The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-06-13

That beautiful, Unity town, storm
Lake, Iowa. has bad close call Last
SUNDAY atleinool at ) 80 O'Clock fierce
tornado came sweeping over the prairie,
its direction being from southeast: 10
northwest, carrying before il cloud of
sIIaw, weeds. dust. and debris gathctei
n lis tack, which ,XteEd, many miles
southwark.
The storm cloud seemed to divide at
the south side o' the lake, the heaviest
wing sweeping across to the north side,
lashing the waters in:o furious, foumiug
pillows, and carrying devastation and
death TO the regions beyond. The other
wing swept oas-ward on line about IL o
miles SoCth OF the Illinois Central Rail
road, its track being quarter Of mile
wide. Fortunately only \ few dwellings
lay in its course, but OF these, and the
stable and other buildings, no vestise
remains save some Of the heavier founda-
ton stones. Everything in the shape of
building was literally blown - atoms
and splintets, and carried into the air
and dropped point downward, where
your Correspondent saw tens of thousands
of them sticking up ike fence-stakes As
far as the eye could reach. The follow
ing from the Bueaa Vista Sentinel
Extra tells the rest OK tle story for
Storm Lake: About o'clock in the af-
ternoou the temperature became sud
denly very sultry, The wind sabside3
and many who hal before been placed
in d similar position waite: #ith anxiety
the lnctliug that they We're impressed
was going to happen. In short time it
came. The frs, that Storm Like people
knew Of it was the report that the house
of Alfred King. aJpgt 81 mile east rf
Storm Lake. had been blown dow u.
Further inquiry developed the fact that
a whir.HIud Of a Cycluuic nature had
come across the lake in q direct south
cast direction, aud Nithuu, moments
warning had lifted the house bodily from
its foundation. carried il in direct
northeast direction for about two rods.
and set it down with such violence a. &
dash II IN thousands Of pieces. The i'm
mates were Mrs. King and her aged
mother, the After Of whom aas instantly
killed; Mr. I. W. Peck, WHO sustained
some bruises; Mrs. Peck. who received
injuries which, it is presumed, will re-
suit fatally; and = five-yesr old child O,
Mr.. Pecks, which Uas somewhat bruised
The barn of \. \. DeGratf. a short di-.
lance west of Mr.. King, 200 feet IN
length, WAS literally torn 20 pieces. and
heavy timbers carried for a quarter Of q
mile. Two new wagons nud a buggy
standing between the barn and hous,
were torn to atoms, the spo!<cs of III,
wheels and tires being blown off !
visit to the spot is the best wav t. ob,air
any adequate idea of the destruction o.
the property. 1t simply battles descrip
ton. The house of MIR. King was sp.l
into kiHGliny wood, and the swami
northeast Of the house ami over the rail
road track is { implicitly covered wit.
pieces driven Ia endways. Trees an,
shrubtery were whipped ard barkel il
such "a manuer as to render them Of NJ
value. The dead and wounded wer
carried to the house # Mr. DeGraf
where they received the best Of attention
Mrs. Kings mother was nearly ninety
two years of age; she has been bedriddei
for several years, and when found yes
terday the body was so completed
mangled that it was very difficult t,
handle it. She will be buried at o'clocl
this afternoon. Mr.. King, who was a
Fonda, was telegraphed for via Sioul
City-the wire being down east of her
and arrived on this mornings train. Hi
loss will he in the ueighborhood OF 81 900
Mr.. Degraf's, to barn, hogs, cattle
wagons, and fence will he about s. 900
The whirlwind started south of tn,
farm of Dir John Jackson, fifteen mile'
southwest of Storm Lake. The people
living in that locality say they saw il
start, and that at that time it was not
larger than a half-bushel measure, but
increased 10 size and velocity ss it pro-