The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-06-29
THE IOWA TORNADO.
The Extent 0f the Caiamity-An APP
peal for Aid.


TIE IOWA TORNADO.
The Extent Or the Calamity-An Ap-
peal for Aid.
DEs MoIsEs Iowa, June 20.
The following appeal for aid has been issued:
To the Public After two days and nights
spent iii traversing the track OF the tornado
that swept over this State with such fearful
havoc last Saturday night, and having reports
from scores Of the reporters Of the Des Moines
Register and Associated Press sent 70 al parts
80 plteous aud 30 needful of instant and gener-
Gus help that send this appeal to the people Of
the United States in their behalf. The tornado
made swath of destruction through
the th.ckly-scttled portion Of Iowa some
15O miles in length, and IN average
Of half : mile in width, extending
from point south Of Ames, in the center Of
to South English, in Keokuk county, in tho
Southeastern part OF the State. We have the
names now OF sixty-nine dead and 500 wound
ed, half Of the latter previously hurt, and prob.
ably 4 fifth Of them fatally. Over 800 families
have had their homes totally destroyed, and
there are now at least 1,6OO homeless and in
want. The loss in property will exceed 1000,
Grinnell alono over 100000 in property was
DESTROYED, on none Of which there was cent
Of Insurance. ~ in the case Of fires. It will
take at least 100000 TO put the pcople there
beyond need and distress. It will take $1OO,-
600 at once to put the wounded people in con-
dition to be cared for. It will take $1,000, 600
at the lowest to keep the sufferers from want
and to help them to put the humblest Of roofs
over their heads.
The people OF Des Moines and OF Iowa are ~
spending generously. The citizens OF this city
have subscribed $8, 600 this morning. and will
make it $4,000 before night, in money,
snnn. sna are s.s also @ ssnans s provisions ZION , and
every humane city and town in the West and
every liberal city and town in the East to put
comfort and safety between these stricken peo-
pie and further suffering and fatality.
Grinnell il . town Of New England
people,, thrifty, intelligent people, and
with the lowest rate Of crime and litter.
acy in the State and the highest rate OF
intelligence and morality. The rich towns
Of the East may well help these sons and
daughters OF New England in the distress aud
need OF the utter calamity visited upon
them 30 cruelty BY this Mo!och Of the air, which
has killed fifty OF their people, destroyed 80
OF its homes, manned and mutilated 400 more
OF its people, many OF whom will soon die, and
all Of whom must bc cared for for months, and
wiped out totally nearly 100000 in uninsured
property.
Iowa College has had all its buildines de-
stroyed. its 400 students made homeless, and
has suffered loss OF S75,0O0 in uninsured
property.
The condition OF other towns and farming
communities is fully a. pitiable and helpless.
All that the people Of Iowa can do will be done
to alleviate the condition and repair in part the
losses OF the sufferers. But it will take $l OO0,-
600 to do It, even to halfway comfort and
rccompense them /; and tho people OF the State,
who have always borne their share and done
fhs.Ir yaA nOki -
ask the people OF other communities to help
them in this hour OF great calamity to many OF
the worthiest OF its people, and TO this end ask
my fellows of the prcss through the United
States to place these facts before their readers.
and to give their timely help to It's sufficient
purpose OF raising and providing aid at the
earliest moment possible
were ~ indescrihable in their mightiness Of
strength as their havoc and power were cruel
and complete. Many people have left Of their
houses not splinter as large as finger, not 8
shred OF furniture as large as skein OF silk,
and hundreds have no clothing left except the
night-clothcs they hsd on Cases of excep-
ti0nal horror add exceptional pathos to the
piteous whole. Women in pregnancy were
killed outright, others forced to premature de-
livery, aud little children had both parents
killed and left manned and wounded them
selves. Every condition exists that most
tendcriy appeals to the pity of the
human heart. The wounds inflicted by tho
debris that filled the air like chaos by the elec-
trlc balls OF fire that seemed to traverse every
inch Of space and that exploded with fearfully-
fatal effect. will, many OF them, defy al skill
and nursing even with tho tenderest care
The fury OF the storm. which Was clearly 81
electric origin, and which, indeed, may be
described o. having been electricity itself, pre-
cipitated in chaos, may be understood from
the statement that, in various places, it took
up IN It's greater spirals or tunnels houses
a thousand feet high. and took up and carried
large herds OF cattle through the air for thou
sands OF feet and dashed them down dead in
heaps. Many thousands OF CATTLE horses, hogs
and other animals now lie in the track OF the
tornado, already rotting, and adding, in the
hot weather, tho horror Of putrefaction to the
foul and pervsding odors that are being given
on by the millions Of tons Of decaying matter
left IN the wake of tho tornado. The horrors
OF the storm, the unspeakable cruelties that it
inflicted, the pitiless WOO OF its coming in the
night, when tho dead were not known and tho
wounded could not be found. and the piteous
state in which it has left hundreds Of families.
before prosperous, may not be described in
words. but once known to generous hearts
must command the instant sympathy Of
the liberal. aud immediate help.
Remttances may be made to Hon. J. B.
Grinnell, at Grinnell, or the Mayor OF Grim
nell.
write from the knowledge OF two whole
days and nights spent on the scene or desola-
ton and among the dead and wounded, and
tell the facts OF the multitude Of horrors simply
as they are feeling that they will themselv
best appeal to the country and most erec.ually
aid the sufferers. ]. 8. CLARKsoN,
Editor Des Moines Register.