The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-08
Cyclone Swept.
Terrible Disaster IN Iowa
Numbers of Lives Lost,
Many Wounded, and
Property Swept Away.

Sioux CITY, IA, May Sioux
county was devasted by a terrific cy-
clone this afternoon The torn came
from the northwest and struck Sioux
Centre. a small town forty-fve miles
north of this point, at 4 O'Clock
TeIegraphic reports from the scene
of the storm are very meager, the
wires being down, but it is under
stood that a considerable number
were killed and injured. The first
reports were received by the Sioux
City & Northern Railroad from their
agent at Sioux Centre The dispatch
read Cyclone passed three miles
northwest of here. School house
near town blown down Teacher
killed and several children killed and
injured. Exact number and names
have o yet been learned Whole
country in the track Of the storm de-
vastated. Sioux City & Northern
tracks between Perkins and Boon
washed out for several miles"
Dispatches from Sioux Centre at
$50 say that three school houses and
at least twenty residences and barns
near that place were swept away
At the school house, two teachers
aud three pupils were killed and
many injured. Two women were
found dead about 6 o'clock not far
from the point where n of the
school houses stood One man who
arrived in Sioux City late in the
evening, reported that his house was
blown away and his family killed.
He himseli escaped and says that at
least 100 people must have been kill
ed Parties have been sent out from
Hull, Sioux Centre and Orange Cen.
ire, neighhoring, towns, but their
work il being carried on in total
darkness and in the midst of a ire
mendous wind and rain storm 1t is
consequently progressing slowly. A
number of bodies have already been
recovered, although the exact num-
Der cannot be learned. Every one is
violently excited and definite informa.
ton cannot be obtained.
1t is said that Perkins, a small town
between Sioux Centre and Doom, vas
directly in the path of the storm and
was almost entirely wiped out The
wires leading to it are all down. The
tracks are ali washed ont, aud the
roads cannot be safely travelled over.
owing to the manner in which they
were quilted by the rain. 1t is, con-
%sequently, no easy matter to reach it.
Physicians have already set out from
Hull. Orange City and Sioux Centre,
but are being met with every con.
ceivable obstacle in their effort to
reach the scene of the storm. Help
has been refused from here, but if the
same character of reports continue to
come in, a train may be sent out.
Late this evening news was re.
ceived from Sib|ey to the effect that
a storm struck there at 5 p. m de-.
stroying the house of John Waiter
son, killing Mrs. Watterson and in
juring Watterson and his son. No
names can yet be learned of the peo-
pie injured about Sioux Centre and
Perkins. The Sioux Centre & North
ern train which arrived at 10 o'clock
this evening brought several passen-
gers who witnessed the storm. They
reported that thirteen dead had been
brought into Sioux Centre at S p m.
1t is estimated that fifty people must
have been killed. The Northern
train barely escaped a smash-up in a
wasbout near Doom, but was stopped
by section men before it passed upon
the dangerous territory.
THE LATEST REPORTS.
SIOUX CITY, May 3.-Later reports
say that ten were killed at Doom and
three at Perkins. Thirteen dead have
been brought into Sioux Centre. The
tornado Jumped forty miles north
east to Sibley, Osceola county. Five
are reported killed there.
The storm appears to have origl-
mated one and a half miles southwest
of Sioux Centre. From there it moved
across the country in a northeasterly
direction, crossing the Sioux City &
Northern track about two miles north
of Sioux Centre. About half a mile
beyond it seems to have changed it's
course to the northwest and struck
Perkins and Sibley.