The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-06-12
a Cyclones Terrible Havoc.

Oh u man 3 nat was seen ABOUT one
mile south west of J. q. Bulls place
which is the southwest corner OF
Chester, Iowa. The cloud suddenly
enlarged to full fledged Cyclone, of
a funnel shape, with the opening at
the top.
Those who saw it say it was about a
mile in diameter at the top and from
ten to forty rods at the ground. I'm
mediately after forming, it travelled
northeast ut fearful rate, whirling
to the right with a velocity to behold
swaying to the right and left as it
travelled and laying waste everything
in its path, it would now and then
put out an arm and gather up some
thing not in its path, and carry it to
the terrible whirling, sursing mass.
Buildings and everything else were
whirled into the air and could not be
seen until they reached the top of the
funnel, when they were carried to the
outer edge and dropped to the ground,
nearly all boards and splinters stick
ing into the ground and standing on
end.
The first thing the cyclone did, was
to strike the house and buildings of
Joe Mckee, blowing them all to at
oms, SO that one would hardly know
there ever was a house there. Mr..
Mckee and wife were blown some
distance from the house-statements
varying from 100 feet up, and were
considerably bruised, Mckee being
cut and bruised about the head. His
horses were blown about thirty rods,
being carried over an oak grove and
when found, were still hitched to q
piece of the manager. One horse was
badly hurt about the head.
1t next struck the school house in
the Green district, while school was
in session. The building was picked
up and tossed about, and then came
down, the stove smashing all to frag-
ments-then the windows caved in
and roof disappeared and the remain
der of the building was whirled into
the air, broken into splinters, and
sown over the ground for distance
of about quarter of mile and left
sticking up in the ground. The seats,
coal and out houses were also literal
ly demolished. The teacher, Miss
Mary Smith was carried about 12 rods
and left in helpless condition. The
clothing of the teacher, including her
underwear, were said to be torn into
strings and filled with splinters and
willow twigs. She was cut and bruis
ed about the head, and both arms
badly cut. A little girl by the name
of Kelley was thrown a long distance
her left eye cut out, a terrible cut or
her head, her scull crushed and mas
al bone shattered. She is in a very
critical condition and probably car
not live. All of the occupants, ten in
number, were more or less wounded
1t next entered Murray's pasture
where, were large herd Of cattle
and about dozen horses and rolled
tuMbled and carried them out Of the
pasture, severely injured some Of
them After which it blew away Pat
Noonan's barn, granary, chicken
house, and some of the roof from the
house, broke down trees and killed
most of his chickens. Made q road
through the timber to the c. NJ. e. St
p. Ry. track, blowing down the tele
graph wires, thence to Geo. LOOMS
orchard and grove west Of orchard
literally running orchard and np-root.
ling and breaking off great oak trees
west OF the orchard. 1t then jumped
across the river to o. s. Baldwin's
the horse, barn, corn-crib, machinery
and all out buildings were literally
torn to pieces, q new wagon smashed
trees up rooted and blown down and
we noticed one chicken with half Of
the feathers gone. Mrs. Baldwin wa,
awap from home, one girl at schoo
and Mr.. Baldwin and two children
ran into the celler and escaped un
hurt. A span Of mules were blown
about 80 rods.
Mrs. Hungerforti's stock barn and
hay sheds were blown to pieces and q
two year old colt killed. Chas. Ave
lry's cattle barn, granary and wind
mill were destroyed. Hutchinson't
cattle barn and wind mill were gath
cred in by an arm OF the cyclone and
carried into the awful whirling mass
Jacobson's buildings were all delnol
ished, Mr.. jacobson was severely in
jnred. He had q splinter:run into hi,
head. 1t was thought that recovery
would be impossible, but he was ia
ken to Frances Halls house and 9
physician secured to dress his wounds
1t is possible he may recover. Art
Lawson's barn, granary and the west
side Of his house were blown away
and it is said that several hogs were
killed and all of the chickens had the
Feathers entirely blown off from them
Hulver had barn, out buildings and
side Of house blown away. After thi,
terrible destruction, the large black
mass was seen to rise and move over
the timber toward Spring Valley, and
when, as was supposed it was about
east Of that place, it suddenly drop.
ped, q great cloud, as of smoke ascen.
ded into the air and thus disappear
ed this terrible sDectre.
There were some very peculiar fea.
lures connected with this storm; Joe
Mckee's bedding was strewn for 2 OF
3 miles-a pair Of scissors q piece oil
calico and some dishes, that did not
belong there; at .. s. Raldwin's. AT
one place u calf was hitched to tree
viii; 9 rope, ami it was lifted and
blown through the treetop and put
down on the other side of the tree. II
would have been hung, except for
the fact that the tree was partly
blown down, which left the animal
sufllcient length Of rope TO reach the