The record-union., 1895-05-04
A Terrible Cyclone Passes Over
Northwestern Iowa.
WHOLE COUNTRY IN THE PATH OF
THE STORM DEVASTATED.
schoolhouses, Residences and Barns
In Large Number Wrecked - ne
Town of Perkins Reported to have
Been Almost Wiped Out-The Death
List Estimated to be at Least Fifty
"A Number of Bodies Recovered.
srecial to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

"A Number of Bodies Recovered.
Srecial to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
OMAHA, May 3.-A special to the
Omaha Bee from Sioux City. Iowa. says
dispatches were received there by the
Sioux City and Northern Railroad Com
pany at 4:l0 this afternoon from the agent
at Sioux Center, forty-five miles north
east Of here, telling of terrible cyclone
near there, in which o number OF people
were killed and injured, and much prop
erty destroyed. The wires were blown
down, and telegraphic reports are conse-
quently very meager.
The first dispatch received by the
Northern Road said the cyclone passed
three miles northeast of there. School
houses near the town were destroyed,
teachers were killed and a number OF
children were injured and killed. The
whole country in the path of the storm
was devastated. The Sioux City and
Northern track between Perkins and
Doom was washed out for several miles.
Dispatches from Sioux Center at $50
p. NJ. say three schoolhouses and at
least twenty residences and barns
swept away. AT the schoolhouses .wo
teachers and three pupils were killed and
many injured. Two women were found
dead about 6 o'clock not far from the
point where one of the school buildings
stood.
The man who arrived in Sioux Center
late in the evening reported that his
house was blown away and his family
killed. He himself escaped, and reports
that at least two or three hundred people
have been killed. Parties have been
sent out from Hull. Sioux Center and
Orange City, neighboring towns. but
their work is being carried on in total
dark ness, in the midst of q tremendous
wind and rainstorm. 1t is consequently
progressing slowly. A number of bodies
have already been recovered, although
the exact number cannot be learned.
Everyone is violently excited. and def
mite facts cannot be obtained. 1t is said
that Perkins, small town between Sioux
Center and Doom, was directly in the
path of the storm, and was almost en-
tirely wiped out. The wires leading to it
are all down, the railroad tracks are
washed out, and the wagon roads cannot
safely be travelled over, owing to the
manner in which they were quilted by
the rain. It is consequently no easy mat
ter to reach it. Physicians have already
been sent out from Hull, Orange City
and Sioux Center, but are finding every
conceivable obstacle in their effort to
reach the scene of the storm. Help mas
been refused from here, but if the same
character of reports continue to come in
train may be sent out. No one seems
TO know exactly what was the track of
the storm.
LATER.-Definite reports are beginning
to come in as to the path followed by the
cyclone The storm originated about q
mile and half southwest of Sioux Gen.
ter. 1t moved from there in a north
easterly direction, and passed through
Perkins, small town six miles north of
Sioux Center. After passing Perkins
nothing was heard of any damage. Later
in the evening, however. news was re-
ceived from Sibley to the effect that a
storm struck there about 5 o'clock, de-
stroying the house of John Watterson,
killing Mrs. Watterson and injuring
Watterson and his son.
No names can yet be learned Of the
people injured about Sioux Center and
Perkins. The Sioux City and Northern
train which arrived at 10 o'clock this
evening, brought in several passengers
who witnessed the storm. They reported
that thirteen dead bodies had been
brought into Sioux Center at 6 o'clock.
They estimated that fifty people must
have been killed.
The northern train barely escaped a
amash-up in a washout near Doom, but
was stopped by the section hands before
It passed upon the dangerous territory.
The death-roll, SO far as known, is:
Mrs. John Foster, Mrs. Post, Miss Anna
Marsden, Charles Marsden. George Mars
men, child of A. Verhoff, two children
,of l.. B. Coombs, Miss Mamie S. Haggie
and five brothers, Jameson and two
Roster children.
These deaths were all in the vicinity OF
Sioux Center. The names of few In
jured near Sibley, where considerable
damage was done by the storm, are not
known.
Besides John Watterson. who was
killed by flying timbers, Herman Bel
knap, a farmer near Sibley, was killed
by lightning and Mrs. Frey and the
Rossburg brothers were badly hurt
1t appears that the storm originated
three miles northeast of 1reton, passing
in northeastern direction, passing Sioux
Center about three miles west and pass
ing near Perkins. It first struck the
ground some miles southwest OF Sioux
Center, in the Coomb bs district, and from
there to Perkins, distance of twelve to
fifteen miles, not a building was left
standing in the path.
The most unfortunate thing of all was
that its course was on the section lines OF
ahe schoolhouses, and so far two teachers
are known to have been killed-a 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 left 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 schoolnouse where George Mars
den was teaching not vestige of the
building remains, and Mr.. Marsden was
found some distance away in field dead,
together with two scholars. Two little
girls of John Ebsten, belonging to the
same school, where found clinging to-
gether where they had been driven into a