The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-10
q Tno- ss.sstsrn storms, /
FURTHER. PARTICULARS OF THE xEPUL
.ss CALAMITY AT RoCKDiLE. IOWA.

/ q 80 *
"A dispatch from Dubuqu to the New York
Times says; f;s,4s, 80.
Two miles southwest fromh ereiis the little
suburb OF Rock dale. q hamlet OF a. dozen
buildings, situated on the Catfish creek. AT
o'clock Wednesday morning monstrous
pillows OF water rolled down the valley,
sweeping out the dam and the railroad
bridge, which were hurled against the build
ings. Every house except the mill was
swept away. In oil the dwellings were oc-
cupants, and all but a dozen were drowned.
Forty-one lives were lost in all. In two in
stances entire families-one OF five and the
| other Of seven persons-were drowned.
Charles Themmech leaped off the roof Of
his floating house twelve feet into the flood,
and finally reached shore. Several persons
were drowned in their houses, their bodies
being found in the compact debris among
trees on shore and down stream. Half Of
them were buried in mud, with perhaps
one hand or foot or part OF the face eX-
posed. j. Becker, his wife, and two chill
dren were drowned. Becker had but part
Of one arm, having lost both hands in a
thresher some years ago. The wife took
the girl to her bosom, the father took the
boy with the stump Of his arm, and all ere
found dead thus embraced One boYAof
eleven seized his little brother by the. hair
when floating down the stream; bothreach.
ed a. tree, and, clinging to- limbs till morn
ing, were saved, The store OF aman named
refuge in the attic. Clinging to the rafters
and beams, they stood in water to their
arm-pits for three hours till the, flood
subsidized, and all were saved. Their
escape was marvellous. Charles Kingsley,
keeper OF the Rockland House, lost his
wife. They sought to climb on the roof
through 4 window; he succeeded, and took
hold of his wife's arm to help her UP, but
the house fell together, and as he, 1oafed
away his wife's arm broke across the win
dow-frame. He was saved. There were
twelve persons in Becker's house, eight Of
whom were drowned James Pearce, his
wife, and two daughters were all lost. Pc
ter Becker, his housekeeper, and five chill
drcn, his entire family, were drowned.
John Klassen, wife, and five out OF six. chill
dren were drowned. Martin Carrie was in
a saloon, and from the window saw his own
house crushed like an egg-shell, and his
wife and two little ones flung into the tor.
rent. All were drowned. He was found
next morning, fifty rods below, clinglng to
a tree The dead are:
Joseph Becker, Mary Becker, A. Becker,
Henry Becker, Alice Becker, Mrs. Joseph
Becker, Mary Becker, Henry Becker, VIM
Bradbury, Lucy Bowers, Lizzie carey,
Frank Carey, Jane Carey, Elizabeth carey,
James Pearce. Mrs. Pearcc, Ida Pearce, Lima
Pearce, j. Klassen, Mrs. klassen, Christ
Klassen, Maggie Klassen, Lizzie klassen'
NJ. Klassen, Peter kopp, Mrs. kopP, Ma
thias Kopp, Mary Kopp, Joseph Ahopp,
Thomas Benckeron, Oliver BencKeron, ailu
Minnie Bowers. ..., i..:G -.
The bodies Of these thirty-two have been
recovered The remaining seven not yet
found are r. Becker, Richard Burke, Mich.
olas Kopp, John Kopp, Peter Kopp, Levi
Klassen, Alexander Becker.
The body of Minnie Bowers, aged ten
wears. was found lodged in mud and brush
over a mile below the scene.
To-day the dead were buried. LII two
instances entire families were laid away,
with not a relative near. In several other
cases only one child is LETT, and it is not OLD
enough to comprehend its dreadful orphan
age. Several were buried by the county
authorities, the estates OF the deceased haV-
ing been destroyed. r.--,g..: 49,.
The immediate neighbors have opened
their houses in aid OF the survivors, and
have done everything in their power to
assist in finding the dead and recovering the
remnants OF their late homes. The water
has so far subsidized that the search will not
be impeded, and it IS expected that the re-
naming bodies will be found tomorrow
Eight OF the nine railroad bridges within
ten miles Of the city have been swept away
and the telegraph lines torn down. Botf
are undergoing rapid repair; but 1t Will be
a week before the break will be fully re-
paired. 49,, -.