The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-04
ACYCLONE HITS IOWA
Fifty Persons Killed, Mostly
Near Sioux Center.
scnooLnousEs BLOWN DOWN.
Teachers and Children Slain-The Big
Wind Fiattens Everything That
Is I'm Its Path.

Sioux City, Ia. May 3.-Dispatches were
received here by the Sioux City & North
ern Railway Company az 40 this afie2
neon from their agent al Sioux Center.
forty-fiye miles northeast OF here, telling
of terrible cyclone near there. in which
a number OF peoiep were killed and in
Jured and much property destroyed The
wires were blown down. and telegraphic
reports are consequently very meager.
The first dispatch received BY the North
eru road said the cyclone passed three
miles northeast OF there Schoolhouses
near the town were destroyed, teachers
were killed. and a number OF children
were killed and injured. The whole coun-
try IA the path of the storm was devas-
tated. The Sioux City * Northern track
between Perkins and Doom was washed
out for several miles.
Dispatches from Sioux Center at $50 p.
m say three schoolhouses and at least
twenty residences and barns were swept
away At the schoolhouses two teachers
and three pupils were killed and many in
jured. Two women were found dead
about O'Clock not far from the point
where one OF the school buildings stood.
One 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 peo-
pie must have been killed. Parties have
been sent out from Huh, Sioux Center
and Orange City. neIghboring towns, but
their work Is being carried on in total
darkness, In the midst OF a tremendous
wind and rain storm. II is consequently
progressing slowly. A number OF bodies
have already been recovered. although
the exact number cannot be learned. Wv
cry one Is violently excited, and definite
accounts cannot be obtained. 1t Is said
that Perkins. small town between Sioux
Center andDoou. was directly in the path
OF the STORM and was almost entirely
wiped out. The wires leading to IL 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. 1t
Is consequently no easy matter 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 has been refused
from hire. but IL the same character of
reports continue to come in. a train may
be sent out. No one seems to know ex-
actly what was the track OF the storm
lSiter-Dennite reports are beginning TO
come in as 10 the path followed by the
cyclone. The storm originated about
mile and a half southwest Of Sioux Cen
ter. II moved from there In a northeast
Perkins, small town six miles north of
Sioux Center. After passing Perkins moth
ing was heard of any damage. Later in
the evening, however, news was received
from Sibley to the effect that the storm
struck there about p. m, destroying the
house of John Watterson. killing Mrs
Watterson and injuring Watterson and
his son. No names can yet he learned of
the people injured about Sioux Center and
Perkins. The Sioux city & Northern
train which arrived al 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 O'Clock.
They estimated that fifty people must
have been killed. The Northern train
barely escaped a smashup in a washout
near Doom. but was stopped By the sec
tlon men before IL passed upon the dam
gerous territory.
The death roll so far as now known Is:
Mrs. John Roster. Mrs. Post, Miss Anna
Marsden, George Marsden. a child OF A.
verhoff. two children of l.. Il. Coombs.
Miss Mamie s. Maggie and five brothers.
- Jameson and the two Roster chill
dren.
These deaths were all in the vicinity OF
Sioux Center. The names of a few in
tured near SEbley, where considerab BILE
damage was done. are not known. Be-
sides John Watterson, who was killed by
flying timNers. Herman Belknag. a farm
err near Sihley. was killed by lightning
and Mrs. Frey and the Rossberg brothers
were badly hurt.
Wires were completely stripped from
the poles. and some poles were twisted
from the ground. Horses. cattle and We
h.cles were hurled through the air like
chaff, and the country three-uuarters Of
mile wide by half mile long, IL en-
tirely wrecked The description OF the
Heggie property and school could he re-
peated az nearly every farm. II Is i'm
possible 70 give the exact number of the
dead and wounded. Eight doctors are in
the district and will he kept busy all
night II is believed tho death roll will
reach fifteen ny morning. AT least forty
farm houses were entirely demolished and
tho nelds are strewn with the debris OF
the storm
Sihley, la, May "A heavy rain with a
violent wind prevailed here this evening.
No damage was done In the town. ex-
cept some cars blown off the track.
chiuneys blown down and windows brok-
en- A cyclone prevailed four miles west.
JOAN Wattermsn's farm building was
completely demolished, his wife killed.
and himself and son probably fatally In
tured. Near the same place Charles
Elackmore's barns were destroyed.
George HoSebfrg's buildings were all
blown away. Serious damage was done