Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-05-22


and many chickens. Many animals
that were not killed were so smeared
with mud that they could hardly live.
The air seemed to have been full of
water and mud, the mud being driven
with terrible energy into every thing.
Everything in the path of the storm
was left bathed in mud. The corn
fields presented a curious spectacle
Monday and Tuesday. Men and boys
were engaged in clearing the fields OF
trash as wire fence, posts, shingles,
boards, pieces of furniture, cooking
utensils, fragments of all these and
many other objects we're left in almost
unacceptable shape, so harrows or
planters coald not operate on the
fields. Grass and bushes and trees
were bedraggled if not torn up. De-
struction had passed that way. Some
thing strange was the way the twister
stayed close to the ground with its
force when going down hill. Being
behind hill was no protection from it.
The freaks it accomplished were le-
gion. 1t snapped the front wheels
from a new farm wagon leaving the
spindles in the hubs. 1t ripped the
iron strips from the top of wagon
bed. It jerked out strong corner
post that had two big braces holding
it ard carried it over and gave it to an
other farmer. 1t found $50 in money
at Chris Jorgensens and left $40
gold piece where the owner could find
it, left a so bill on the barbed wire
fence, but threw the other 500 to the
four winds of heaven as trash.
This cyclone seemed to have formed
in the rear and on the outskirts of a
heavy but not violent rain storm. At
the time it was raging few miles
north of Kimballton the rain was fall
ing in a copious shower at Audubon ten
miles north east. 1t was not directly
following the rain and was not travel
ing in just the same direction, as the
rain was going north east while the
cyclone went nearly north. Very little
rain had fallen on the ground the cyclone
passed over till it came, then a small
flood came with it. Above the funnel
and connected with il was an intensely
black cloud. The cloud was smooth
till the funnell left the earth when the
cloud was agitated awhile, then became
placid again. A mile or two away from
the storm calmness in the air prevailed.
Some observers say they saw what
appeared to be electric light in the
funnel. Debris was in the air for a
long way around
While this was only a small cyclone
compa,ed with many others it will 60
into history as destructive one. Lin
coin township had one and Gre eley
township hid one, each many years ago,
that perhaps compare with it. Several
of the losers this time are not able to
sustain their losses unaided. Most Of
the best buildings were insured in the
State Tornado Mutual but of course
were not insured to near their value.
The buildings we're often small part
Of the loss. Contents of buildings,
trees, fences, everything went. Follow
ing up the.road caught more than if it
had gone across lots. Jens Rasmussen
is rather an old man. They have had
much sickness recently with lots Of
expense. They are poor and now their
effects are nearly all swept away.
Chris Jorgensen and his young wife
have only been married about year.
They have but little and now most Of
that is destroyed. Others of these in
the storms path are needy. Friends
over there are helping them. A com
mittee is appointed of which Tom Smith,
of Kimballton, is member, to receive
and distribute the money. Some of
the citizens of Audubon desire to assist
and it is likely some money will be
sent from here. 1t is condition
deserving assistance.