The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-06-11
A BAD IOWA CYCLONE
A Twister at Charles City Sunday
Cuts Path Ten Miles Long and
Many Persons are injured.

Charles City, June s.-A tornado that
struck the southeastern portion OF
Charles City at o'clock Sunday even.
ing killed one man outright, injured
fifty others, some of them seriously, and
destroyed fifty residences and hundreds
OF barns and outbuiidings. Wire ser.
vice, both by telephone and telegraph
is crippled and communication with the
outside world is difficult.
The man killed is Chris Boeck. He
was caught in the ruins Of his home
and his back was broken. Boeek was
80 years of age. A list of the injured
is being compiled.
STORM CAME SUDDENLY.
While the storm gave warning of it's
approach by a roar that could be heard
miles away, its appearance was sudden.
1t came from the southwest and trav-
ersed the southeast portion Of tho city,
missing the business district. Thous-
ands OF people sought refuge in cellars
and caves, otherwise the victims would
nave been hundreds instead of dozens.
Another cause contributing to the
small list of dead and injured was the
fact that many people were on the
streets and in the business district in
stead of in their homes. These sought
refuge in the stores, which were not in
the path of the storm.
IN THE STORMS PATH.
The tornado swept path of ten rods
wide and from eight to ten miles in
length. 1t had all the peculiarities of
the tornado, rising and falling. Where
the storm came to the earth, it swept
everything in it's path, dealing death
and destruction, demolishing houses
and barns and killing livestock.
Its full force was felt in the southeast
part of town, in which fifty residences
were wholly or partially destroyed. 1t
was here that Boeck was killed and
where majority of the injured live.
The injured were caught in the wreck
age OF their homes or hurt by flying
timbers or by being picked up by the
wind and hurled through space.
NO DEATHS IN COUNTRY.
While the track of the storm was
eight or ten miles in length, so far as
known there were no fatalities in the
country. Some farm houses were dam
aged and many barns and sheds were
demolished and much livestock was
killed. Where the storm did not rise
the ground was swept clean of build
ings and vegetation, and the loss
through destruction of buildings and
croDs in the country will No" -
OF SHORT DURATION.
The weather was SO pleasant few
minutes before the storm was heard ap-
preaching that many of the citizens
were out of doors and on the streets.
The storm was only few minutes in
passing, but left wreck and ruin in it's
path. Fifteen minutes after it struck, a
dead calm prevailed, the sun shone
brightly, and the citizens turned out to
rescue the injured and give them aid.
INCIDENTS OF THE STORM.
One residence and two barns in the
southeast part of the city were CON-
pletely wrecked and scattered, and not
board or timber belonging to them
could be found or identified.
After the storm COW was found
dead, it's throat having been cut by
some flying missile with as much neat
ness as if done by an experienced
butcher with sharp knife.
In the path of the storm great trees
were uprooted or twisted off at the
trunks and the ground was left as bare
as newly-ploughed field.