Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-06-12
HURRICANE,


muCn properly
1estreysd.
'2isfortuncs never come singly," Is .
trite sdage, and this community secms fa-
ted to furnish IN illustration Of Its truth
fulness. Scarcely have we como to look
with degree of complacency upon. our
recent severe Visitation of fire, when just
two weeks after its occurrence we are call
ed to record the ravages of the most terri
ble and destructive storm of wind and
rain that ever visited this county. The
delay of our publication enables US to give
our readers the particulars far as they
have reached us-up to the time Of going
to press.
Sunday was very hot and sultry, and
rs night came on the indications of very
heavy thunder shower brewing, were APP
parent in the western heavens. All night
long the storm king seemed to be marshall
ing his forces for the onslaught, and be-
tween the hours of 3 and o'clock, Mon
day morning the shock came in mighty
blast of wind, accompanied by torrents of
rain, from nearly northwesterly direc-
ton The heaviest shock continued
scarcely fifteen minutes, but in that time
the amount of damage done was very
great, although at the present writing
Monday afternoon-but a small part has
been reported.
The track of the storm seems to have
extended but four or five miles on either
side of this city; Jesup and Winthrop, be-
ing outside of its destructive influence.
In Independence the NJ. E. Church suf
fered decapitation of its spire. The ver-
anda in front of Jas. Poor's dwelling was
lifted bodily and carried over the roof Of
his house. Burrs ice house, burned by the
fire and since rebuilt, was again left a per-
feet wreck and its contents second time
exposed to the fervent sun. Portions of
of the brick battlements on Fonda's bull
ding on the west side and of Glass furni-
ture store on this side of the river were
torn off. The roofs of the LIST National
Bank building and Munson's block were
damaged. Frank Mcgow's new foundry,
in process of erection, was blown down.
The wind pumping apparatus at both de-
pots were blown away. Sheds and out
buildings were overturned or torn to pie
ccs; large oak trees were twisted off and
torn up by the roots, and an infinite
amount of shrubbery and fruit trees were
destroyed. The window panes in the
BULLETIN Office look as though sharp
muskctry skirmish had taken place in
the vicinity. They are filled with small
round holes made by pebbles blown from
the roof of the bank building, ACROSS the
way. Chimney tops all over town are
non est; The immense bill boards of the
shows which exhibit here this week are
rs flat as pan cakes, and the minor results
of the storm would fill volume.
Outside of town the effects of the wind
are more serious. Tta house of Mr..
Boon, esst OF town was lifted from its
foundations and the windows blown in,
Mr. Boon being injured but not seriously.
The Bethel church also lost its bearings
and now fronts at right angles to its for
mer position. A house few miles south
east of town belonging to II. Edgcomb,
was unroofed and a wing Frustrated.
The house of Conrad Smith in the same
vicinity was also partially wrecked.
The house of L. J. Whitney about five
miles southwest from here was torn to
pieces and his whole family Of five, includ
ing himself, carried some rods by the fierce
blast. All are severely injured though not
fatally as we learn. The barn of DR. E.
N. Bissell in the same neighborhood was
also blown down and the wing of his
house sent kiting over the prairie in small
pieces. A large barn on the Mitchell
place, now the property of d. D. Hold
ridge of this city, was also leveled with
the earth. We hear also that very large
barn belonging to ,Justus Norton was
completely destroyed.
In Como Township, the residence of
Daniel Matthias, new house, was COM
pletely demolished, the family being car
ried some distance by the force of the
blast, and some of them severely injured.
A little girl was missing until morning
and when foundwas wrapped up in the
bed clothes, unharmed The house of
Mrs Booth in the same township was de-
stroyed, but none of the inmates were
severely injured.
In Quasqueton the house of Alva Fri
man, was Frustrated by the storm. Elias
Hastings store and residence, were both
partially unroofed as was also barn be-
longing to J. J. Mowrer.
The storm seems to have been especially
severe at Rowley. The Evans House at
that place was blown down and Mr..
Evans and his wife and man stopping
in the house, were badly hurt. The NJ. E.,
Church, is a total wreck and one of the
elevators was unrOOfcd. We learn also
that house ut Walker was completely
torn to pieces though no accident to life
or limbs are reported from there. Miles
of fences all over.the county in the track
of the storm are Frustrated, and the dam
age to property will undoubtedly reach a
very high figure.
To REBunD-That our cityi not longto
be disfgured by heaps of ruins is evil