Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-13
The RockdaIe Iowa Disaster.

DUBUQUE Iowa. July 5.
AN extra of the Dubuque Times of
this afternoon contains the following
abridged account of the dreadful disaS-
ter that befell the little village of Rock
dale in this county.
On the night of the 4th the little
hamlet of ROckdale, three miles south
west Of this city, was swept away as
with the Bosom of destruction. Every
building in the little town, save Cat
fish mill, was washed from its fOunda-
ton and torn into wreck that quite defies
description. The dozen buildings, all
that were located on the bottom lands of
the Catfish Creek, save the mill, were
carried off as if they were so many
cookies down the surging and boil
ing current, crushing chem into frag-
ments. With two exceptions, all are
torn into splinters, and scarcely a
fragment can be recognized as belong
ing to this OF that building. Stores,
shops, dwellings, barns, everything,
fell before the terrible torrent that
came rolling in great surges down the
ten miles of valley through which the
Catfish runs. For a full mile down
the stream fragments are streWn along
the banks Orpiled in gorges from few
feet to twenty feet high.
But the worst is not told Thirty
nine human beings were hurriedly
swept from life into the great mael-
strom of death. Men, women and
children to that number we're drowned,
and their stiff bodies those of the
thirty that have been rescued up to
this hOur-Were ranged side by side
along the shady side Of the mill, await
ing the last sad funeral rites. In enc
instance we saw an entire family of
four all lying dead. In another every
member of the family but one lay dead
The bodies of some were found in the
debris of the crushed buildings near the
scene Of their death, while others,
and the greater part of them all, were
found along the banks from a few
rods to a mile down the stream. Some
were almost entirely hid from view by
the floods of mud that had been swept
along by the maddened waters, with
perhaps hand only exposed to sight,
or foot, OF perhaps only small portion
of the face or of their clothing. A large
number of little children-boys and
girls ranging from three to twelve
years old comprise this dread holO-
caust, and, altogether, the scene was a
most sickening one. One young man,
Charles T. Limmesch, who escaped
from Horne's store, Informed us that
two of his uncles, one aunt and seven
of his cousins were drowned.
Through the day the people OF the
village had joined, more or less, in the
festivities of the Centennial Fourth
LII the evening the rain began to fall,
and all took shelter in their homes, or
at the stores OF the saloon. At about
half an hour after midnight the Catfish
was discovered to have become so
swollen that the streets were overflow
ing and escape to the surrounding
highlands cut off. Higher and higher
nose the rushing waters, while the
storm kept pitilessly pelting down.
The surging water of the creek came
in great waves several feet high, and
soon the smaller buildings were swept
away. At about one a portion of the
dam gave way, and this was followed
by the crash of the railroad bridge,
the fragments of which went tear
ing down, striking the hotel and
HOrne's store. Both Of these We're
capsiZed, the former being torn in
pieces, and the latter swung against a
large tree standing but few feet
away, against which it lodged, resting
upon its side. Now the stream had
grown to 1000 feet wide and fully
twenty feet deep. As the buildings
were swept into the wreck, the in
mates We're hurried into the surging
current, the voices crying out FOR help
amid the roar of thunder and storm
and crash, while lurid lightning flashed
every minute, lighting up the dreadful
scene for an instant, and leaving it