Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-06-28

scorth, Kan.
A frightfnl storm, ur series of storms, swept
over large section of the Northwest on the
17th and 18th OF June. Grinnell, Iowa, seems
TO have been the greatest sufferer, consider
abic portion OF the town going down before the
berce wind. The loss OF life is the saddest
feature OF the disastrous visitation. II is be-
heved that upward OF l5l people we're either
killed outright or fatally wounded. At Grin
nell alone the death-roll will reach nearly, il
not quite, 100. Nearly twice that namber we're
more or lers seriously injured. wiile tue property
loss amounts ~ at least S7J0,00j. A corre-
spondent furnishes the following graphic ac-
count OF the rayages OF tue hurricane at Grin
nell and vicinity During the day the weather
had been unusually hot, aud toward evening
ominous-iooking clouds buny in the northwest.
About . o'clock deep aud suilen roar like the
approach OF several rapidly moving freight
trains was heard, but before the cause OF tie
peculiar phenomena WAS surmlse1 the storm
had burst in all ITS Jury. Striking the town
upon the northwest quarter, it cut a sinu-
GUS path through the most beautiful resi-
donce part OF the town, carrying death
and destruction in its path. Every an mate aud
tnanlmate object was picked up IN its relentless
grasp aud hurled to death ami destruction.
Houses were snnIhilsted, fences oblitersted
the trunks were len standing, stripped of every
yestige OF foliage aud peeled clean OF tao
bark, leaving but wute monument Of the
fury OF the storm. Sidewalks were picked up
and tossed about each particular plank
beng converted INTO an engine of death In
the circlng grasp Of the storm. In the light
OF the terrible damage done 1T ems aim Dst
miraculous that there was no greater loss Of
life. There can be ba: ono way to account fot
1t. Many Of the village people were down town
doing the usual Saturday evening marketing.
Tue business portion OF the tosn Is :aped, and
in this way greater loss OF life was prevented.
The scene IN the track OF the storm bsggars
description. Ii was about li-gast 3 O'Clock
this morniug when the SPECIAL train from
Des Moiucs, IN charge of Supt. Royce,
Of the Rock I-lani road, AMI bearing
o corps OF physicians an "eiiet fbrce, arrived
At tba' time tSenty-elght OF the DE "a had been
recovered from tho dcDrls Ia Grluucll alone.
The hotels, school-houses and town hall were
converted into hosp tnl,.- In the town hall
alone we're twenty dead bodies, ranging from
the youth Of 10 or IL years TO the m IN whose
hair had been frosted by age. All aruund were
grief-stricken friends and relatives, and the
spectacle Was one calculated to appill the stout
eat heart. The wreck IN the early gray OF the
morning was one OF tue most lameutable
slgnts presented to human eyes, Tue path of
destruction was through the town OF Crunch
about 700 feet IN width. On the outer edges OF
space OF 20b feet ia the ccnter scarcely tree
or shrub e-caped complete destruction HJu 70
were picked up and thrown % the outer circle,
some to one side and some 10 the other, as the
freaks OF the Wind prevailed. In some cases the
houses were removed, dashed To pieces, scat
tered In fragments snd foundation walls leveled
to the ground Nothing was saved OF the con-
tents. Stoves, furniture, pianos and all the va
nous articles OF household paraphcrnaiia were
tossed about as though they were put children's
TOYS. Articles Of bedding and upholstered fur
nlture were found miles from their proper
abiding-places. the handsome buildings OF the
Iowa College were completely destroyed, one Of
brick and another of stone, entalllng loss
upon that institution OF fully 100000.
The damage To the town cannot fall short of
e7Oc 900 or sSW,OD0. Passing out OF town
the storm struck a freight train on the l's1itlA
Iowa railroad, ni'oa II Srn o,ean 'roa 'rreoJasly around
a., n,;la s,5 a hsII below Grlnnell IL
strnck A west .bound S--.Sht on the Rock Island
road aud remoy,., 80 ono y, t sno ,' nea ny
tr,cL Ia. .Ig tue engine standing. Tue con-
S,c,' Of tnls train was fatally injured aud has
20 died. brakeman on tine Gen.
tSJ tram Lad his head completely
perforated with piece Of pine board.
Beyond the Rock Island tlaia no serious dam
age was done until Malcom was reached
small town twelve miles east OF Grinnell.
Here the work OF destruction was re-cnactcd in
all Its hideousness. Tue path OF the storm was
evidently much broader here, reaching out
TO the south for nearly tho distance OF a mile.
The Presbyterian aud Methodist churches were
demolished Several business houses were
blown down and residences destroyed. There
we're eight lives lost at slalcom AMI the imme-
dlate vicinity, though the greatest devastation
was done In the country. Isis little town was
nestled nicely on gentle knoll To the south
aud southeast is beautiful valley, beyoud
which is q stretch OF uudulatlng rairIe. Along
on this prairie were located many neat farm
cottages. There is nothing loft Of them.
Standing in the streets OF Malcolm, the writer
was shown the spots where the day before were
located twelve comfortable farm houses, About
half a mile west OF the village Charley Wheeler
was KILLED. Mrs. Akers and her boy Johnny
also lost their lives here. There is a sad incl
dent connected with the death Of Mrs Akers.
she had just Closed her house IN town for
the purpose Of making visit with friends
IN Illinois. Last evening che ana
her boy went over TO Mr.. Wheeler's to pass
the night with his people, her husband being
absent in the mountiins. She LIFT little gIrl
with young friend IN town. Mr.. Wheeler's
house was destroyed. and Mira Akers' body
was found in ditch about ten rods away VITO
heavy beam OF timber rasiing upon her, and
WnTrrible Wle cash across the eide OF the head.
When the reporter left Malcolm the girl was
yet ignorant OF the fate OF her mother. aud
was playing about the streets full of childish
Biee. About three miles southeast OF the town
hved the Mcclure family Of ten PERSONS. But
one OF them bad been found al noon, and II Is
feared that death has overtaken them Fifteen
mpes south OF Brooklyn number OF deaths are
reported. Considering the extent to which the
path OF the storm had spread when IL reached
Malcom, its fury II phenomenal The debris OF the
Iarm-houscs was scattered over the prairie Tor
mile or more in a southw esterly direction from
a -. Il. ataA I'm
lumber was splintered and fragments driven
INTO the ground with terrific force. Barbed
wlre but recently put on was blown from the
fence posts and coiled and twisted into divers
Shapes. Telegraph poles were snapped ssunder
and spitcfully stuck IN the ground. The dam
age TO property IN aud around Malcolm Is esti-
mated at 100000.
The place where the storm FIST struck Is not
aenmtely known. Northwest u Grlnneii great
ae'astaiion Is wrought and several lives are
snown to have been lost, four being reported
nhed In one family. At Kellogg, station east
~ ~ Grinnell, one house was blown down. AZ
oneidahl several houses are reported destroyed,
snd u was probably in that vicinity that the
nrst force of the blast was felt. Ii there was
ever case that callel for human sympathy 1t
s the case OF these people whom misfortune
mas so suddenly overtaken.
lhe cyclone entered town from the west ana
sArted the edge OF the place, taking north.
eStefiy course until within about hundred
yards OF tho college, where II voered to tho
Tsg rT.sght making almost a complete right angle.
adn ane width OF the cyclone varied from dfty 10
SUI ysrds. more-dcstructive sight cannot
WI WI 90 imagined. The course Ia marked very
panty by debris along it, path Among the
sulns are what was left OF three pianos, also the
ssrcssses OF many dead horses, cows, dogs and
PIGS Household goods Of every description
s e scattered all over the ground. Many OF
Ss, .s articles are perfectly good, but OF Others
s1aIuiy anything Is left. The debris Is fright
@ sal 70 behold. II covers great deal OF ground
@ anu IL piled promscuously in all directions. IL
CONSISTS almost eDtiroIy Of splinters and frag-