River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-06-29
TERRIBLE TORNADO.
An Iowa Village Swept From
the Face of the Earth,
Cornell College Frustrated. and
Eight Students Buried i'm
the Debris.

Cornell College Frustrated, and
Eight Students Buried i'm
the Debris.
Houses Swept Away, and Many
Persons Killed.
The disastrous wind-storm of last
Saturday night and Sunday morning
was one of the most extensive in point
of area covered, and one of the most
destructive in its effects ever known to
have swept over the country. At Grin
nell, Ia, the storm was particularly
violent. Not less than forty people
were killed outright, or received
wounds causing death. Scores more
were wounded, and nearly one hundred
houses and buildings of various kinds
were utterly destroyed. The extent of
the awful calamity can scarcely be es-
timated as yet.
At Leavenworth, Kansas, the storm
was very destructive to property, and the
loss of life was considerable. The most
heart rending incidents are described
in the reports and all accounts
agree in stating that no storm like 1t
was ever before known. The peculiari-
ty of the storm at Leavenworth was
the entire absence of the rotary mo-
ton of cyclone. II was simply ter
rife gale, the wind reaching a velocity
of seventy-two miles per hour as indi-
Gated in the U. S. signal service office.
This caused pressure of twenty-six
pounds to the square foot of surface
force that no ordinary building could
withstand.
At st. Louis, after the hottest day OF
the season, the STERN was first felt a
little after midnight. Here a high
wind ragged causing no little loss OF
property. Reports from many other
points, from Kansas City eastward
into Illinois, and from the two south
ern tiers of Iowa counties, all describe
he storm as having been very violent.
n many places there was only gale
accompanied by a heavy rainfall,
while in other sections the storm took
the form of a cyclone. AS to the loss
of property startling figures are given.
The principal losses and the greatest
amount of suffering is in Iowa. Gov
ernor Sherman of that state has issued
the following proclamation, which ex-
plains the disaster very lucidly.
'To THE PUBLIC:
After two days and nights spent in
traversing the track of the tornado that
swept over the state with such fearful
effect, and from scores of reporters OF
the Register and associated press sent to
all parts of it, find the stricken people
SO piteous and SO needful of instant and
generous help, that | send this appeal
to the people of the United States in
their behalf.
The tornado made a swath of de-
struction through the thickly settled
portion of Iowa, some $50 miles IN
length and an average of half mile
in width, extending from point south
of Ames, in the center of the state
and swept in the shape of crescent tc
South English, in Keokuk county
in the southeastern part of the state
We have the names OF sixty dead and
five hundred wounded; half of the lat
ter are seriously hurt and probably fiji
ty of them fatally.
OVER 800 FAMILIES
have had their homes totally destroyed
and there are now at least / 800 home
less persons in want. The loss in prop
erty exceeds 100000, and may reach
SO 900 600. In Grinnell alone over
$400, 900 in property was destroyed or
none of which was a cent of insurance
as in case of fire. 1t will take at least
$35, 900 to put the people there beyond
need and distress. 1t will take $780,
600 at once to put the wounded people
in condition to be cared for.
IT WILL TAKE MILLION
at least to keep the sufferers from want
and to help them put roofs over their
heads.
The people of Des Moines and Iowa
are responding generously. The citi,
zens of this city have subscribed SIS COG
this morning, and will make it $40, 00O
before night, in money, and
also provisions and clothing besides;
but it 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 people and suffering.
Grinnell is town of New England
people, a 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 will help these
sons and daughters of New England in
distress and need, in the utter calamity
visited on them by the monarch of the
air, which has killed fifty oi
their people, destroyed 100 OF
its homes, manned and mutilated
two hundred more of its people who
will soon die, and all of whom must be
cared for, for months and wiped out
totally nearly half million dollars in
uninsured property. Iowa college has
had all its buildings destroyed, its
FOUR HUNDRED STUDENTS MADE HOME
LESS,
and has suffered loss of $50, 900 OF
uninsured property. The condition OF
other towns and farming communities
is fully as bad.
All that the people of Iowa can do
will be done to alleviate the condition
and repair in part the condition of the
sufferers; but it will take 100000 to
provide even half way comfort and re-
compense; and the people of the state
who have always borne their share and
done their part in all national calami-
ties may fifty ask the people of other
communities to help them in this hour
of great trial, and / ask my fellows
of the press throughout the U. S.,
to place these facts before their read
ers, and give their timely help to its
sufficient purpose of raising and pro-
viding
AID AT THE EARLIEST MOMENT POSSIBLE.
The fury and power of this calamity
were as indescribable, as their mighti-
ness of strength and their havoc and
power were cruel and complete. Many
people were bereft of their houses, not
a splinter as large as finger, not a
shred of furniture as large as a skein
of silk remaining, and hundreds have
no clothing except the night clothes
they had on.
Little children, with both parents
killed, were left wounded themselves.
EVERY CONDITION OF WOE EXISTS
that most tenderly appeals to the pity
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