The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-06-30

The Extent Of the CaIamity-An APP
peal for Aid.

xVWA 1VhNAOVe
The Extent Of the CaIamity-An APP
peal for Aid.
DEs MorNEs Iowa, June TO-
The folio wing appeal for aid has been issued:
To the Public After two days and nights
spent in traverslng 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 to oil parts
of 1t, find the condition Of the stricken people
GUS help that l send this appeal to the people of
the United States in their behalf. Ths tornado
made q swath of destruction through
the thckly-settled portion Of Iowa some
$50 miles in length, and IN average
Of half mile in width, extending
the State, and swept in the shape Of . crescent
to South English, in Keokuk county, in the
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 fifth of them fatally. Over 800 families
have had their homes totally destroyed, and
there are now at least 1900 homeless and in
want. The loss in property will exceed o., 000.
900 and may reach *3, 900, 900. In the town Of
Grinnell alone over S400, 900 in property was
destroyed, on none OF which there was cent
Of Insurance. as in the case Of fires. 1t will
take at least $500, 900 TO put the people there
beyond need and distress. Il will take $780,
900 at once to put the wounded people in con-
dition to be cared for. 1t will take 81 ,000, 900
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 Mones and Of Iowa are re-
spending generously. The citizens of this city
have sabsc5i n ed s. ooo this morning. and win
mako s2o,ooo before before night, IN money,
clothing beside. But it will take the help of
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 is 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 and
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 $50
OF its homes, manned and mutilated 200 moro
OF its people, many Of whom Will soon die, and
all of whom must be cared for for months, and
wiped out totally nearly $500, 900 in uninsured
property.
Iowa College has had all its buildings de-
stroyed. it's 400 students made homeless and
has suffered loss OF $4,000 in uninsured
property.
The condition OF other towns and farming
communities is fully as 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 81 000-
600 to do Ii, even to halfway comfort and
recompense them and the people OF the State,
who have always borne their share and done
their part in all national calamities, may fifty
ask the people OF other communities to help
them in this hour OF great calamity to many Of
the worthlest Of its people, aud to this end ask
J NV fall Of IA thrnnnh ha TOD
States to place these facts before their readers,
and to give their timely help to Its sufficient
purpose OF raising and providing aid at the
earliest moment possible
The fury and power Of this utter calamity
were al indescrbable 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 .
shred OF furniture as large az Q skein OF silk,
and hundreds have no clothing left except the
night-clothes they had on. Cases Of eIcep-
! tional 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
human heart. The wounds inflicted by the
debris that filled the air like chaos, by the cleo
trio balls Of fire that seemed TO traverse every
inch OF space and that exploded with fearfully-
fatal effect, will, many OF them, defy all skill
and nursing even with the tenderest care.
| The fury Of the storm, which was clearly Of
electric origin, and which, indeed, may be
described as having been electricity itself, pre-
cipitated In chaos, may be understood from
the statement that, in various places, it took
up In its greater spirals or tunnels houses
q 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 tho
foul and pervading odors that are being given
on by Che millions Of toas or decxying matter
left in the wake Of the tornado. The horrors
Of the storm, the unspeakable cruelties that it
inflicted, the ptiless woe OF its coming in the
night, when the dead were not known and the
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, and immediate help.
Remittances may be made to Hon. J. b.
Grinnel, at Grinnell, or the Mayor Of Grin
nell.
write from the knowledge Of two whole
days and nights spent on the scene OF desola-
ton and among the dead and wounded. and
tell the facts OF the multitude Of horrors simply
~ they are, feeling that they will themselves
best appeal to the country and most effectually
aid the sufferers. j. s. CLARKsON,