Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-06-21
WORK OF THE WIND.
DISTRESS CAUSED By THE STORM


50 People Dead, GOO Wounded and 1900
Homeless-S2.0O .0OO, 900 IN Property
Lost-Appeal for Aid.
The following appeal for aid has been
furnished the associated press, with a
request for its publication in ali the
papers in the country:
To the Public After two days and
nights spent in traversing the track OF the
tornado that swept over Iowa with
such fearful havoc last Saturday, and hav-
ing reports from scores of reporters OF the
Reqistey and associated press sent to all
parts of it, l find the condition of the
stricken people SO piteous and SO needful
of instant help that send this appeal to
the people of the United States in their be-
half.
The tornado made a destructive sweep
through thickly. settled portion of Iowa,
some $50 miles in length and on an average
half mile wide, extending from points
south of Ames, in the centre of the state,
and in the shape of a crescent, to the south
of English, in Keokuk county. From the
southeastern part of the state we have the
names now of 60 of the dead and 800 OF
the wounded, half of the latter grievously
hurt and probably q fifth Of them fatally.
Over 800 families have had their homes
totally destroyed, and there are now at
least ], 800 persons homeless and in want.
The loss in property will exceed s., ZOO,
600, and may reach $4,000, 600. In the
town of Grinnell alone over $4OO, 900 in
property was destroyed, on none of which
was there cent of insurance, as in the
case of fires. twill take at least So. O00, 900
to put the people there beyond need and
distress. l. will take 500, 600 at once to
put the wounded people in condition to
he cared for. 1t will take 500, 600 at the
lowest to keep tho sufferers from want and
to help them to put the humhlest of roofs
over their heads.
The people of Des Moines and Iowa are
responding generously. The citizens of Des
MOincs have subscribed $1,000 this morn
ing and will make it 10000 before night
in money, and arc also sending provisions
and clothing. 1t will take the help of
every humane city and town in the West
and of every liberal city and town in the
East. to put comfort and safety between
these stricken people and further suffering
and fatality. Grinnell is a town of New Eng
land people, thrifty, intelligent people
and with the lowest rate OF crime and
illiteracy in the state and the highest rate
of intelligence and morality. The rich
towns of the East may we'll help these
sons and daughters of New England in the
distress and need caused by the utter ca
lamity visited upon them SO cruelty by
this Moloch Of tho air, which has killed
fifty of their people, destroyed 100 of their
homes, manned and mutilated 200 more
of it's people, many of whom will soon die,
and all of whom must be cared for for
months, and has wiped out nearly half a
million of dollars in uninsured property.
Iowa college has had all its buildings
destroyed, its 800 students made homeless
and has suffered loss of S75, 900 of unin'
sured property.
The condition of the other towns and
farming communities is fully as pitiable
and helpless. All that the people Of Iowa
can do will be done to alleviate the condi.
tiOn and repair in part the losses of the
sufferers but it will take $1,O00,O00 to
do it, even in halfway comfort and rec.
! ompense, and the people of state who
have always borne their share and done
their part in all national calamities may
| fitly ask the people of other communities
| to help them in this hour Of great calam-
ity to many of the worthicst of its people
and to this end ask my fellows of the
press throughout the United States to
place the facts before their readers. and
give their timely help to its sufficient pur.
pose of raising and providing aid at the
| earliest moment possible.
The fury and power of this calamity
| were as indescribable in their mightness
of strength as their havoc and power were
cruel and complete. Many people were
bereft of their houses. Not splinter as
large as finger, not a shred of furniture
as large as skein of silk remained, and
hundreds have no clothing except what
they had on.
Little children with both parents killed
were left by themselves MANNED and
wounded. Every condition Of woe exists
that most tenderly appeals to the pity OF
| the human heart. Wounds inflicted by
the debris that filled the air like chaos, by
tho electric balls of fire that seemed to
traverse every inch of space, and that ex-
ploded with fearfully fatal effects, will.
many of them, defy all skill and nursing,
even with tho tenderest care. The fury
of the storm, which was clearly of electric
origin, and which indeed may by described
at having been electricity itself, may be
understood from the statement that a:
various places it took up in its great spirals
VI AOuSCo tAOuSssuA ACVO Ia OAS
air, and took up and carried large droves
of cattlc through the air for thousands OF
feet and dashed them down dead in heaps.
Many thousands of cattle, horses, hogs
and other animals now lie in the track OF
tho tornado, and are already rotting and
adding to the horror the foul and pervad-
ing odOrs of putrefaction. The horrors of
the storm the unspeakable cruelties it in.
flicted, and the pitiless woe of its coming
in tho night, when the dead were not
known and the wounded could not be
found the sad state in which it has left
hundreds of families before prosperous,
| may not he described in words, but, once
known to generous hearts, it must com
mand the instant sympathy Of the liberal
and immediate help.
Remittances may be made to the Hon.
j. B. GrinnclI, at Grinnell, or to the mayor
| of Grinnell. l write from the knowledge
of two whole days and nights spent at the
| scene Of deSolatiOn and among the dead
and wounded, and tell the facts Of the
multitude of horrors simply as they are,
feeling that they will themselves best ap
peal to the country and most effectually
| aid the sufferers. ]. S. CLARKsON.
Editor of tho Des Moines Register.
NEWS BREvITIES.
Para.raphic Points in the Days Dolngs.
Kenneth Harrel, white, and an unknown
negro we're drowned in Snssex county