Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-06-02
M'GREGoR FLOOD.
The Details of the Cloud Burst in
Bloody Run.
Destruction Of Life Loss Of Property
The Terrible Force Of the
Raging Water.

AA6 w UVSAs
McGregor, Iowa, May 81. Not
within the memory of the oldest ill.,
habitant has there been such storm
known in this section as that of Sun
day night. Ominous black clouds
began gathering in the west early in
the afternoon. Some old sailors re-
siding here predicted from indica-
lions IL severe storm. About O'Clock
ut night rain began to fall, moderate
iy at first, but increasing, until about
IL, when the windows of heaven
seemed to open wide, and such a del
uge of water never was seen before.
1t was veritable cloudburst that
swept all before it, This cloudburst
evidently occurred few miles south
of Monona and swept down the
Bloody Run valley. 1t came so sud.
denly and with such violence that to
many people escape was impossible.
The station agent at Beuah barely
escaped to the hills with his wife and
children. He seemed to realize the
danger before it came, bet he barely
succeeded in reaching place of safe
ty when the depot, in which he lived
and kept the postoffice, was swept
away. On went the angry waters de-
vastating the entire valley. From
there to North McGregor, distance
of nine miles, it is one vast wreck.
The railroad track is torn up and
much of the roadbed is washed away
for about twelve miles west Of North
McGregor. Bridges are all swept
away, many of them being carried
miles from their location. Where but
few hours before were fertile fields
OF growing crops, all was desolate
and bare after the raging waters
passed by. The scene at the round
house, about mile west of North
McGregor, is one of vast wreck,
From the roof of the coal shed, still
standing, within Il radius of about
twenty rods, sixty freight cars are
piled in every conceivable shape.
some of them are loaded with grain,
Others with various kinds of merchan-
disc. Some OF them are lodged
against piles of debris, while two of
them were pinned together by tele-
graph pole that was driven through
them. The men at work in the round
house did not have time to fly to the
hills for safety, and had to get into
the cabs of the engines to get out OF
the water. Some of the railroad lien
were carried down on freight cars,
but fortunately all of them escaped.
In the yards at North McGregor it is
one vast wreck of both passenger and
freight cars, mingled with lumber,
broken bridges and parts of houses.
About 10000 feet of lumber of Win.
gen q Son was washed away, while
their sawmill was badly damaged.
But the most appalling part of the
flood is the loss of life. Fifteen peo-
pie are known to have been swept
away, as follows John Maloney and
wife, Michael Maloney, Mrs. Burke
and son, Lorenz Meyer, wife and five
children, Mike Havlicel, J ohm Livac,
and John Katlec. Of these six bodies
have SO far been recovered. Mr. Mey.
er was found with his infant son
grasped in his arms, both in the cold
embrace of death. 1t is feared many
| of tho hp6ioc will ,oro, Il, ,oo,,,,..,l
as they are doubtless buried under
the dense piles of debris and mud.
Eye witnesses relate most horrible
tale. The screams of the unfortunate
victims, the neighing of horses, bel
lowing of cattle, mingled with the
crashing of timhers and the seething,
boiling waters, was simply beyond
the power of pen to describe. Men
and women were seen clinging to
pieces of driftwood and calling for
help which the spectators were pow
erless to render. One man was seen
floating through North McGregor on
a piece of board. but the darkness
and blackened water soon hid him
from view and his fate is unknown.
Words are inadequate to describe
the terrors of this night when the
!, angry elements were in control. The
scenes must be looked upon for one
to form any intelligent idea OF the
awfulness of the deluge. No trains
have been run, but communication
is now established on the river di=
vision between Dubuque and La
Crosse. but it will no doubt be weeks
before trains will be run west. SNo
estimate of damage can be made, but
it will reach far into the hundreds of
thousands of dollars Her.