The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-05-27
AN APPALLING DISASTER
Scores of Lives Lost in an Iowa
Cyclone.
Several villages Almost Swept from on
the Earth-Hundreds OF Dwellings
Demolished-W Western Illinois
Also Suffers from the
Hurricane.

DEs MONIES, Ia, May 2G.--A terrific
cyclone swept across Polk county and
into the eastern edge OF Jasper county
between 1O:3O and IL O'Clock p. M,
| Sunday. There are about 20 now
known to be dead, and at least as
many others seriously injured, num-
her of whom will die. The storm was
( a remarkable one 1t appears to have
started in two sections. One OF them
came from the north and was tre-
mendous wind. Its first trace is found
about mile south of Ankeny and 10
miles north eff Des Moines The other
branch of the storm contributed the
rain. 1t started nine miles north of
the first and moved from northwest to
southeast, following the Des Moines
river. The two divisions met two
miles east of Anleny and here they
developed into gigantic cyclone with
tremendous force. From this point
west for nearly 90 miles the path of
the storm is path of destruction. At
Polk City, Ankeny and Bondurant
much damage was done, but the serious
loss Ol lie OCCuIISu lIOlh Dolluul hhV
to the northeast.
The storm swept across the country
at terrific speed. 1t gave warning of
it's approach to all in its path until
it got near to Valeria, Jasper county,
where the most harm was done. For
several miles it passed through dense
forest. Trees two feet in diameter
were torn up by the roots or twisted
off Where human habitation lay in
its path the destruction was instant.
As it approached the eastern part of
its course it wiped the country clean in
it's path. At Valeria, town of 600
people, it wiped out almost half of the
town. The people were nearly all in
caves and cellars, but many did not
have warning until it was too late.
The loss of life was remarkably small
considering the number of buildings
that were wrecked The path covered
by the cyclone proper is in most places
40 to so rods wide.
The storm struck about 10:3O to 10:40
all along it's course. 1t had been q
fearfully hot and sultry day, the air
had been oppressive and still, when
all too suddenly the awful roar that
every prairie farmer knows as the
dread forerunner of the cyclone was
heard. Another instant and the storm
struck, and then all was chaos. Those
who heard it saved themselves by get
ting into their cellars or caves. In
| nf1 ,Nlo hnla fa1
killed or terribly injured and their
property destroyed.
McGREGoR, Ia, May 26.-Words are
inadequate to ftly describe the scene
of desolation caused by Sunday nights
terrible cloudburst in Bloody run.
For ten miles west of this place every
thing is in ruin. All the afternoon
threatening clouds were gathering and
about o'clock the storm burst, soon
deluging the valley. 1t swept all be-
fore it, OF Is people missing, six
bodies have been recovered, namely:
Michael Malone, Mrs. Burke and boy,
Mrs. Meyer and BY ear-old son, and
John NIaloney. Some of the victims
are supposed to have been carried out
into the Mississippi river, into which
Bloody run empties at North McGreg-
or About ten miles of track of the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul rail
way have been washed away. A large
number of freight cars were standing
on the tracks in the west yards They
are piled in shapeless masses along the
valley. Some of them were carried
down into the river. The loss to the
railway company must reach 500, ,000.
DUBUQUE, Ia, May GA terrific
thunder and lightning storm struck
Dubuque Sunday night. In the midst
of the storm Mrs. Clark, station agent
for the Chicago & Great Western rail.
road at Durango, eight miles north
west of Dubuque, was called from her
residence to the depot near by to get
orders for train, which had just ar,
rived. She took her four children with
her and was at work when the food
sweeping down the Maquoka valley car
ried away the bridge, then the residence
and finally the depot, which was borne
down stream mile and half. The
four children were drowned, but Mrs
Clark clung to the roof and was saved
by the trainmen. All railroads leading
into Dubuque were washed out.
MOUNT CARROLL, ILL.,, May 26.-The
hardest storm ever experienced in this
section broke at midnight Sunday
night and lasted until o'clock Mon
day morning. Carroll creek rose q
feet in half an hour. The j. NJ Shirl
Company's mill-dam broke, flooding
the electric light plant and severa
residences. The fire alarm was runG
and people were rescued on impro
vised RATS Plum river is six feet
higher than ever known. The damage
in Carroll county is estimated at 500,
600. 1t is the most direful calamity
that has visited the county in years.
; ROCKFORD, Ill, May 26.-Severa
people were killed and many thou
sands Of dollars worth of property de-
stroyed by a storm of wind, hail ant
rain which swept upon this region
Sunday night. The storm was mos
severe southeast of the city. A cy
clone struck one mile south of EgaI
City, wrecking the residence of Mrs
: Isora Bird and killing her instantly
T Her four children were badly hurt
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