Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-07-13
POmeroy Nearly Wiped Out.

IORT DODGE. IA, July I.-IOmerOV.
town of 900 inhabitants in Calhoun
county. was practically wiped out at Z
o'clock Thursday evening by a tornado.
Between fifty and sixty people were
killed and nearly 100 were injured,
many of whom will die. The utmost
confusion followed the advent of the
storm and it was several hours before
the condition of affairs there was
known. AS soon as the true state of
affairs was learned relief trains over
the Illinois Central We're sent out with
a corps of physicians, tents and pro-
visions.
The town was in total darkness and
the streets were filled with the wrecks
of homes and business houses. The
scenes We're appalling as men with
lanterns went about in the debris In
some instances entire families were
wiped out, the nangled remains being
found in the ruins of their homes.
The cries of the injured were heart
rending. and the general confusion
was increased by the wailing of the
survivors who were separated from
friends or who had relatives in the
wrecks. The work of rescue was slow
and the train load of helpers made lit
tie Roadway.
The south half OF the town was
RACED. 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 a hospital.
In here the surgeons worked by the
aid of lanterns and lamps. Those
with broken bones were stretched
upon the long pews, while others who
needed surgical attention on less
severe injuries were compelled
to stand or lie upon the floor and await
their turn. The dead We're laid out up
on the ground in a vacant lot at the
edge of the devastated district.
Through the narrow aisles left be-
tween the dead bodies the survivors
passed looking for loved ones. In the
confusion it was impossible to secure a
list of the fatalities. All telegraph
communication was cut off, and trains
could only be run to the edge of the
town.
The storm broke about CLOCK. All
day long the clouds were scurrying
across the sky. An occasional shower
would be followed by a hot burst Of
sunshine. Just before dark great banks
of black clouds massed in the south
west and another in the west. Just be-
fore o'clock the threatening piles
moved toward one another and then
Joined The clouds took on green
tint, which was pierced with the
suns rays for moment. Then
darkness set in rapidly. The
elements seemed to form about the
combined clouds, though scarcely a
breeze stirred the tree tops in the
streets of Pomeroy. Those who were
watching the phenomena say that a
column of smokelike cloud dropped to
the ground and gathered in strength
as it advanced toward the town. They
recognized it as tornado and gave the
alarm. Many sought shelter in cellars
and others mounted horses to flee from
the path of the coming destruction.
There was a dash Of hail, binding
flash of lightning, and a deafening
peal OF thunder.
Men and women ran wildly about
the streets shouting and gesticulating
The tornado struck the town at the
southwest among the scattering
houses in the outskirts. Roofs and
shingles and sides of building were
wrenched loose and were thrown to
one side. On to the more densely
populated district the monster of de-
struction swept, 1eveling all before it
and leaving in its wake a cloud Of
splinters and wrecked homes, death
and demoralization.
Whole families were In many In