The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-06-18
DESTRUCTIVE CYCLONE.
Twenty People Killed by a TOrna6
i'm POttaWattamie County. Iowa.

Twenty People Killed by a Tornado
IN POttaVattamieC County, Iowa.
A wlnd-storm of unusual violence passed
over section of Pottawattamie county. Iowa.
about thirty miles east of Council Bluffs. on
the evening of June 10. We CLEAN the following
particulars from the telegraphic reports of the
calamity Persons living in the vicinity where
the storm ragged say it was first observed to as
sumo an ugly and threatening form by citizen
III the town of Macedonia, small village in
Macedonia township. The funnel. which is
ample warning OF coming danger, was seen to
form about two miles to the west of Macedonia,
Angry clouds rolled and tumbled, and passed in
and out of each other, as if engaged in
deadly combat. 1t is said that every person who
beheld the final mobilization of the fierce and
angry elements felt keen realization of the
near approach of eternity, but moments for re-
lection were very brief. In the twinkle of an
eye, almost, the storm was upon them, and
| those that had not taken shelter in cellars and
dug-outs stood in the broad road to death,
and those who were saved feel that it was by
special act of Providence. Buildings were
either blown down or unroofed, while out
houses and small buildings were lifted bodily
from their foundations and carried away en-
tlrely from the premises. A large number of
small shanties, used for boarding and sleeping
men who worked upon railroad being built,
were blown into splinters, not enough
being left out of them to make respect
able kndllng-wood. Storehouses were leveled
to the ground and their contents scattered to
the winds of heaven. A number of two-wheeled
scraperf used upon the railroad weighing hun
dreds of pounds, were taken up as if but feath-
ers and waited away on ungentle zephyrs.
Tires to wheels from three to four inches wide
were twisted and rolled into knots as one would
dctro
tie were taken up and carried away and dropped
to the ground dead. One horse was carried
forty rods, and when found its body was a per-
feet jelly. But little personal injury was done
at this place, as people saw the storm coming
and protected themselves by retreating to cell
lars and other underground places of safety.
Land here is high prairie ground, and the peO-
pie could see the storm from afar and use pre-
caution for personal safety. But the storm con-
tinued to sweep forward in northeasterly direc-
ton, and from Macedonia forward it was most
destructive in its course dead bodies and de-
| molished dwellings, plainly marking it's line of
travel. Farm houses were in most cases totally
destroyed, and farm machinery of all kinds broken
into small fragments. About seven miles from
Macedonia, on what is known as the "Osler set
Element" great damage to human life was done.
The house of Alex Osler was first reached by
twisting wind clouds, and it fell before them
and In the midst of them ali easy, if not willing,
prey. In this house were Mr.. Osler, his wife
and three children and niece, two farm hands
and a servant girl They all died together. The
storm swept them away in an instant. They
probably persisted amid the ruins of the wrecked
dwelling, which was a largetwo-story frame. Not
one was left to tell the story of their hasty de-
struction. One child, however, has not been
found and it either lies buried beneath the RUNS
or was borne away on the swift wings Of the
fatal cloud. Jesse Osler, brother to Alex, and
did also his wife and two small children.
William Osler, brother to the other two, escaped
death but his wife and child we're blown into
the air fully $50 feet. The child is probably IA
tally injured. Other cases of death are re-
ported, but details are not given. Twenty per-
sons are known to have been killed in the Osler
neighborhood, which is in Grove township
and six or eight persons are missing, and it is
supposed their bodies will be found somewhere
in the vicinity where they were last seen.