The Worthington advance., 1896-05-28
More Than Half q Hundred Lives
Lost, with Property Loss
Very Heavy.
Town Of Bondurant from. Latest
Reports the Worst Stricken
by the Terrible Storm.
Five Persons Drowned Near Ou-
buque - Violent Storms
in illinois.

Des Moines, Ia, May 25.-The most
alarming reports were being received
here Monday morning respecting the
cyclone which swept over Polk, Story
and Jasper counties shortly after mid
night Sunday night. Owing to the al
most total ,prostration of telegraph and
telephone wires it is not possible to
verify the reports that have been re-
ceived, but the indications received arc
that the casualties will reach 50 killed or
injured. Fourteen persons are reported
killed in the three towns of Valeria,
Bondurant and Ankeny. The two lat
ter towns are in this (Polk) county,
while Valeria is in Jaspe county direct
ly east. So far as heard from, Slater is
the only town in Story county which
suffered, but as there is no means OF
communication with that section there
is every probability that the restoration
of telegraphic communication will
bring news of disasters as yet unreport-
ed. 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.
Reports Grow Worse.
The situation grows worse as au-
thentic news comes from the cyclone
district. At Valeria it is now known
that IS people were killed, the number
being first placed at but five. Most of
those killed were in the depot of the
Chicago Great Western road, some of
them having just alighted from a train,
and others having taken refuge there
from the rain. The depot was literally
blown to pieces. The west bound
passenger train escaped the cyclone
but few minutes. Had it remained at
the station five minutes longer the list
of killed would undoubtedly have num-
bered scores, As it was the train was
uninjured.
A dispatch from Santiago, this coun-
ty, says the storm was unprecedented
in its fury in that section. Three miles
west of the town house was lifted
bodily from the earth, carried some dis
tance, and thrown to the ground Il
shattered wreck. The entire family of
occupants were killed. The roads are
almost impossible from debris, fences,
outbuildings and branches of trees
swept together in piles. Nothing has
been heard from the northeastern end
of the country, where it is feared the
storm caused the greatest damage.
A Messengers Terrible Tale.
A messenger from Bondurant, who
arrived at nine o'clock says that r. G.
Scott, q prominent farmer, was killed;
also that church at Ankeny was blown
down and several persons were hurt.
The town of Granger was badly
wrecked. The number of farmhouses
wrecked between Valera and Bondu-
rant is very heavy. Mayor Mac Vicar
called meeting at the council
chamber at ten o'clock to take active
measures for the relief of sufferers.
Four coffins have been shipped to
Bondurant, on the Great Western extra,
via Berwick, the nearest point.
Another Account Of Storm.
Bondurant, Ia., May 25.-A death
dealing cyclone swept across the north
ends Of Polk and Jasper at 1o:30 Sun
day night.
Between Is and 30 men, women ana
children are reported killed. Houses
were unroofed, trees torn UP by the
roots and hundreds of horses, cattle and
hogs killed. The dead here are: Mrs.
Robert, Bailey, aged so; Miss Lizzie
Bailey, aged 1s; John Bailey, aged %;
John Mitchell, struck by lightning,
aged As.
Injured: Robert Bailey, splinter
driven in side, will die; four Bailey chill.
dren, all badly injured, may recover.
The storm formed west of this place,
q town of 400 population, and swept
east nearly parallel to the Chicago
Great Western :: tracks, overturning
| schoolhouses and farmhouses and up
roofing trees. A severe thunder storm
commenced at nine o'clock Sunday
night. People were just leaving
church and remained in town. The
wind was blowing from the northwest
At ten o'clock severe gale set in from
the southwest. The people feared a
cyclone and ran for their cellars. Farm
ers living north of here in the track OF
the storm stayed in town, many escap'
ing injury thereby. G. A. Turner, a
| banker, here, who watched the storm.
said: There were heavy clouds in tho
northwest coming toward town.
8; The Financial Loss.
In Bondurnnt the financial loss will
be about 100000. A strip of country
=.