Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-13
AN IOWA CYCLONE.
Many Houses observation-disclosures arc
Ruined-SeVersi Victims spend tho
Night on Cakes of Ics.
The Water Higher at Rock Falls Than
Ever Befors Known-A Fino Iron
Bridge Carried Away.
AT sioux CITY.

Sioux CITY, Iowa, April 6.-Durlng 8
violent electr storm yesterday cyclone
passed ever the city from southwest to
northeast. The funnel cloud was seen
by many and was accompanied by 8 roar
ing noise. 1t struck but one place, il the
extreme north part of the city, and then
rebounded in the air, passing rapidly over
the western suburbs. Al the place where
the cloud struck, it picked up the resi-
dence Of Mark Modlin aud hurled it to the
ground in the rear Of the lot. hirs. Mod
lin was severely Injured. The house of
Mr.. Richmond WAS wrecked, and barn
near by wss split to kidding. Modln
says he saw two clouds form srd meet,
and in moment the house was hurled
from its foundation.
At SIbley q tornado swept over the
country doing much damage to property.
Without moments warning the wind
rose from slight breeze to hurricane
and in short time chimneYs, fences,
lumber and other property were torn
from their places and hurled through the
air. A large chimney on public school
building crashed through the roof iuto
the midst of teacher's institute, but
aside from few slight bruises no one
was hurt. The agricultural warehouse CT
Grant & Hanna was moved fc0m itg
foundation and now STANDS at IN sngle
Of 45'.
Reports from the rural districts bring
intelligence of damage to stock. The
house OF jacob Brooks WAS lifted from
its foundation AMI torn into fragments.
MANY NARROW EsCAPKs.
MASON CITY, Iowa, Ap-il 6-The
greatest freshet ever known IN this county
was experienced last night. The town Of
Rock Falls, on the banks of Shell Rock
river, experiencing it most disastrously.
An iron bridge l55 feet long and dam
are both gone. The damage to properly
there will not fall short Of S25.00O The
ice gorge came down the river
with such force that everything
in Its course was swept away. The
village Of Rock Falls was completely in
undated, and houses and barns were
crushed and swept away. Ths house of
Mr.. Crulkshsnk, where he lived with his
wife cad three children, WAS crushed like
sc egg shell. The husband hearing he
roar If the torrent got out Of bed and be-
fore he could light q lamp the water
il his chamber was up to bis waist. He
pushed two OF his children through a
trap. door, following them, his wife with
her bsta refusing TO leave. The woman
rushed with her child to the upper stary
of the house, just as 1t was yielding to
the force of the food, and escaped through
tae roof by Jumping on floating ice, where
they remained for two hours, until day.
light, when the neighbors rescued tdem
A house in which Mrs. Anderson lived,
win five children, WAS
SWEPT FROM ITS FOUNDATION
aud tiosted against some trees where it
lodged, the women and children escaping
on floating ice where they remained bsIe-
footed aud in their night clothes until
daylight when the water reCeded and they
were rescued. The large bridge Uent
out when the ice gorge gave way and
portions OF the truSses and stIingers are
now on the farm of Joseph Rerret where
they were borne by the food two miles
below the dam, and the tubing consid-
ereilIhe best in the state is gone. Miles
of fences we're tern from land where
water was never known to reach be-
fore. When the water receded it
left Immense piles OF ice in the streets.
Hugh cakes three feet thick sre piled on
one smother ten to fifteen feet high, snd
IL will be therefore weeks before they
melt a.; d make the streets psssable. 1t
looks like an immense arctic scene with
the root of houses protruding through.
All day yesterday the ice was running,
and the river was clogged with tim6ers
and drift wood from the damage inflicted
above. which must have been great.
COPELAND Smith, who has just returned
from the scene says he hes lived in Ger
70 Gordo county nearly fi..y years, but
never ssw the water SO high or so much
devastation d, ne before. A large relief
party left here for Rock Falls to-day pre-
pared to attend to the wants OF the SUI
ferers.
AT DELPHI.
DELPHI, IND, April GA terrific wind
and rain storm passed over tnis plsce last
evening. at Sleeths, five miles north, it
parscok Of the nature Of cyclone. Sew
EAral houses were blown down and
freight trsir or the Monon line was lifted
fram tho track M one wkG iniUTnd