Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-07-13
DEATH RIDES, THE STORM.
Fifty-three Killed and Seventeen
Fatally Injured.

EaCally IQJureu.
PoMERY, Iowa, July Fifty
three dead, seventy-fve fatally
injured and $50 with broken
limbs, cuts and bruises more or
less severe. This is what the
tornado Of last night accomplished
in the matter of casualty. The
town Of Pomeroy is one complete
wreck. EThere is scarcely house.
left standing. About fifteen acres
of debris constitute now what was
yesterday a thriving village.
ESplinters are. all that remain.
Scarcely a tree remains. Piles of
broken timbers. and occasional
pirces of furniture are allthat can
be found of what was once the
largest building in the place.
Two b, red and fifty honses were
in all destroyed and the money
loss on these and their contents is
placed at 100000. .
The tornado, for such it was,
came from the northwest. All who
saw it agree that it was not of
the funnel shape species but came
bounding along the prairie like a
huge ball. It was of a dark green
color and was accompanied by a
terrific noise. Many saw it when
it was. far out of town, Those
gave the, ALARM nd some were
prepared for the monster when it
reached the village. Most of the
people, however, became panic,
stricken. They ran out of their
houses and fed up the streets
crying and shrieklng till struck
by flying timbers or whirling
trees. The cooler ones, however,
especially those who were near to
them,made for two caves in the
southwest part of the town, built
especially for just such occasions
as this. Into one of these ives
collected 25 people and in .nother
one fifth. All escaped without a
scratch. 1t is pretty well agreed
that the tornado struck the town
about $50 o'clock. Half an hour
before this it was exceedingly hot
and sultry ..and save for a few
small clouds there was no evidence
of the approaching whirlwind. The
Cyclone was but of few minutes
duration and was followed by a
terrific rainstorm which continu-
ed at intervals more or less
throughout the night. The pain of
the storm seemed to be about an
eight of a milo wide and twenty
miles long.
The death list outin the country
is. heavy and many of the neigh
boring towns report many
casualties. In Fairfield, in the
county, the Lumber of dead is
fifteen. Eight more are reported
killed at Storm Lake and many
other places give notice of one or
two deaths. 1t was not until noon
to-day that the work of rescue
began. By that time there was a
good supply of doctors, not large
enough, however, to care for the
wounded. The ladies of Fort
Dodge went as nurses and there
was plentiful supply of bedding
and food. AS rapidly as possible
the injured were taken to the inn
provised hospitals and given
medical attention. The buildings
were inadequate TO the needs of
the injured. A company of
militia from Fort. Dodge brought
their tents and these were used
for hospital purposes. The Heat
of the sun was very great, the
thermometer rising among the
nineties. The tents were very
hotand deaths among the injured
were very frequent. The intense
heat made it impossible to keep
the bodies of the dead and those
that were not claimed by relatives
or friends and by them buried or
taken away by noou were placed
in the graveyard by the officials.
Forty graves were dug ard filled
with the dead up to 9 o'clock this
evening, and at that hour the
lifting lanterns in the cemetery
showed plainly that the work Of
burial was going on still.
Severar little babies have been
found alive end we'll but it has
been impossible to find parents
for them.