Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-05-08
SWEPT BY CYCLONE.
Between 200 and 800 Persons
Killed in Iowa.
Sioux County Swept from Northeast to
Southwest.

Sioux City, Ia, May 1.-Two hundred
people were killed by a cyclone that swept
through Sioux county from northeast to
southwest an hour before sunset yester,
day. The territory devastated is as rich
and populous as any in Iowa, but as the
storm mainly kept clear of the railroad
tracks and telegraph lines it will be
many hours before the extent of the ruin
is known or list of the victims can be
compiled. The towns of Sioux Center,
Ireton. Orange City, Perkins, Doone, Hull,
Sheldon, Alton and Lemars were almost
directly in the path of the cyclone. Fa-
talities have already been reported from
Sioux Center, Ireton, Orange City and
Perkins. How many of the thrifty coun-
try folk on the busy farms between these
little towns met death in the rushing wind
can only be cOnjectured. The cyclone
was followed by Il furious wind and rain
storm which had not abated in violence
at midnight. In the wind and rain and
darkness the resculng parties are making
slow progress, while particulars of the ca
tastrophe are not to be had at all. Tele-
graph lines are down throughout the
county and railroad tracks are washed out
in many places
The death roll so far as known is:
MRS. JOHN ROSTER.
MRS. POST.
MISS ANNA MARsDEN.
CHARLES MARSDEN.
GEORGE MARSDEN.
4 CHILD Of A. yerhoff;
Kiss MAMIE S. HAGGIE AND FIVE
BROTHERS.
MIR. JAMESON.
TWO ROSTER CHILDREN.
These deaths were all in the vicinity of
Sioux Center, Ia.
Sioux Center, Ia, May 4.-One of the
most destructive and terrific cyclones that
ever visited Northwest Iowa passed
through this section yesterday afternoon.
The storm originated northeast of Ire
ton. 1t first struck the ground some
miles southwest of here in the Coombs
district and from there to Perkins, a
distance of twelve to fifteen miles, not q
building was left standing in it's path
The most unfortunate thing of all was
that its course was on the section line Of
the schOolhouses, and so far two teachers
are known to have been killed-Miss
Anna Marsden and her brother, with from
one to four children at each school. Four
schoolhouses, where school was in session,
were entirely wiped from the face of the
earth, not a vestige LETT except a few
rocks to mark where they stood and
the scholars carried from a quarter to
half mile where they were found, some
dead and others badly mangled.
At the Haggie schoOlhOuse. where
O6OISe A1dISUtu WAS ltdCuIlS. uOI Il NeS-
tlge of the schOOlhOuse remained and Mr..
Marsden was found some distance in
a field dead, together with two scholars.
Two little girls of John Roster belonging
to the same school were found clenched
together where they had been driven into
a wire fence, covered with mud, and are
expected to die. Two sons of G.. E. Rag-
gle. belonging to the same school. had
both legs broken and are otherwise badly
injured.
One man who arrived in Sioux Center
late in the evening reported his house was
blown away and his family killed. He
himself escape and reports that at least
200 or 300 people have been killed.
Parties have been sent out from Hull
Sioux Center and Orange City. but their
work is being carried on in total darkness
in the midst of a tremendous wind and
rain storm. 1t is consequently progress
ing slowly. a number of bodies have
already. been recovered. although the ex-
act number cannot be learned
Sioux Falls, S. D., May 4.-West Sioux
Fails, a suburb three miles from here
and vicinity presented rather a forlorn
appearance last night. Late in the after
noon q cyclone dropped to the earth and
after devastating mile square went into
the air again. The big iron bridge was
tossed into the river, big resort of Ques-
tiOnable character was unroOfed, the car
riage works, two buildings and 100 com
pleted buggies were wrecked. The chain
mortising works, three-story brick build
ing, 800 by rs feet, lost the whole third
story. The oatmeal mill and waterworks
pumphouse was unroofed. Barns, trees
six inches in diameter, sheds, windmills,
chimneys in reach, were twisted and de-
molished. The damage is placed at $50
900. A man named Arthur is the only
person hurt. He sustained a severe cut
in the face and his nose was broken.
1t raiped torrents for twenty minutes,
about an inch and half of water fall
ing. There was some hail but 40 damage
done by it.