The New York herald., 1876-07-08
The Destructive storm In Iowa.

During the past few days the Western
States, particularly Iowa, have been swept
by fearfully destructive rain storm, which
has deluged the lowlands and converted
the smallest rivulets and streams into foam
ing torrents that sweep away everything ex-
posed to their fury. The crops, which, up
to the commencement of this disastrous
change of weather, gave promise OF rich har-
vests and large profits to their owners, have,
in many instances, been washed out of the
ground or beaten by the violence of the
wind and rain into utter ruin, as If an
army had trampled the growing grain into
the mire Not only is the Western country
suffering from delsge, but it has also been
torn by tornado of extraordinary and fatal
violence. The latest accounts from Des
Moines, Iowa, inform us that probably one
hundred and fifty houses have been de-
stroyed and many more seriously damaged
in Madison county alone, land that the
destruction of crops fences and ami
mails by Tuesday nights storm was i'm
mense." If the ravages caused by these
terrible meteoric visitations were limited
to the overturning of houses and the ruin Of
crops we could look at tho condition of
things as unfortunate and distressing but
reparable; but when we read of the whole
sale loss of life, the annihilation of entire
families by the angry elements, then we
learn to what an appalling extent this Western
land has been scourged by the tempest.
The estimates vary, and are therefore unre-
liable, as to the loss of life in Iowa, but
there can be no doubt that it must be very
great. 1t is reported that in Warren county,
Iowa, alone, forty persons, mostly the wives
and children of farmers, have lost their
lives, and in Madison county some seven or
eight more.
The storm as such first manifested itself
within the sphere OF scientific observation
in the southeastern corner of the State of
Nebraska, where at Omaha, at Blair station,
Washington county, and at Ashland, Saun-
ders county, it proved exceedingly destruc-
tive to property. but was attended with no
fatal results except at the last-named place,
where a man was killed by the lightning
Bursting into Iowa the storm swept through
the centre of the State, devastating War
rem and Madison counties in the manner
above described, and extending its influence
far to the north of its central track, and as
for to the south as Little Rock, Arkansas.
Cedar Rapids suffered severely and Fort
Madison, Lee county, was almost obliterated
by the violent tempest Dubuque was del
uged in turn, and every rnilroad and other
bridge as we'll as many houses were swept
away by the floods created by the enormous
rainfall. But it was at Rockdale village that
the most terrible and fatal force of the storm
expended itself The village, being built in
q ravine, was entirely overwhelmed by the
bursting of o mill dam located further
up the stream on which the settle
ment stood. Every building was swept
away and forty-two persons are miss
ing. Already thirty-three bodies have
been recovered, but fears arc entertained
that the others are swept away into the
Missouri. That such terrible storm should
burst on these States without any warning
from the Signal Service Bureau is, at least,
not creditable to the efficiency of that organ
ization. In glancing over the probabilities"
for the days preceding the storm we fail to
find any prediction of its coming, or even of
the possibility of its development This in
formation may have been in the possession
of the Chief Officer at Washington, but that
was Of no service to the public. On July 2
the HERALD predicted the approach of bad
weather from the West, an area oflow barome-
ter having manifested itself the previous day
off the Californian coast, and appeared to
be rapidly advancing. We announced this
fact and fixed the day of the arrival of the
low area on our local meridian as the fol-
lowing Saturday (to-day). We further pre-
dicted violent winds in the West during
the ensuing week. Now, it would seem that
the people Of Iowa and the Mississippi
Valley must depend entirely on the HERALD
for their weather news, although an expen-
sive organization at Washington is charged
with the duty of sending out precautionary
warnings. We would say to the Signal
Bureau that it must not be too cautious in
its predictions. 1t is better to cry "wolf"
hundred times in error than to allow the
beast to steal unawares on us once.
THIs Is FIT SEASON for New York to ex-