The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-05-25
CYCLONIC TRACK.
Towns and Farms in Iowa
Swept By a Furious
Storm.
VERY MANY LIVES LOST
Great Damage to Property Chicago
Visited By Wind and
Rain.
VERY MANY LIVES LOST

DES MONIES, Iowa, May 25, 1Ss6-The
most alarming reports are being re-
ceiVed here this morning respecting the
cyclone which swept over Polk, Storey
and Jasper counties shortly after mid
night last night. Owing to the almost
total prostration of telegraph and tele-
phone wires, it is not possible to verify
the reports that have been received but
indications are that the casualties viii
reach fifty killed or injured
Fourteen persons are reported killed in
the three towns of Vaferia, Bondurant
and Ankeny. The two latter towns are
in this (Polk) county, while valerda is
in Jasper county, directly east. So far
as heard from Slater is the only town
in Storey county which suffered. but as
there is no means of communication with
that section this morning there is every
probability that the restora ton of tele-
graphic communication will bring news
OF disasters as yet unreported No details
have been received from Slater further
than the bare statement that the whole
town was destroyed. The same report
comes from Polk City, this county.
telephone message from Berwick
says that courier just in says that
tWenty-four persons We're killed at Bon
durant, five at Valeria and three at
AnSeny.
me situation grows worse as authentic
news comes from the cyclone district.
AT valeria it is now known that fifteen
persons were killed, the number being
first placed at but five Most of those
killed We're in the depot or the Chicago
Great Western Road, some of them hav-
a FRO i'm n Ot1,
having taken refuge there from the rain.
i'he depot was literally blown to pieces
The west-beund passenger train escaped
lhe cyclone but few minutes. Had it
remained at the station five minutes
longer the list of killed would undoubted-
iy have numbered scores
A despatch from Santiago, this county,
says the storm was unprecedented in its
ef the town house was lifted bodily
from the earth. carried some distance and
tnroWn rs, TO the ground shattered wreck.
killed The roads are almost impossible
from ,debris-fences,, .out-buildings and
oranenes OF trees being, swept together
IN piles. Northing has been heard from
The northeastern end of the county whe-e
it is feared the storm caused the greatest
damage.
"A messenger from Bondurat, who ar
rived at nine O'clock, says that R. G.
Scott, prominent farmer, was killed;
also that. church at Ankeny was blown
the town of Granger was badly wreck
ed, The number of farm houses wreck
ed between Valeria and Bondurant is
very heavy. Mayor MacVicar has called
take active measures for the relief of the
sufferers. A number of collins have been
shipped to Bondurant on the Great West
ern extra, via Berwick, the nearest point.
At Bondurant, the Bailey residence was
wrecked and Mrs. Bailey her son, daugh-
ter and nephew were killed outright. Mr..
Bailey is dying.
The northern part of the village is de-
stroyed.
Chicago Storm Swept Too.
CHICAGO, May 25. 1864 storm of
wind rain, thunder and lightning struck
Chicago at two O'Clock this morning
The wind at times attained the velocity
of a hurricane and the lightning was
incessant Over an inch of water fell
in less than ten minutes, which amounted
to a cloudburst. The sewers were un.
able to carry off the water and as a re-
suit Easements all over the city were
flooded. The press rooms of three morn
ing papers We're flooded by water back
ing. up from the sewers, and fire engines
had to be called to pump out the. water
before the second edition could be sent
to press; ;. M Much MINOR damage from
over the city, no fatalities resulted so
far as heard from.
The storm extended south of Chicago
into VIII and Kanalxee Counties and all
telegraph wires are down in the vicinity
of Joliet and Kanakee, cutting off COM
nunication with the central part of the
State. It is not unlikely that reports of
serious damage will be received from that
section when the wires get to working
again.
On the lake the storm raised a tre-
mendous sea, but as the direction of the
wind was generally from the west no yes
of the lake.
There is every probability, however, that
wrecks will be heard of on the eastern
shore.
The weather this morning continues
threatening and more rain and wind is
! While the storm was at its height at
2;l5 o clock this morning one-story-
and-haf cottage at No. 3,14O North Ash
land Ian avenue, occupied by James Densler,
his wife and three children was lifted
from its foundations by the wind, ear
ried to an adjoining lot, thrown upon its
side. and crushed like a house built of
cards. All the inmates were caught in the
debris, but only Mrs Densler was hurt.
and she not seriously.