many persons were saved
d BY their hastily getting into the cellars Of
" their houses. Sad havoc was made with
70 all kinds of stock. From the description
Ie Of an eyewitness it seems almost a mir
q acle that anything in the track ESCAPED
ID alive. He says he could see large pieces
ct Of timber hurled from the cloud as though
s. shot from cannon. Hail-stones fell tina
n measured nine inches in diameter. Somi
O. we're brought to this city, and four hour
II after they were picked up they were still
4, as large ss hens eggs The roaring Of thu
tn tornado was fearful, and could have beer
n easily heard ten miles. At this place
IN six miles away--it was perfectly appalling
Q surprising in terror anything ever heard
d except war and the din Of terrific battle
ol A telegram from Keota last evening say
m that FIVE persons were killed about three
Is miles from that place. One child wa
torn to pieces
Many more lives were probably lost thai
ly those reported, and no estimate can b
D. made Of the stock killed.
ne Nothing SO terrible or violent has eve
K befallen this section Of the country hereto
to fore, and it is considered miracle tina
a; so few lives were lost
IA. PRAIRIE CRY, H., May 23.--A fear
IS full tornado passed mile and half mort
ct Of this place yesterday about forty minute
"a, past FIVE, P. N. the extent Of which is no
i5 yet known here, though it has been hear,
[ Of from ten to fifteen miles east and west
u. The storm travelled eastward, sweepin
D. nearly everything before it for half mil
", in width, blowing down houses, barns, out
TX houses, fences, telegraph poles, and KILN
IT. and injuring several persons. A humble
De Of horses and cattle were also killed an
x injured The following are few Of tn
a. casualties Vanderver's house was dc
an stroyed and boy fourteen years old killed
Joel Nichols house and barn destroyed
and child's leg broken so badly that it
:, not expected to live. Eight persons wer
mn In, y ~ ;s;,s,.S car.nn,s honss ~
q barn destroyed, Cayton had an arm brt
I ken and one child killed. Charles Perry
re- nVuse anu .a.a W.. -. e,..,Ie
m .el,y Wa M ss ~. la.s - .e,
IA Anulew au ~ - I p uss.aoys .
IA s.u ~. ~ s ,lsa e ~ ~. .laae = \ -
IS. nous uss'u s -" ~ s'vs . n - =, ~
e. was caaiy NUT opn'e luea may ~ ssu
be 60 o. 'he Iolce q 'e s' :,, nun ',,e ~
at tna1 y carr,eu neasy suns yen ro s;s. ~
Iu- even moVeu heasy s'ones en- some u''''i'
cd IRON 'ne 'ots u 1el'a 81 "a', m
y, "a. stor,,, avar L,,,vn n this nart of u
=, state passed over here about three o'clos
ca NJ IA started. as far as heard fro,
y ten miles southwest of here ON Skul
y, =, Bottom. and travelled to within two or thr
10 miles Of this city. sweeping everything
fore IL Up to The present time four Dc
A. y - Z