The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-08


rowfu1 Cries of the Bereaved surviv-
ors-A Church Became a Crowded Hos
pital-Death Visited Other Places Also
The Worst Storm Ever Known in
Iowa.
FORT DODGE, Ia, July 7.-Pomeroy, a
town of 900 inhabitants in Calhoun coun-
ty, was practically wiped out last evening
by cyclone. Between 30 and 100 were
killed and nearly 200 were injured, many
of whom will die. The utmost confus-
ions followed the advent of the storm,
and it was several hours before the con-
dition of affairs was known. AS soon as
the true state of affairs was learned re-
lief 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 filed with
the wrecks of homes and business
houses. The scenes were appalling as
men with lanterns went about the debris.
In some instances entire families were
wiped out, the mangled remains being
found in the ruins of their homes. The
cries of the injured were heartrending,
and the general confusion was increased
by the wailing of the survivors who
were separated from friends or who had
relatives in the ruins. The work of res
cue was slow and the train load of help
| made little headway.
| The southern half Of the town was RACED.
| There was no place to care for the in
| jured, and a church which was just out
| side the track of the storm was turned
into hospital. 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 in less severe
| injuries were compelled to stand or lie
upon the floor and await their turn. The
dead were laid upon the ground in va
cant lot at the edge of the devasted dis
tr1ct. Through the narrow aisles left
between the dead bodies the survivors
passed, looking for lost ones. In the
confusion it was impossible to secure a
| list of the fatalities. Alltelegraph COM
| municatiOn was cut off, and trains could
only be run to the edge of the town.
The storm broke out about O'Clock.
| All day long the clouds were scurrying
across the sky. An occasional shower
would be followed by hot burst of sun
shine. just before dark great banks of
black clouds massed in the west and
southwest. just before I o'clock the
two threatening piles moved toward one
another and then joined. The clouds
took on green tint, which was pierced
with the sum S rave for moment. Then
| darkness set in rapidly.
| Those who were watching the phe-
nomenon recognized it as a cyclone and
gave the alarm. Many sought shelter in
cellars and others mounted horses to
| flee from the path of the coming de-
struction. There was dash of hail, a
| binding flash of lightning and deafen-
ran wildly about the streets shouting
and gesticulating.
The cyclone struck the town at the
southwest among the scattering houses
| in the outskirts. Roofs and shingles and
| sides of buildings were wrenched loose
and were thrown to one side. On to the
more densely populated district the mon
ster Of descruotion swept, leve}ling all
| before it and leaving in its wake cloud
of splinters and wrecked homes, death
| and decentralization.
DEAD AND DYING NUMBER $50.
| Summing Up the Damage in the Stricken
Counties.
DEs MONIES, Ia, July THE cyclones
last evening were the most destructive
which have visited Iowa since it's settle
ment. The storm was confined to the
northwestern quarter of the state and in
it's worst form followed very nearly the
line of the Illinois Central railroad from
Demars to Manson, 100 miles. Much
damage was done the crops and property
| east of Sioux City in Woodbury. county
and thelcounties east of Cherokee, Buena
| Vista, SAGA, Calhoun and Pocahontas
were devasted to great degree. Some
| damage was done outside of this terri
| tory. Reports tonight show that at
Pomeroy SO persons were killed, Is were
| fatally injured and $50 are suffeaing with
| broken limbs, cuts and bruises,
more or less severe, The
town of Pomeroy is one complete wreck.
| Scarcely house is left standing. Two
hundred and fifty houses were destroyed.
| The money loss on these and their con-
| tents is placed at $50O,060. Eight per-
| sons were killed and three fatally in
! iured near Fonda and from 10 to 15 were
killed in gdfferent parts of Cherokee
county. Two were killed in Wright
county near Clarion and others near Alta.
| Gov Boies has issued proclamation
| calling upon the public for aid. Meet
| ings were held in the larger cities of the
state tonight and large sums of money
are being raised.