The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-06-23
WOEFUL WIND.

M the storm at LeaVenWOrtl,
Kansas.
friehtful storm, or series Of storms, swept
over a large section of the Northwest on the
nth and 18th of June. Grinnell, Iowa, seems
to have been the greatest sufferer, a consider
able portion Of the town going down before the
fierce wind. The loss of life is the saddest
feature of the disastrous visitation. 1t is be-
Ieved that upward of $50 people were either
killed outright or fatally wounded. At Grin
nell alone the death-ron will reach nearly, if
not quite. 100. Nearly twice that number were
more or less seriously injured, while the property
loss amounts to at least $1U0,0OO corre-
sDondent furnishes the following graphic ac-
ear1nt of the rayages of the hurricane at Grin
nell and vicinity During the day the weather
had been unusually hot, and toward evening
misunderstanding clouds hung in the northwest.
About o'clock deep and sullen roar like the
approach of several rapidly-moYrng freight
trans was heard, but before the cause of the
peculiar phenomena was surmised the storm
had burst In all its fury Striking the town
upon the northwest quarter, it cut sinu-
GUS path through the most beautiful resi-
dence part of the town, carrying death
and destruction in its path. Every animate and
inanimate object was picked up in its relentless
grasp and hurled to death and destruction.
Houses were annihilated, fences obliterated,
trees broken off like straws, or in some cases
the trunks were left standing, stripped of every
vestlge 81 foliage and peeled clean of the
bark, lsz ing but white monument of the
fury Of 3 storm. Sidewalks were picked up
and loss about, each particular plank
belns Goa 9rted into an engine of death in
the srciias grasp of the storm In the light
of the terrible damage done it seems almost
miraculous that there was no greater loss of
life. There can be but one way to account for
it. Many of the village people were down town
doing the usual Saturday evening marketing.
Tho business portion of the town escaped, and
in this way greater lose of life was prevented.
Thescene IN the track of the storm beggars
description. 1t was about half-past 8 O'Clock
this morning when the special train from
Des Moines, in charge of Supt. Royce,
Of tie Rock Island road, and bearing
corps OF physicians and relief force, arrived.
At tha5 time twenty-eight of the deLd had been
recovered from the debris in Grinnel alone.
The hotels, school-houses and town hall were
converted into hospitals. In the town hall
alone were twenty dead bodies, ranging from
the youth of ~ or II years to the man whose
hair had been frosted by age. All around We're
grief stricken friends and relatives, and the
spectacle was one calculated TO appalI the stout
est heart. The wreck In the early gray of the
morning was one of the most lamentable
sights presented to human eyes. The path of
destruction was through tho town of Grinnell
about 700 feet in width. On the outer edges of
the path the damage was the lightest. For the
space OF 200 feet III the center scarcely tree
or shrub escaped complete destruction. Houses
were picked up and thrown to the outer circle,
some TO one side and some to the other, as the
freaks Of the wind prevailed. In some cases the
houses we're removed, dashed to pieces scat
Iered ia fragments and foundation walls leveled
to theground. Nothing was saved of the con-
tents. Stoves, furniture, pianos and ali the va
ious artices of household paraphernalia were
tssed about as though they were but chlldrens
| ttys. Articles of bedding and upholstered fur
nlure we're found miles from their proper
abdng7olaces. The handsome buildings OF the
Iowa Cdlege were completely destroyed, one of
BRICK md another Of stone, entailing a loss
upon hat institution of fully 100000.
| 1fs damage to the town cannot fall short Of
! $4,000 or $500, 900. Passing out of town,
thas4gssl struck freight train on the Central
low: railroad lifted it clean from the tracks,
ard t.fned the cars promi5cuously around.
4bogt mile and a half below GrInnell it
strpk west-bound freight on the Rock Island
roal and removed every one Of the heavily
i loaed cars: twenty-three in number from the
trad, leaving the engine standing. The con-
duCbr of this train was fatally injured and has
trial train had his head completely
perDrated with piece of pine board.
8yond the Rock Island train no serious DAM
age was done until Malcolm was reached,
smll town twelve miles east of GrinnelL
Hee the work of destruction was re-enacted in
allts hideousness. The path of the storm was
eviently much broader here, reaching out
to he south for nearly the distance of mile.
Tb Presbyterian and Methodist churches were
aer0 had h11oip
blUn down and residences destroyed. There
wee eight lives lost at Malcolm and the imme-
disc vicinity, though the greatest devastation
wa done in the country. This little town was
melted nicely on d gentle knoll To the south
an southeast is beautiful valley, beyond
WITCH is stretch of undulating Irairie. Along
onthis prairie were located many neat farm
cottages. There is nothing left of them.
tanding in the streets of Malcolm, the writer
WIS shown the spots where the day before were
looted twelve comfortable farm houses. About
haf a mile west of the village Charley Wheeler
vas killed. Mrs. Akers and her boy Johnny
iso lost their lives here. There is sad incl
cent connected with the death of Mrs. Akers.
SIC had just closed her house in town for
tn purpose of making a visit with friends
in Illinois. Last evening she and
he boy went over to Mr.. Wheeler's to pass
th night with his people, her husband being
WITH young friend in town. Mr.. Wheeler's
house was destroyed, and Mrs. Akers' body
Wis found in ditch about ten rods away with
heavy beam of timber rasting upon her, and
horrible cash across the side of the head.
Wien the reporter left Malcolm the girl was
y& ignorant OF the fate of her mother, and
WIS playing about the streets full of childish
gbe. About three miles southeast of the town
lied the Mcclure family of ten persons. But
ole of them had been found at noon, and it is
Jared that death has overtaken them. Fifteen
niles south of Brooklyn number of deaths are
rPorted. Considering the extent to which the
pth OF the storm had spread when 1t reached
Ahlcom, its fury Is phenomenal. The debris of the
fTm-houses was scattered over the prairie for a
nile or more in southwesterly direction from
tie points at which they were located. The
lumber was splintered and fragments driven
INTO the ground with terrific force. Barbed
wre but recently put on was blown from the
fence posts and coied and twisted into divers
shapes. Telegraph poles were snapped asunder
AID spitefully stuck in the ground. The dam
age to property in and around Malcolm is esti-
mated at 800, 0GO.
The place where the storm first struck is not
definitely known. Northwest of Grinnell great
devastation is wrought and several lives are
Known to have been lost, four being reported
ked in one family. At Kellogg, station east
d Grinnell, one house was blown down. At
Sheldahl several houses are reported destroyed,
and it was probably in that vicinity that the
Arst force of the blast was felt. If there was
ever case that called for human sympathy 1t
Il the case OF these people whom misfortune
las SO suddenly overtaken.
The cyclone entered town from the west and
Airted the edge of the place, taking north
easterlv course until within about hundred
yards of the college, where it veered to the
nght making almost a complete right angle.
The width of the cyclone varied from hfty to
100 yards. more-destructive sight cannot
veil be imagined. The course is marked very
plainly by debris along its path. Among the
ruins are what was left of three pianos, also the
farcasses of many dead horses, COWS, dogs and
pigs. Household goods of every description
are scattered all over the ground. Many of
the articles are perfectly good, but of others
hardly ANYTHING is left. The debris is fright
full to behold. 1t covers a great deal Of ground
and is piled promiscuously in all directions. it
consists almost entirely of splinters and frsg-
ments. The proportion of things uninjured is
very small Many phenomenon can be OBJ
served a heavy oak plank was driven through
8 two-inch board across the grain, making as
clean a hole as if cut with chisel,
and driven several feet into the
ground. The upper story of house was
completely demolished except one wall, in which
was to be seen closet with books on the
shelves. which had not been disturbed in the
least also a stove standing near, which had
MT been moved. The stove-pipe is still up.
Strips of roofing tin were carried several hun
bred yards and wrapped around trees In an