Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-07-07
A Fearful Storm Sweeps Over the State
Of Iowa, Carrying Death and De-
structiOn In its Train.
The Village Of ROckdale BlOtted Out
Nothing Left to Tell Where It Stood
but Ruined Mill.
Thirty.One Men, Women and Children
Launched into Eternity on a Flood
from Heaven-Full Particulars.

|
making the worst storm ever expert
enced. Death and destruction sre visi.
bic on every side, all the bridges on the
wagon roads and railroads are swept
away, and no trains can arrive or depart
for several days. Houses were carried
down stream by the torrents, and their
occupants drowned. Cellars are filled
| with water, the streets ara washed out,
live stock drowned, and mourning takes
the place ofjoy.
The village of Rockdale, twenty-seven
miles from this city, built in rsvine on
stream, was inundated at the dead
hour OF night, while the storm was rag
ing and the lightning flashing, by the
breaking away of 8 mill dam some dis
tarcs up the stream. From the rush OF
water every building in the place was
| swept away by the food, except the
mill, and their occupants carried away
and drowned.
! ROCKDALE.
Rockdale is a small place Of about two
hundred Inhabitants, built upon a cree k,
| and contained a postoffice, hotel, store,
and other structures. The rain fell in O
solid body for three hours, the creek
rose to the sizs Of river, and at about
| one o'clock, while the lightning was
flashing and the thunder rolling, the res.
idents were er-stricken with the rush
Of mighty waters in and about them.
Every building in the place except the
mill was carried down stream or moved
from its foundation. A mill-dam some
distance up the stream broke away and
let down the water in body. After the
storm had absted search was made, and
forty two persons were found to be miss
ing. Of this number nineteen dead
bodies OF men, womsn and children were
picked up along the stream. Death and
desolstion are seen on all sides. The
scene, with the shrieks Of women and
children in the blsckness Of the night,
was heartrending. Search is being made
for those still missing. The railroad
bridge at that place is carried away and
the road made impossible. All the rail-
roads have suffered with washouts. No
trains have arrived or departed to-day
from any section.
LATER.
CHICAGO, July ga later dispateh
from Dubuque, Iowa, gives the fol flowing
list Of those who are lost by the flood at
Rockdale, Iowa: Joseph Becker, Ellen,
his wife. and two children; James
Pearce, Emma, his wifi. and two child
rem; Peter Becker and five children, al
so his housekeeper and her two children;
Mrs. Cary and two children; Peter
Knapp, wife and four children; Mrs.
Kingsley, Thomas Blenkiron, Oliver
Blen kiroD, VIM. Bradbury and Rich
ard Burke-thirty-nin in all. Altogeth-
eT the scene was one to touch q heart.
Thousands of people have visited the
scene during the DAY, and people are
going and coming constantly. The
neighbors, with kindly alacrity, opened
their doors to such of the sff1i icted as re-
malned, and offered every comfort in
their power. The bodies Of the dead
were washed by kind hands, and many
OF them taken into the dwellings near
by. The members Of the board Of
supervisors were early on the ground,
working like Trojans to recover
the dead and give care to the living.
Coroner COokley has impannelled O
jury, and was about beginning an inquest
AS the reporter left. Thirty-one bodies of
the drowned have been recovered. Fur
ther search viii be confined until all are
found. VIM. Walters, VIM. Coates, and
the beard of county supervisors have
labored with untiring industry to aid
the sufferers and to recover the dead.
--LATEST AON1CES
from the scene Of the Rockdale disaster
| say that with the coming Of daylight q
| large force OF men renewed the search
| for missing bodies. Up to this time but
one man has been fOuGd, and that by a
| girl named Minnie Bower. The finding
OF this body confirms the fears of yester-
day that more were missing than re-
ported. The number lost is forty one, OF
hi ~ "a
The funeral services are being held on
the banks Of the stream for such Of the
dead as have surviving friends, but the
| greater number who have been swept
| out of existence will have to be buried
by the county. Il is thought some OF
the missing bodies have been swept into
the Mississippi aud will never be recov-
cred. The telegraph company are hard
at work restoring Communication. The
Central railroad company has q large
force OF men at work, but it will be two
weeks before the track is in running or
der. Such devastation never before Wis.
| tied this country. Tae damage In the
city of Dubuque will not be repaired for
many months. 1t is impossible to esti.
mate the loss.
EXTENT OF THE STORM.
CHICAGO, July 6 The Journals oe.
ciaI from Des MOines says: 1.-The latest
reports show hat that the storm of Tuss.
| day night extended over the most OF
central Iowa, and W. 5 terrific in effect.
In Warren and Madison counties fifteen
persons were killed, and great damage
was done TO live stock and the crops
| Considerable damage was also done to
property. The railroad tracks are sll
right.
CEDAR RAPIDS.
CEDAR RAPIDS, July 5-This city
and vicinity were viaited by q terrible
rain and wind storm, with terrific light
ming and thunder, last night. The rain
came down in torrents, doing great dam.
age in the city and country.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE
STORMS DEVASTATION.
BURLINGTON, July 6-By letters to
the Gazette, information is received thai
the storm was not confined to this To-
cslity. 1t parted east Of Ottumwa into
three, one branch going down Da9
Moines river, destroying houses and
| fences. At franklin Mills the Lee
county woolen mill destroyed. No news
OF any deaths. At DInville, west o.
Burlington, the rain came in q de!uye
falling in solid sheet OF water, and il
was but few moments until the whole
country was one vast lake. Ths suffer
ers we may roe: b. S. Saw,
telle, house and barn destroyed
loss twenty-five hundred dollars. S M
Sawtelle, house destroyed; loss five
hundred dollars. N. r. Lewis, barr
destroyed; loss twenty-five hundred dol
lars J. Slater, house and barn de
stroyed; loss twenty. five hundred dol
lars. r r Foster, barn destroyed; loei
fifteen hundred dollars. John Fred
ericks, house destroyed; loss five bun
dred dollars. Ephraim Porter, hous,
Destroyed; loss fifteen hundred dollars
Still & Turner, cheese factory; los
twenty-five hundred dollars. The roof o
the building was wholly or partially tori
eff, chimneys blown off and otherwis
damaged, and will make q total in ex
cess of fifteen thousand dollars on tn
buildings alone. Nearly all { barr
c,ntaintd more or less grain. TT Ell
losses can hs y determined Fsnc
every wher 'nplete wreck, man,
orchards pieces, crops hav