The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-07-08
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.


OF tu9
Escap~s and Horrible Dsaths.
FONDA, Iowa. July 7.-One Of tho most
dreadful calamIties In tho history OF the
state visited this section last evening.
Owing to tho demoraiiEed condition OF the
telegraph wircs, II Is impossible rs yet To
get all details. As far as can bo learned
tho cyclone started southwest Of here
about o'clock last evening, swept almost
due east. lcvclins everything In its track
for width OF 100 yards, killing and
manning inhabitants In towns and thickly
populated farming districts. The loss of
life is known to be very great. though
actual details are far from full aud the
loss Of property is beyond estimation. As
far rs heard from the calamity took its
most frishtful form at the village OF Pom
eroy, town OF about 90) population.
Reports received are TO the effect that
the entire town, except 20 houses, was
swept from tho face Of the earth. hum
dred people killed and 600 injured. many
OF whom will die. As soou as the news OF
the disaster was learned special trains
with physicians and nurses went from
here and Fort Dodge. and every able
bodied man in tho vicinity lent helping
hand to the wounded and dying. The
"Suoool Wrtu isths tbc
streets beseeching help. II was several
hours before the condition of affairs was
known. The town was in total darkness
the streets filed with wrecked homes and
business houses. The scenes were ap-
in the debris.
In some instances entire families werc
wiped out and their mangled remains
found In the ruins Of their homes. The
work OF rescue was slow. and train loads
OF helpers made little headway. The
south half Of the town was razed. A
church just outside the track Of the storm
was turned into hospital. Here surgeons
worked by the aid OF lanterns and lamps.
Those with broken bones were stretched
upon pews. while those less severely in.
. jured were compelled to lie OH the floor
and await their turns. The dead wcro
laid out upon the ground in vacant lot
at the edge OF the devastated district.
Through aisles between the bodies sur
vivors passed looking for lost ones.
Al the approach of the storm, which
took on . greenish tint. followed by dark.
ness and what appeared to he column of
smoke. many sought shelter and others
mounted horses to fee from the path of
destruction. The relief party worked un-
der the direction of Vice President Harra-
han Of the Illinois Central railroad, y ho.
with party Of officials. narrowly escaped
the cyclone, reaching here few minutes
after il passed. The tornado passed west
and south Of this place, demolishing build
ines and groves and killing and injurinR
many persons.
Mrs. Mersham, south of this place, was
in the throes OF confinement at the time
and was blown away. II is reported four
Of the Burgess family near Auerila were
killed. II 10 believed several houses were
wrecked and are yet unheard from. The
cyclone WAS followed by heavy rain. The
storm passed very near the city Of Chero.
kee which, however, experienced n heavy
rain and hail storm, some hail stones be-
ing 40 large as turkey eggs. To show the
velocity of the wind an iron cylinder in "a
threshing machine was tori out and car.
ried 20 yards.