The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-04-18
STORM SWEEPS
BOONE COUNTY
No Lives Are Lost But Much Dam
age is Done.
PECULIAR FREAKS OF WIND
Ford Home is Lifted Three Hundred
Feet Into the Air and Split in a
Million Pieces-Mother and Son
in House Are Uninjured.

Valley and Moingona, two towns
along the line of the Northwestern
south of this city, were struck by a
cyclone late Saturday afternoon. The
strength of the wind lifted houses in.
to the air, twisted trees out of the
ground by the roots and were tossed
into the air like kindling wood.
The storm broke about 4 o'clock.
1t was first seen travelling up the val.
ley of the Des Moines river. The
funnel, seen in so many of the storms
of this character, was lacking, and
big black column, as large at the top
as the bottom, swept up the river bot
tom, and then wreaked it's power in
the vicinity of the two towns.
Investigation of the path of the
cyclose discloses the fact that no loss
of life resulted, but the financial loss
will be large. The exact amount
cannot be compiled for several days,
until all the damage is ascertained.
People along the path of the storm
tell dramatic stories of the appear
ance and work of the cyclone. The
storm broke shortly before 4 o'clock
and seemed to come from the south,
little to the east. From the Mccall
home, commanding view of the
storm was secured. Members of the
Mccall household at work at the rear
of the house noticed the peculiar
cloud formation far to the south
Soon two distinct pillars, or tunnels,
looking nearly like telephone poles,
were discernible. At the Mccall
home the alarm was sounded and the
members of the family hurried into
the cellar. No noise could be heard.
Mr.. Mccall watched the approaching
storm from the cellar door. The
house is in the valley and away to the
south mile is the high bluff, just
north of which is the Des Moines
river, and just north of the river the
Moingona branch of the Northwest
ern.
The two tunnels came together with
roar which sounded like the roaring
of cannons and then made straight
for the beautiful farm home OF
Charles Ford The house was picked
up from its foundation and thrown
straight up into the air nearly 40C
feet, being whirled in circle with
frightful rapidity. The wind was
so terrific that the house was carried
several hundred feet to the northwest
and when still three hundred feet OIL
so in the air was split into million
pieces. The furniture, stoves, beds
windows, piping, ETC., were scattered
about the neighborhood for a mile.
In the house at the time was Mrs
Charles Ford, crippled woman, ant
her son. Mrs. Ford was sitting in {
chair near the stove and the son wal
standing in the kitchen door, this doc
facing north, and he was unaware U
the approaching danger. So terrifi,
was the sensation of being whirle,
high in the air that both became I'm
conscious. When they regained con
seriousness Mrs. Ford was lying in tn,
yard near the kitchen range, which
still had a fire in it, and the son wa
lying in a plowed field some distance
from the house. Neither was hurt
At the stable where Mr.. Ford wa
feeding his horses a scene nearly al
bad was enacted. The wind took tn,
stable, horses, man and all and movet
IL through the air a considerable dis
lance and badly damaged the same
but not nearly as much as the house
The only injury which Mr.. Ford re
ceived was a blow on one of his arm
by small piece of wood and this real
ly did not amount to anything. Th'
horses escaped with only a few
scratches. Cows in the stable var,
within a few feet of the barn escap
ed without any injury whatever. How
the occupants of the house and bari
escaped with their lives seems be
You'd belief and the people whit
watched the storm from their cellar
are unable to yet tell how Mrs. Fore
and her son were deposited after thei
rearful and wild flight through space
Mrs. Ford is in a serious condition
suffering from the nervous shock.
When the two tunnels Joined
made an enormous arm about fort
yards wide and this swept toward tn,
"'Ndu pipptitiSo. SioSC "
the ground as 1t went up and dow
cliff and bluff. 1t looked as if the Nc
Call mouse and buildings, valued a
nearly $4,000, were doomed. Whel
Ices than half mile south of the Nc
Call house the funnel turned suddenl.
and passed to the eastward and VI
the valley. At the Mccall timbe
thirty-fve trees we're uprooted ant
carried about like small pieces o
kindling. ....'..
Several peculiar freaks are recorded
as. taking place. A small grant,
wash basin belonging to the Ford fam
ilv was found a half mile distant il
the Mccall pasture punched full o
holes as though made in the shop. Al
alarm clock. battered and bent, bu
still running. with the glass face in
tact. was found in this pasture also
On the Coal Valley hill, with broker
wings and nearly dead was found ,
huge chicken hawk, which had beer
dashed to the ground by the force o.
the storm. A haw tree was taken ou
OF the ground roots and all and car