Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-07-14
A TERRIBLE TORNADO.
Fifty-Three Persons Dead in the
Town of Pomeroy, Iowa.
Cattle and Horses Killsd and crops
Ruined.

despatch from Pomeroy, Iowa, says
Firty-three persons dead, seyenty-fve iata'ly
injured and 10 with broken limbs, cuts ana
bruises more or less severe. This is VIVA
the tornado accomplished In the matter Of
casualty.
Several little babies have been found alive
and well. but it has been impossible 10 nno
parents for them.
The town of Pomeroy is one complete
wreck. There is scarcely house lett stano-
inc. About fifteen acres Of debris constitute
now what was q thriving village. spinters
are all that remain. Scarcely tree remains.
Piles of broken timbers and occasional
nieces of furniture are all that can be found
of what was once the largest buildings 10 the
Mace. Two hundred and fifty houses were
In all destroyed and the money loss on these
and their contents s placed at OO,Oo9.
EVERYWHERE about Pomeroy were dead anu
diving people, q dozen men were ueNinS 'i .il
graves in he burying ground on tne NH Jus.
north OF the village and the hearse was KEEP
hrsv carrying the victims of the Storm 70
their last resting place. Doctorsf o a doz
or more places hurried through the streets,
and in the wake followed squIds OF SOLDIERS
carving coffins. Special trains from al
surrounding towns brought thousan is Wn"
we're ready to tlke part in the work OF caFin5 5
for the dead and wounded.
Clothing food and medicines were snlppcd
| In by the ION. Soon order was brougnt ouG
of chaos. Relief corps were orga AZeu, ana
things were going along in business IKE way
Tne night in Pomeroy is one thar wiz
never / forgv vtten by those VINO were neie;
Darkness followed quickly in the wake %
the tornado, and those VINO escapeu uea.n a
and injury were compelled to grope their
wav among the ruined homes, uide1 alone
by the cry of some poor unfortunate VINO
was pi. ned under the falling timbers AL
most every light of any description whaIso-
ever was destroyed and the people from Fort
Dodge and the surrounding places, VINO were
the first to reach the scene, failed 10 Drine
lanterns with them The search for the vac,
tins, therefore, was necessarily $40" I'LL
morning came.
It was not till the first streaks OF light ap
peared in the east that the enormity OF th'
disaster dawned supon the people. Every
residence o the south OF the railroad tracks
had disappeare and the spires OF sever
churches in the place that only few hour
before shot upward to the skies were no
where to be seen.
Horses and cattle lay dead in the streets
pigs stuck in the sides Of horses, and dea'
G ITS and dogs and chickens were scattere'
over the ground Pools of human bloo'
mingled with the mud at every turn, show
ing where some victim of the tornado ha
been tossed after life had bee
crushed out of him. The air was fu
of means and sighs and shrieks, and ever
other face met on the street WIS stained VII
tears.
, The Postof1lce building, but what has r.
Gently been usel as q billiari-room, WI
turned into a morgue and hospitals were e
tabished in the remaining buildings, u
biggest one being the Pomeroy Hotel. II
scene in the improvised morgue was
ghasty one. Billiard tables we;e turn'
= into slabs and on these mangled remains
the dead were placed.
/ On the tables were bodies without hea
and bodies without arms, bodies whose LEI
had been blown away by the cyclone, al
bodies with heads that had been crushed b
y yond recognition by the falling timbers.
: On one t,ble lay the remains OF an
:, woman, a hole as big as a mans fist tol
In the rear part of her head. Close by was
y baby. not more than year OF age, one OF
i legs gone and its little arm mashed 70
d jolly.