St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-05
UNDERWOOD ENGULFED.
A Devastating Cloudburst Wrecks
an Iowa Village.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia, June "A
devastating cloudburst early this morn
ing constitutes the third terrific storm
that has visited this section this week.
A special from Underwood, fifteen
miles north of this city, states that
about 2 o'clock this morning a cloud
burst occurred some miles north of
there, nearly over Mosquito creek. Late
in the evening heavy rain set
in growing fierce as the night
advanced. Shortly after Q o'clock,
an immense cloud was OBJ
served by the terrified villagers, COM
ing up from the west. AS it passed to
the north, it seemed to burst in fury.
The valley of Mosquito creek received
this deluge. Before daybreaK the flood
had deluged the little city. which lies
on a fiat, and all but engulfed it. When
day broke, the lower and western half
of the town presented pitiable plight.
Scores of dwellings were totally
wrecked, while others are twisted from
their foundations. At noon the waters
of Mosquito creek registered twenty
five feet above high water mark. The
lower part of the city is standing in ten
feet of water. 1t is impossible to esti-
mate the damage tonight.
Many Bridges Swept Away.
Two miles of the Rock Island track
above Underwood and for distance be-
low is submerged and probably washed
away. The Milwaukee & st. Paul,
which parallels the Rock Island, is an
equal loser. The bridges of both roads
are swept away three miles above I'm
derwood. The dwelling of Joseph Bar
rer was wrecked and its occupants mar
rowly escaped drowning. A large num-
Der of cattle and hogs were drowned.
The total loss in Underwood and vicin-
ity will aggregate S150,000. Another
special from Weston, a village seven
miles below Underwood, and on the
Mosquito creek, shows that The damage
there is not less great. The best
part of the town is under from five to
fifteen feet of water. A line of
corn cribs containing 00,000 bushels are
total loss. Heavy losses of cattle and
sheep are reported. The track and
bridges of the Rock Island and Mil
waukee roads are gone. The flour mill
at Dowesville, three miles below, is
total wreck; loss $4,000. The total
loss about Weston will reach 100000.
Further advices from higher up the
valley. at Nicola, and as far as Persia,
on the Milwaukee, state that the storm
ragged with savage effect. At Persia the
Farmers alliance lumber yard lose
$1,000, Mosquito creek is a mile
wide, and is doing much dam
age. The loss will reach
$4,000. The flood on Mosquito
creek. which flows into the Missouri at
this point, reached Council Bluffs about
noon to-day. The river reached high
water at l O'Clock. and it is eight feet
above at 9 tonight and still rising.
The valley, which varies to a mile wide,
is under water to an average depth of
fifteen feet. The indications are that
this valley for distance OF thirty miles
is submerged. The tracks of the Mil
waukee and Rock Island are washed
out for distance of twenty miles. The
bridges are also gone. 1t will be five
days before trains can leave or enter
the city. The entire damage is varlously
estimated at from S250,0O0 to 100000.
No loss of life as yet reported.