The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-07-07
CYCLONES AWFUL WORK
The Town of Pomeroy,
Iowa. Wiped Out-Ap-
pal1ing Scenes.
50 KILLED-2OO INJURED.
A Church Turned Into a Hospital
Other Towns Suffer.

FORT DODGE. Iowa. July, Z, 1888
Pomeroy. town Of 900 inhabitants in
Calhoun county. was practically wiped
out last evening by cyclone. Between
fifty and one hun dred were killed. and
nearly two hundred were ipj ured. many
of whom will die. The utmost con-
fusion followed the advent of the storm,
and it was several hours before the con-
dition of affairs there was known. AS
soon as 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 was in total darkness, and
the streets were filled with the wrecks
homes and business houses. The scenes
were appalling as men with lanterns went
about in the debris. In some instances
entire families were wiped out the
mangled remains being found in Fhe
ruins of their homes. The cries OF The
injured were heartrending, and che gen
eral confusion was increased by the
wailing of the survivors who were separ-
ated from friends or W no had relatives In
the wreck. The work of rescue was
slow, and the train-load Of help has made
little headway.
HALE THE TOWN IN RUINS.
The south half of the town was RACED.
There Is no place to care for the nJured,
and church which was just outside the
track of the storm was turned into
hospital In here the surgeons worked
by the aid of lanterns and lamps. Those
with broken bones are stretched upon
the long pews, while others who needed
surgical attention on less severe injuries
were compelled to stand or lie upon the
nd
were laid 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 1t
was impossible to secure list OF the
fatalities. All telegraph communication
was cut off, and trains could only be run
to the edge of the town.
CLOUDS GATHERING.
The storm broke about seven o'clock.
All day loug the clouds were scurrytnG
across the SKY. An occasional shower
would be followed by hot burst OF sun
shine. just before dark great banks of
and another in the west. just before
seven o'clock the two threatening piles
moved toward one another and then
ioined. The clouds took on green tint.
which was pierced with the suns rays for
a 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 P0meroy.
Those who were watching the pheno.
mena say that column of smoke like a
cloud dropped TO the gronud and
gathered in strength as IL advanced
toward the town. Tney recognized It as
cyclone and gave the alarm. Many
sought shelter IN cellars and Others
mounted horses to fee from the path of
The coming destruction. There was a
dash of hail, Il blinding fash of lightning
ana deafeniug peal of thunder.
Men and women ran wildly about the
streets shouting and gesticulating, The
cycloue struck the town at the so nth
west among the scattering houses In the
outskirts. Roofs aud shingles and sices
of buildings were wrenched loose and
were thrown on one side. On to the
more densely populated district the
monster of destruction swept, leyelling
all before it aud leaving in its wake u
cloud OF spliDters and wrecked homes,
death and decentralization.
OTHER TOWNS SUFFER.
FONDA. Iowa, July e. the tornado
passed west and south OF this place be-
tween six and seven O'Clock last evening,
demolishlng buildings and groves, injur-
ing many persons and causing the iLss
of many lives.
The course of the storm was little
southeast aud was preceded by an east
wlud and slow-movinR clouds going
westward. 1t was attended a heavy fall
OF rain and some hail ana al unusual
electrical disturbance.
1t was one OF the most terrific cyclones
ever known in this section, killing or
mutilating every living thing within it's
bounds, The width was about 1000
yards. Two women were killed and sew
eral injured. six miles south of Cherokee;
ten were killed and several injured seuth
of Aurelia, and GUS killed saud several
Injured near Storm Lake, nine killed aud
two njnred south of Fonda. The loss OF
property is beyond estimation.
The city OF Cherokee was lucky in q
narrow escape from the cyclone, but was
visited by hard rain and hailstorm,
some of the stones being as large as
turkey eggs. Windows III u passenger
train were broken by the hail.
GOVERNOR BoIEs NOTIFIED.
DE MONIES, Iowa. july z. 1893. 3.-Goy-
ernor Boies has just received a telegram
from Vice President Harrigan of the
Illinois Central now &C Pomerov, stating
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