Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-06-05
The Great Tornado in Iowa.
WASHINGTON, Iowa, May %.

WASHINGTON, Iowa, May 70
terrific tornado or whirlwind, accom-
named with hail and rain, passed over
this county, about six miles nor'h Vi
Washington, yesterday afternoon II cahle 9
I'D from the southwest and passeo ou' VI
the county little south OF 1atton
The tornado was about one-hal1 mlle III
width, and tore into fragments everything
that came in its course. Houses, parhs'
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 death with the animate beings.
The houses and barns were torn to trag-
ments and scattered for miles around.
Fields are dotted with large timbers
driven into the ground at an angle OF
ninety degrees. and cattle were actually
driven head foremost into the soil. One
can scarcely conceive Of the devastation or
realize the force of the tornado.
Already we have heard Of thirteen
houses and many barns that were literally
torn to pieces, and many others
badly damaged. =
School was in session at school-house
six miles north, and the tornado tore the
building to pieces, and carried a fourteen
|
about a quarter of mile from the school
house, and when found she was mashed
to ielly Miss Smith, the teacher, and
six or eight scholars were hurt, some
badly.
The wife of Henry Waters was killed.
A Miss Gardner and a son of Alexander
Gibson lie at the point of death Jacob
Seek was seriously hurt Mr.. Baker was
badly hurt in the back Several OF the
family of F. Campbell, near Keota, were
wounded Mrs Mccoy was seriously
hurt.
A gentleman who was near the tornado
six miles north when it passed, reports
that it was balloOn-shaped, with the small
end to the ground, and moved at the rate
of about seventy miles an hour.
1t commenced its fearful work near
| Keota, where it demolished several resi-
dences We next hear of it about six
miles northwest, where it destroyed two
OF three houses, and as it passed on north
east, it scattered to the four winds the fine
residences and barns of Alex. Gibson, J.
A. Babcock and J. c. Culingham, and also
leveled to the ground The dwellings of ID.
Cancer, F. and H. Waters, Mr.. Carringer
and Mr.. Kerr.
Many persons lives were saved by their
hastily getting into their cellars.
Sad havoc was made with all kinds of
stock.
From an eye witness description, it is
almost a miracle that anything in its track
escaped alive. He says that he could see
large pieces of timber hurled from the
clouds as though shot from a cannon.
Hail fell that measured nine inches in
diameter. Some were brought to this
city, and four hours after they were picked
up they were as large as hens eggs.
The roaring of the tornado was fearful,
and could have been heard easily ten
miles. At this place, six miles away, it
ror anything that we ever heard except
the roar and din of q terrific battle
A telegram from Keota, last evening,
says that five persons were killed about
three miles from that place. One child
was torn to pieces.
Our reports are from only few points
on the line of the terrible destroyer and
we cannot estimate the amount of damage,
but it may be many thousands of dollars.
Many more lives were probably lost than
those reported, and no estimate can be
made of the stock killed. Nothing
heretofore SO terrible and violent has ever
betallen this county, and we can only
contemplate its devastation with awe, and
wonder that so many escaped alive.
Observation-Disclosures news from the
tornado makes the damage a great deal
more than has been heretofore reported
Six more persons have died since my for
mer telegram, making eight in all Below
are the names not before reported: Ladan
Housed, Mr.. Dawson, Mr.. Baker, a daugh-
ter Of Jacob Seek, and two children of
Henry Waters. There are many others
who are very low, and their lives are de
SPARED Of. These are all reported to US
within six or eight miles on the line of
the storm.
We have not been able to hear from
other parts of the country to what extent
the storm has ragged. An immense
amount of property has been destroyed.
1t is impossible to describe the scene after
the storm had passed. 1t resembled a
long tract of country that had been sud
denly overt1owed and everything carried
away, and as if the water had suddenly
fallen and left everything in complete
ruin The force of the storm must have
been tremendous. Nothing resisted it.
Heavy cattle were carried over quarter
of a mile, and thrown to the ground with
such violence as to half imbed them in
the earth. Wagons and farm implements
OF all kinds were strewn all over. Even
the spOkes were broken out of the wagon
wheels. A hog was found pierced through
with a two by four timber, pinning it to
the ground. Probably a thousand persons
from this place visited the scene and
rendered all the assistance in their power
A telegram from Sigourney says that in
Lancaster, Keokuk County, every house
but one was entirely destroyed, but no one
is reported killed, though several were
severely hurt.
kEorA, Iowa, May %
The most terrific storm ever known in
this part of the State passed through here
yesterday afternoon about three O'Clock.
1t started, as far as heard from, ten miles
southwest, on Skunk Bottom, travelling in
a southeasterly direction to within two
and half miles of this city, sweeping
everything before it. Up to the present
time there are reported four persons kill
ed eight or nine slightly hurt, eight
houses, three barns, one saw-mill and sew
eral granaries blown down, and from 200
to 800 head of stock killed. Building
material and agricultural implements, in
Guiding threshing machines, reapers,
corn-plows, planters, cultivators, etc, in
every shape imaginable, are strewn the
entire distance The storm seemed to
confine itself, in width, from 100 to 400
yards.
1t is reported that the town of Lancas-
ter, fifteen miles southwest, in this tWash-
ington) county, is in ruins. AS we are
AL