Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-15
DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO VISITS
VICINITY OF MoINGoNA AND
COAL VALLEY.
OCCUPANTS OF HOUSE
NARROWLY ESCAPE DEATH
Woman and Son Carried Thru Air
With House and Deposited in Field
Some Distance Away uninjursd-
Building Torn 70 6its-Nsiehber
Wow Work Of Storm From Cave.
Special to rimes-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican
Boone, April 15-Coal Valley and
Moingona. two towns along the line
of the Northwestern south Of this city.
were struck by tornado late Satur-
day afternoon. The strength Of the
wind lifted houses into the air, twisted
trees out Of the ground by the roots
and were tossed into the air like kind
ling wood.
The storm broke about o'clock in
the afternoon. 1t was first seen travel
ing up the valley of the Des Moines
river. The funnel. seen in so many Of
the storms Of this character, was lack
ing. and big black column, as large at
the top as the bottom, swept UP the
river bottom, and then wreaked its
power in the vicinity of the two towns.
Your correspondent has just returned
from a trip over the scene Of Satur-
day nights disastrous tornado and
finds that the storm created great
havoc and that there was not loss of
life seems almost a miracle. The
amount Of damage done can not be as
certained as yet.
The storm broke shortly before
o'clock and seemed to come from the
south, a little to the east. From the
Mccall home the big red brick at Coal
Valley, commanding view of the
storm could be secured. Members Of
the Mccall household at work at the
rear Of the house noticed the peculiar
cloud formation way to the south. Soon
two distinct pillars, or tunnels. look
ing nearly like two telephone poles,
were observable. At the Mccall home
the alarm was sounded and the MEM
bers Of the family hurried into the
cellar Absolute quiet reigned and no
noise could be heard. Mr.. Mccall
watched the approaching storm from
the cellar door, being near enough so
that he could get into the shelter. The
house is in the valley and away to the
south a mile is the high bluff, just
north Of which is the Dies Moines river,
and Just north Of the river the Moin-
coma branch Of the Northwestern.
The two tunnels came together with
q roar which sounded like the roaring
of cannons and it made straight for the
beautiful farm home Of Charles Ford.
The house was picked up from it's
foundations and thrown straight up
into the air nearly 400 feet. being
whirled in a circle with frignful
rapiddty The wind was so terrific that
the house was carried several hundred
feet to tho northwest and when still
800 feet or so in the air was split into
a million pieces. The furniture, stoves,
beds, windows, piping. etc. were scat
tered about the neIghborhood for
mile.
Woman's Miraculous Escape.
In the house at the time was Mrs.
Charles Ford, crippled woman and
her son. Mrs. Ford was sitting in Il
chair near the stove and the son was
standing in the kitchen door, this door
facing north. and he was unaware OF
the approaching danger. They knew
nothing until whirled high in the air.
So terrific was the sensation that
neither knew anything from the mo-
ment they left the earth until they
regained consciousness. The wife and
mother was lying in the yard near the
kitchen range, which still had fire in
it and the son was lying in a plowed
field some distance from the house.
Neither was hurt.
At the stable, where Mr.. Ford was
feeding his horses and doing up some
odd jobs. q scene nearly as bad was
enacted. The wind took the stable.
horses. man and all, and moved it thru
the air a considerable distance and
badly damaged the same. but not near
ly SO much as the house. The only
injury which Mr.. Ford received was
blow on one Of his arms by a small
piece of wood and this really did not
amount to anything. The horses es
capped with only few scratches. Cows
in the stable yard within few feet
jury whatever. How the occupants Of
lives, seems beyond belief, and the peo-
pie who watched the storm from their
cellars. are unable to vet tell how Mrs.
their fearful and wild fight thru
space. Mrs. Ford Is in a serious con-
dition suffering from the nervouE
shock.
Mccall Property Escapes Storm.
When the two tunnels Joined. it
made an enormous arm about forty
yards wide and this swept toward the
Mccall properties. clinging close to the
ground as 1t went, up and down cliff
and bluff. These were anxious mo-
ments for the McCalls, for it seemed
that their house and buildings valued
at nearly $4,000, were doomed. When
less than a half mile south Of the Nc
Call house the funnel turned suddenly
and passed to the eastward and up the
valley toward the brick plant. At the
Mccall timber thirty five trees were
uprooted and carried about like small
pieces of kindling. George McNeirs