The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-05-22
SWEPT BY THE TORNADO
Scenes Of Suffering and Ruin in the
Storms Track.
SCHOOL HOUSES DESTROYED

clone That Devastated Sioux County
Iowa---Thrilling Story OF Survivors,
The Country strewn With the Bodies
OF Domestic Animals.
Probably a hundred persons we're killed
by a cyclone that passed through Sioux
County. Iowa, from southwest to northeast
An hour before sunset. Half score OF pros
perous little hamlets were touched by
the flying storm and hundreds OF
farms were laid waste. The territory
devastated is as rich and populous as any In
Iowa, but the storm mainly kept clear OF
the railroad tracks and telegraph lines A
pitiful feature of the disaster was the num-
DER OF youthful lives crushed out by
the cruel wind. Four school houses
near Sioux Centre were destroyed
while school was in progress, and at each
one from three to ten children were killed
or injured. Many Of the children were car
ried from a quarter to half mile before they
we're dropped. Two little daughters OF John
Roster. a farmer, near Sioux Centre, were
picked un as they were leaving the school
house and dashed into wire fence and both
killed.
Two sons of c. n. Hagcle, at the same
school house, had their legs broken and re-
,eived other fatal injuries. MIR. Haggle's
house Is near the school and. although he
escaped. his daughter was fatally injured.
The towns Of Sioux Centre, 1reton, Orange
City. Perkins. Doom, Hull. Sheldon, Alton,
Ashton. Sibley and Lemars were almost en-
tirely in the path of the cyclone. Fatalities
were reported from Sioux Centre, Ireton,
apI
The cyclone was followed by a furious wind
and rain storm. Telegraph lines and rail-
road tracks were disabled. Tho fatalities in
the various towns are estimated rs follows:
Sioux Centre fifty dead: Perkins, forty dead;
Doom, ten dead; Sibley. five dead.
No intelligent estimate of the damage in
aicted can be made. but it will reach into
the millions. A curious feature otthe cyclone
was the accompaniment OF electric violence
Many deaths by lightning were reported. Nu-
nerous victims were found lodged in the trees,
where thew had been hurled by the storm
| and fatally injured. Two grown boys, who
aad come from field near Alton at the ap-
proach of the storm. were injured while In
The barnyard. one fatally.
Wires were completely stripped from the
ooes. and in some places the posts were all
| .aken from the ground. Horses, cattle and
| vehicles were hurled through the air like
| ,haff, and the country for three-quarters OF
| mile wide and many miles m length Is en-
;irely wrecked. Where fine residences had
stood could be found nothing but cellar
hole and in some cases q few twisted tim
| oers.
| At Sioux Centre all the business houses
we're closed between 2 and 5 o'clock p. m,
aext day. and five funerals took place dur
Ing that time.
Mayor Robbie, Of Sioux Centre, telegraphed
| 10 Sioux City for assistance. asserting that
money, food and household supplies are
argently needed. II is estimated that 81. 200
will be required to properly care for the sut-
icrers. Fully one thousand families in the
neghoorhood of Sioux Centre are destitute
and homeless. A mass meeting was called
by the Mayor and nearly $4,000 in cash was
raised. A quantity OF food and supplies
we're donated.
The destruction OF the school house where
George Marsden was teaching furnishes
pathetic story. Nor a vesttge OF the Duild-
ing remained. Mr.. Marsden was found some
distance away, in a field. Two OF his
scholars were close beside him. Two
little daughters Of John Roster. pu-
oils in the same school we're found
Singing to each other, covered with mud,
| tangled in a wire fence. The residence OF
Mr. Hagsle, close to the school house, was
swept away like a straw, and his eldest
| daughter, who was indoors when the storm
struck 1t, was found in the branches OF a tree
nearby badly injured. all his other children
we're killed.
In the valley of death from Ireton to Sioux
Centre, which nearly parallels the railroad
track, there was left nothing but debris.
Dead horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, ar.
ticles of wearing apparel, portions OF
houses and barns, pieces OF wag,,
,ns and farming implements, and
everything movable was scattered along the
route. Around Sioux Centre forty farmers
are homeless and ruined.
In the district around about the Haggle
and Roster homesteads forty families are
homeless and ruined. The same number is
reported from Sioux Centre, and between
Perkins and Ashton twenty-five families have
| nothing left.
Altogether 800 families are homeless as the
result of the five minutes destructive work
Of the cyclone. The average OF the loss to
each family is about $1,000. 1t Is thus seen
that the financial loss Is very large and can
not easily be repaired.
In many cases it will never be repaired by
the present owners of the land, as several OF
them have already left the country. The In
ured aggregate 100 people.