The sun., 1888-04-07
GREAT FLOODS AND STORMS.
HUCH DAMA9E DOVE AND SOME LIVES
lost IN WESTERN sTATES

HUCH DAMAGE DOVE AND SOME LIVES
L0sT IN WESTERN STATES.
yswa suSers from Sudden Freshets IN tho
Rsvers-Hard Let ot Many Fsrmers'
rauiiies-storrs In Other States.
MASON CITY, Iowa, April 8.-The greatest
frshet ever known in this county began last
night, the town OF Rock Falls on the banks OF
the Shell Rock River. experiencing 1t most dis
sstrously The iron bridge. 1856 feet long, and
the dam arc both gone. and the damage to
property there will not fall short OF $4,000.
About two weeks ago the ice In the Shell Rock
became loose and formed an immense gorge
miles In extent and some places piled up
twenty feet high. The heavy rain OF Thursday
and the foods following loosened tho gorge
and everything In its course was swept away.
At Rock Falls tho house Of Mr.. Cruikshank,
whore he lived with his wife and three chill
dren, was crushed like an egg shell. The hus-
band, hearing the roar OF the torrent, got out
OF bed. and before he could light lamp the
wster In his chamber was up to his waist. He
pushed two Of his children through n trap
door, following them, his wife with her babe
refusing to leave. The woman rushed with
hsr child to the upper story Of the house Just
as It was yielding to the force OF the flood and
escaped to the roof They all jumped on the
floating ice, where they remained for two hours
until daylight, when neighbors rescued them.
A house In which Mrs. Anderson lived with
her Ave children was swept from its foundation
and lodged against some trees, tho woman and
children escaping on the floating Ice. where
they remained barefooted and in their night
clothes until daylight, when the water receded
and they were rescued. A vacant house was
demolished. and outbuildings and stable and
sheds swept away. The large barn Of R. NJ.
Todd was carried OF: the veranda Of his ele-
eant residence was crushed and broken.
and largo cakes OF leo now cover the
porches. Tho large bridge went out
whom the the ice gorge gave way. and
portions Of the trusses and stringers are now
to be seen on tho farm of Joseph Herret. where
they were borne by the flood, two miles below
tho dam. while the tubing. considered the best
In the State. Is gone. Miles Of fences were torn
from land which the water was never known to
reach before.
When the water ressded It left immense piles
Of Ice in tho streets. Cakes three feet thick are
piled upop ono another ton to fifteen feet @ hiEh:
homss EPerret one Of the founders rs Of the
or ns
both sides Of the river they attempted to. get
iitss over. but the wind blew = gale and
te scheme was .bs red ram ram
guns and the most muscular Of men attempted
70 throw stones, with lines attached across
Ali day yesterday the leo was running and
the river was clogsed with timbers and DRIFT
wood from the damage done above stream,
se siouI UT S1T!, April s..?Ths food on the Mis-.
souri, Immediately above Sioux City has been
me S1 Of the spring Of 1851
The region i%nrndSted % is f. ths % low ol Grounds % on
the Dakota side above the ne sioux Rxer pnr go
sR.nns 81 hs Essoa below Elk Po
4ee
ed aedss 'Sn %.ts9 @'f Ek Point was annusSs
country @ " ther. is ,hictly settled. and many
farmers had already removed their live stock
but ths ood these sse
GONE live stock was lost: Just below Elk Ell
Point tas county authorities I have dug an In
Rsr to e sod sns % TS
snes ss carried na the the scsa Essr' RysT with ssss
the st. Paul Railroad bridge. There was thus
: vast river several miles wide sweeping across
so ehanse ehanne ., % the Ms ane
IN Tfh IL tore ana wss
was - washed out this slde Of EIk Point. A mile
and quarter OF the track, including railroad
saS Se road bsd snd the d
The Sioux River. swollen by the flood waters
Of The sGapay
the bridge three feet. and would have swept
TAKEN s sSsi BY the railroad railroad Company. comp ny: 40
During violent electric storm yesterday a
tornado passed over tho city from southwest to
struck in but Sne place on
rebounded in the air. passing rapidly over the
struck It piSEed up the residence Of Mark Mod:
In spd hpgled 4 tG the ground in the rear q
The house OF Mr. Richmond Was wrecked. and
barn near By was split into kinding wood
Al sibleY tornado swept over the e9untry.
% 3 %moments warning the wi wind rose from a
time chimneys. fepces; lumb and other prop;
ass on. the public school buiIdins crash
s9Sfh .hs aG asds maf sR
warehouse Of Grant & Hanna was moved from
forty-hye degrees. Reports from the rural dis
tss bring o. ssd t9 rom 1oG
DIIpHI. Ind. April S.,EA terrible wind and
rain storm passed over this place last evening.
At Sleethe, five miles north it .partook Of the
nature of a cyclone Several houses were
blown down. and freight train on the Monon
line'wss lifted from the track. No one was
injured
,tENTREv1LLE. Mich. April CA remarkably
severe thunder storm passed over this place
yesterday afternoon. doing much damage to
property and causing the loss OF three lives.
James Parsons's barn In Sherman township
vas strucE BY lightning and totally destroyed
Yakee being instantly killed at the same time
.PonT HURoN. Mich, April 6.-Last night a
Mr. Matheson and his 16-year-old son OF OIL
Springs, Ont, started to cross the river here to
Sarnia In . rowboat.. When about half way
across q sudden sQuall drove the boat against
cake OF Ice and the craft capsized. Their
cries for help could be heard as they 1oated
their assistance they yere drowned.
to-day from the country districts show that
the damage by last nights thunder and light,
ming storm was widespread. The barn OF Joe
Heinbach, near Gilbertsylle was struck AND
destroyed, together with its contents, including
the live stock. Adam Ernst's barn. near Don,
aldson, was destroyed. with it's contents. in
Guiding seven mules and two COWS. :,
The large farm house OF Adam Seaman IL
Bern township. this county, was struck anC
burned. with all the contents. The families
ded to tho houses OF the neighbors In thei