Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-05-26
THE TORNADO.
The Cyclone in Iowa the Be-
yerest ever Known.
The Destruction OF Life ana
Property Awful
DETAILS OF THE cATAsTEOrHE,

L
Iowa, make the number Of killed ten anC
wounded twenty-five; about half as many
as were killed aud wounded in Keokul
county. Some Of the injured are hurt
internally and others less injured. The
catastrophe appears greater the more n
is investigated. About two hundred peo
pie from all parts Of the country visited
the different parts Of the scene yes''
afternoon. One Of them found 500
for five hundred dollars belongin Nr
Bahcock. some two miles from hi aouse,
and returned it to him.
The clergy of Washee preached sl-
most exclusively of the disaster and at
tendant sorrow. Yesterday morning
Rev. Mr.. Williamson, Presbyterian, said
il was special act Of Providence sent
on the people for their sins. One of the
killed belonged to his church, and nearly
all the others were church people, which
makes the sermon rather severe.
A meeting is to be held there tonight
TO see what can be done to establish a
relief fund. Some Of the farmers are
left penniless, and such will undoubtedly
be furnished with resources to give them
fresh start.
Dispatches yesterday say the tornado
Of last Thursday was the severeSt ever
known. 1t is said by farmers who live
ten miles away that they heard rum
bling noise, but did not connect it with
the storm. To some the noise sounded
like heavy freight train at night; to
others like musketry, with occasionally
discharge of artillery. Scarcely any
lightning flashes we're visible, and only
occasionally loud peal of thunder was
heard; rain fell in torrents-notin drops,
but in sheets, there appearing to be a
lake of water in the atmosphere, while
the country was flooded to the depth Of
several inches, and it is feared corn
already planted has been washed out.
The destruction Of life and property is
awful. Thus far the names of seventeen
killed and twenty-three injured have
been given, and more will be heard from.
The dwelling of Henry Walters was re-
duced to atoms, and Mrs. Walters was
instantly killed. When found she had
one of pair of twins in her arms. The
little fellow was bruised and cut, and died
the following morning. The other one
escaped, though no one can tell how.
Three Of her other children we're at the
school-house, and received serious inju-
ries. Two Of them are not expected to
live.
About a quarter of mile south of
the school house is the farm Of A. Glib
son. None of the buildings are standing.
His house was the finest in this part OF
the country. His orchard is valueless,
his farming implements gone and his
stock dead. His son, aged fourteen,
and hired man named Baker attempted
TO get into the house, but was overtaken
in the orchard. The latter had an arm
broken, having been thrown down vio-
lently, and the boy was rendered uncon-
scious, and still remains so. His head
is cut in several places. Miss Gardner,
Mrs. Gibson and three children were in
the house, all of whom were precipitateS
into the cellar, the building flying away
like chat. The first named was badly
injured, but the others only slightly.
Sixty cattle were carried of by the
wind, some Of them weighing l4eO
pounds, and landed in a slough twenty
rods of.