Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-09-28
FIFTY KILLED.
Victims Of The Tornado in Iowa
and Minnesota.
A PATH OF DESOLATION

The Storm Swept Two Hundred
Miles Through Both States. De-
Vastating Fa ms and Villages
Groves of Trees Moved as
by a SCythe.
Between and II o'clock Friday night a
narrow strip OF country 200 miles long was
laid waste by hurricane which in many
places developed into regular tornado In
the path Of the "twister' are ruined towns,
devastated farms and many dead and injured
people. Starting about ten miles south CT
Spencer. in Northwestern Iowa, the storm Of
wind at o'clock began its wtrk OF destruc-
ton. Taking everything before it, it swept
across the State Just north OF Emmettsturg
and Algona. wiping out tho little town OF
Cylinder, but mostly injuring the country
districts.
After passing by Mason City and running
the country northwest of Usage it bore of 10
the northeast, crossing the Minnesota line,
and soon after 10 o'clock wrecked the little
town OF Leroy Here a bad fire added to the
destruction. Spring Valley was right in the
path of the tornado and suffered severely.
Turning again TO The east, the little towns Of
Homer and Lowther were badly damaged.
After crossing the Mississippi riycrand doing
considerable damage 10 farm uiIdings near
Marshland. Wis. the storm seemed 10 have
spent lis force. A smaller storm did some
damage to Dodge Centre, which was not in
the path Of the main tornado. The path OF
the storm was not wide, but it had all the
characteristics of the deadly tornado and the
dimensions Of Il cyclone
Just how many lives have been lost is still
uncertain. but the reports received up to .
o'clock indicate that certainly not less than
50 are dead. while some reports place the
number at from so to 100.
Eliminating all apparent Implications of
name, OF dead, following is fairly accurate
Near Algona 13; north OF Wesley Is; north
Of Britt, 0; at Leroy, 3; at Spring Valley, 3;
near Usage, 5; north OF Mason City,
Total, 50.
ALGoyA. Iowa. Sunday was day OF
sorrow for Kossuth county Nineteen fun
erals were held.
The injured are reported as thirty-nnc in
number
Prof A. J. Lilly. Of Northern Iowa Normal
School. came in from Garner and reports IL
dead in Ellington township. north Of Garner
Is near Manley, Ellington township; l6 north
OF Britt. Cofiins for the dead are piled up al
every station and scenes OF the widest grieI
are being enacted The storm as witnessed
from this place was one Of indescribabl(
grandeur.
A funne-shaped cloud, of nky blackness
swept along 10 the northwest. Illuminated by
almost continual flashes Of lightning and
roar OF thunder that was deep and contlnu-
Gus. The opera house was packed with
people to witness popuiarplay, and Il panic
was almost occasioncd by the warning ele-
ments
Robert Stevenson living about four miles
north of Whittemore. vas :he first victim
He was hit in several places and was fatally
Injured. HIS grave looked as though it lad
been moved down by scythe.
Calvin Barracks house. on the Henry
Durant place, was made in.o kindiing wood
in an instant. and all OF the fourteen occu-
pants but two children were injured. Mrs.
Barrick was hurt in the back by timber, anC
Der spine was so injured that her body ant
lower limbs were paraIyzed. \ siX-year-o'
boz named Charles Lee was hit on the hea(
anl will die.
The house OF Frederick Pompe was com
rleely demolished, but his vile and hy'
children came out Of the wreck un
hurt The force Of the wind was such tha
the barbed wire was stripped from the posts
At George Holman's the roof OF his hous
went leaving the walls standing, and th
whole family was carried up from be'weel
the wall, away about thirty miles, one OF th'
children being killed.
N. W. Ferguson's family WAS carried som'
distance through the air aad all but one
landed in a willow hedge. The baby went
lpfle further and was found seated on 1
pieco OF roof
The wife Of Swan Peterson bad her skGl
cut open in two places and some exposed
rats Of her head were literally packed Wit
sand, plaster, hair and grass.
Tho scepo OF desolaton was visited al da
b. great crowds, every available conveyanc
te!nc chartered. The damage to prorert
vii no. bo less than ;lO) 900. Most OF tn
farmers we're we'll 10 10, with snug tan
aoconnts. and others were wealthy, but mum
>e.3 o. tA9 victims who were renters, los
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