The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-07-08
The Meager Details Received Show the
Iowa Cyclone to Have Been
Appalling.
Nearly the Entire Town OF P0meroy
In Calhoun County Was Raced TO
the Ground.
Forty Dead Bodies Taken From the
Debris--The Storm at Other
Points.

Fort DODGE, Ia, July 6.-Pomeroy,
a town of 900 inhabitants, in Calhoun
county. was practically wiped out by
the cyclone Of Thursday evening. Be-
tween 50 and go people were killed and
nearly 100 were injured, many of whom
will die. The utmost confusion fol-
lowed the advent OF the storm. As
soon az the true state Of affairs was
learned relief trains over the Illinois
Central were sent out with corps OF
physicians. tents and provisions. The
town is in darkness and the streets were
filled with the wrecks of homes and
business houses The scenes were ap-
palling as men with lanterns went
about in the darkness. In many in
stances
Entire Families Were Wiped Out,
the mangled remains being found in the
ruin of their homes. The cries of the
injured were heartrendering, and the
general confusion was increased by the
wailing of the survivors who were sep
arated from friends or who had rela-
tives in the wrecks. The work of rescue
wac slow and the train loads of helpers
made little headway.
The south half of the town was razed.
There was no place there to care for the
injured, and a church which was just
outside the track OF the storm was
turned into an hospital. Here the
surgeons worked by the aid Of lanterns
and lamps. Those with broken bones
were stretched upon the pews.
while others who needed surgical
attention on less severe injuries were
compelled to stand or lie upon the floor
and await their turn.
Rows Of Dead.
The dead were laid out upon the
ground in vacant lot at the edge Of
the devastated district. Through the
narrow aisles left between the dead
bodies the survivors passed looking for
lost ones. In the confusion it was i'm
possible to secure list of the fatalities.
Trains could only be run to the edge OF
the town.
The storm broke about o'clock. All
day long the clouds were scurrying
across the sky. An occasional shower
would be followed by hot burst OF
sunshine. just before dark great banks
of black clouds massed in the south
west, and another in the west. Just
before Z oc.ock the two threatening
piles moved toward one another and
then joined. The clouds took on green
tint, which was pierced with the sums
rays for moment Then darkness set
in rapidly. The elements seemed to
form about the combined clouds, though
scarcely breeze stirred the treetops in
the streets of Pomeroy. Those
who were watching the phenomena
say the column of smoke-like cloud
dropped to the ground and gathered in
strength as it advanced toward the
town. They
Recognized IL as q Cyclone
and gave the alarm. Many sought
shelter in cellars and others mounted
horses to fee from the path Of the com.
ing destruction. There was q dash Of
hail, binding fash Of lightning and q
deafening peal Of thunder. Men and
women ran wildly about the streets
shouting and gesticulating. The cy.
clone struck the town at the southwest
among the scattering houses in the ont.
skirts. Roofs and shingles andsssides oil
buildings were wrenched loose and
were thrown to one side. On to the
more densely populated district the
monster of destruction swept, leveline
all before il and leaving in its wake 3
cloud Of splinters and wrecked homes
death and decentralization.
The path of the cyclone was through
the counties Of Cherokee, Calhoun
Buena, Vista, Pocahontas. Ida, Sac and
Webster, the greatest loss OF life and
damage to property being experienced
in Webster county.