Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-06-29
IN Iowa Town Destroyed by
a Terrible Tornado.
People Manned and Killed and
Property Destroyed.
A College Annihilsted and Some Stu
dents Killed.

Saturday, June II, will be remem-
bered as day Of terror to many sec
tons of Iowa from the fearful tornado
storms which swept over them. Be-
ginning in the central western part Of the
state, crossing the Chicago and Rock
Island road near Avoca, in Pottawat-
tamie county; thence eastward and
south, crossing the Chicago and North
western road between Ames and Mar
shalltown, then eastward to Grinnell,
and crossing the Chicago and Rock ISL
and road again at Malcolm; thence
moving to the southwest. So far as can
be ascertained, along this route the
same storm center moved, but with
unequal force. In Fottawattamie
county but parativoly little dam
age was done, beyond the leveling of
fences, trees, and telegraph wires. 1t
swirled with gathering powers until it
reached the line of the Chicago and
Northwestern road, when it began to
destry. Buildings were damaged, trees
broken, and miles of telegraph poles
Frustrated.
Passing on, it localized at about six
miles northwest of Grinnell, into one
of these funnel-shaped concentrations
of lightning, wind, rain, mud and de-
struction, which have come to be
dread and terror. 1t swooped down on
that beautiful little city about $50, and
in less than fifteen minutes, swept
out of existence nearly 100 homes,
where all that culture and refinement
could suggest. For fifty rods wide in
the north part of the city, it is impos-
sible to conceive of destruction so terri
BILE and complete. Large and elegant
mansions were crushed to splinters, and
scattered over the earth. Everything
they contained, furniture, clothing, ETC.,
was likewise reduced to fragments. On
two whole blocks nothing can be found
to mark dwelling-place but the cellar
excations. / have followed the tracks
of several of these tornadoes, but never
found the debris SO little scattered. 1t
is usually carried long distances, and
in large fragments. But here every
thing was ground and pulverized on
the spot. The track of the storm con-
tains nearly the entire material of the
structures and their contents. 1t seems
to have bad terrific explosive power,
and gentleman who watched it from
a favorable position says it was dense
black mass on the outer surface, but
the center was a livid glare of electric
light heightened by constant explo-
sions like hand grenades. 1t was on
this two blocks of most complete de-
struction of property that there was the
smallest damage to life and person. for
the people took refuge in their cellars.
There is the only place of safety in
such a Storm nothing on top Of the
earth can stand up against it; and yet,
when going to the site of dwelling
where the mother or father were
searching for something to save, if pos
sibe, of what was their home, and they
would point to the spot in the cellar
where the family secreted themselves,
it seemed impossible that they were
not killed, not space enough being un-
occupied by broken timber and debris
for single child.
The beautiful college grounds, the
pride and glory of the town and the
state, is desolation. The professors
dwellings, are utterly destroyed or torn
their contents ruined. The three story
brick hall is fiat, its walls having col
lapsed and fallen inward, burying seven
students in the ruins, all of whom were
safely recovered save one, II. B. Chase,
of Storm Lake. who died on Sunday.
Another student was blown out of a
third-story window eastward, landing
several rods distant, and receiving in
juries which caused death in few
hours. His name was Buggert, of
Deep River The roof of the stone
building, or Central Hall, was taken of,
and a portion of the northwest upper
wall, which, falling into the labora
tory, compounded the chemical
which ignited, setting fire to the whole
structure, and it burned up, destroying
the meseum, library, apparatus, musi-
cal instruments. and a part of Presi-
dent Magoun's library. This building
cost $50, 900; the brick cost SIG 700.
The residences of President Magoun
and Hon. ]. B. Grinnell we're just
ontside the track of the storm. and
not injured The college grounds are
strewn with the splinters of houses,
fragments of furniture, bodies of horses,
COWS and poultry, torn and borken
trees The loss to the collage will not
be less than $4,000. The total loss to
the town will be over $500, 900. Although
nothing definite is decided, yet Presi-
dent Magoun said on Sunday that the
work of rebuilding would he COM
menced at once, and tempory quar-
tiers provided to open the Fall term.
There are no funds, yet the officers are
confident they will be provided.
The death roll in Grinnell will reach
over 50; at Malcolm II; and at points
northwest Of Grinnell, in Rock town
ship, Jasper county, Z; south of Brook
lyn, 2. 1t is likely it will be over 100.
OF the wounded there are in Ginnell
nearly $50, nearly half whom are Sc
rious, and many fatal. Over 200 dwell
ings were demolished.
The wounded at Gnnell have been
quartz. ed AT the City Hall and other
places, and are tenderly cared for.
Sunday night Superintendent II F.
Royce, as soon as he learned OF the
disaster, notified surgeons here, and at
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