Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-05-30
TELLS OF BOONE STORM
Mrs. CreveIing of Boone Gives Us a
Good Description of the Tornado
There Last week

Boone, Iowa, May &c, 1913.
II. j. Hoogenakker,
Audubon, Iowa,
Dear Sir:
l write to remind you that we fail
ed to receive our Republican yester-
day and also tell you how the Grew
elings Jared in the tornado, which
recently devastated part of our lit
tie city and took toll of eight lives
up to this time and injured at least
so people.
Well. We are among the fortunate
and thankful ones. The damaged
district begins six blocks from us.
and the worst part is about eight
blocks away. l will remark that that
is near enough
Tuesday afternoon between three
and four O'Clock | was sewing on my
machine and Mr.. Creveling was in his
chair reading. Rain had threatened
for some time and a little hail had
fallen. and some rather bad clouds
were in sight, but we were used to
that. All at once roar was heard,
which l thought to be a train on the
Milwaukee road, little south of us.
and paid little heed. Then the round
house whistle began to blow and
wondered what it was blowing for at
that hour. l then glanced out and
noticed the sky, and jumped up and
ran out. All our neighbore were out
and the storm was just tearing down
the east part of town. 1t was ter
rifle Debris flew high in the air, the
roar was awful and the whistle con-
tinued to shrek and stopped only
when wrecked or steam gave out. We
soon knew the storm had passed on
and only began to realize what had
happened when a stream of cars be-
gan to pass. taking the injured to
the hospital, which is very short
distance from us. 1t was a pitiful
sight. With others, l went to the
hospital to see If | could be of any
use. l could not do skilled work but
there are some very humble tasks at
such q scene. | never want to witness
such scene again. The little hurt
children appealed to me, most keen
ly. Largely Greeks and Italians, but
some of our own. Why! They are
all our own"
Twice l came home for articles to
use. l think our homes are pretty
well stripped of partly worn articles
for bandages, changing clothing. beds
etc. At the time of the terrible acct
dent on the inter-urban two months
ago, when they phoned the hospital
to prepare fourteen beds, and then
brought 35 injured. it seemed as bad
as it could be, but this was worse.
Our good pastors were there doing
all possible to help and comfort.
Otk ala 70
assist our home doctors. Those who
had taken first aid training assisted
and all were finally cared for, and
order brought out of chaos.
At evening we walked out to see
the wrecked district Just like all
cyclones-no use to describe it..
There were the usual freaks of the
storm, only believabie because we
knew they happened Relief work
is in full swing. and all will be done
that can be. Much damage in the
country.
This afternoon l attended the fun
eral of two of the victims, a mother
and little five year old boy. The
child was killed in the storm and
the remains kept as it was known
the mother could not live.
A canvass for money to help was
made this afternoon. Last Sunday it
was for the Red Cross. One wishes
one could give more. l will say we
are well, Mr.. Creveling as well as
ever apparently, myself not quite as
strong as year ago, but thankful
to be as we'll as l am.
Our home place looks very nice
now. Come over and sit upon our
new front porch. Our garden does
not do well this spring, and We feel
quite ashamed of it, but hope it will
reform.
l was pleased to see once more a
letter from Ernest Reed l read all
of the soldiers letters and love them,
but his has somehow appealed to me
strongly by the boyish style, backed
by true manliness that is making
"Our Boys" the admiration of the
world.
met Mrs. Pfeister. Ernest Reeds
aunt at Ames a few weeks ago at a
missionary convention.
Mr.. and Mrs. Spilker. once of
Gray, called on us Thursday, they
were over from Scranton to see the
ruins, but much clearing up had
been done.
am proud of Audubon's part in
the war
Now hoping some of you will come
and see us, | am.
Your former townswoman