FATAL WORK OF A CYCLONE.

TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY IN GRINNELL, IOWA.

OVER FORTY PERSONS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN KILLED AND THE LIST NOT COMPLETED -- DAMAGE TO OTHER TOWNS IN THE TRACK OF THE TORNADO.

Chicago, June 18. -- The Tribune's Marshalltown special says: "The tornado which struck Grinnell, and the section of country east and west of there, was about 1,000 to 1,200 feet in width, and came with irresistible force, as nothing in its path escaped destruction or severe injury. The portion of the city that was devastated was exclusively the residence portion, except that the two Iowa college buildings were prostrated, the stone or main building losing the two upper of its five stories, and taking fire afterwards from chemicals. It is believed that the other building, which was struck, was entirely razed, being laid in one mass of ruins. The remainder of the buildings destroyed were all residences, many of them the finest in the city. The business portion of the town was uninjured, but was filled with debris from the destroyed portion. The course of the tornado was from west due east, and its southern line the college buildings. Thirty-nine bodies have already been recovered. After the tornado rain fell in torrents or sheets, and was knee-deep in the streets. Three freight trains, one on the Central and two on the Rock Island, were blown from the tracks. The number of injured is unknown, but is quite large. Two brakemen were killed and two students, the remainder being citizens of Grinnell. The storm did not extend north or south of the track indicated. The town of Malcom is reported destroyed and eight persons killed, and one killed at Kellogg."
The Tribune's Burlington special tells of great damage by a rain-storm and lightning to farm buildings, fruit trees, fences, and crops, private dwellings, &c. In one case a corn-crib was hurled bodily against a dwelling, which was badly smashed in consequence. In one orchard only 100 out of 800 trees are left standing. No loss of life is reported from that region.
The Tribune's special from Boone, Iowa, says:
"The tornado struck the south-western part of Boone County last evening about 8 o'clock. It was plainly seen in this city, and appeared to be about 20 miles off. A huge, funnel-shaped mass seemed to descend and then rise again, and in less than 10 minutes a commotion was seen in the clouds east of south. This evening reports have come in from Union Township of this county, giving accounts of great destruction where the tornado struck the earth. All the buildings on several farms were demolished. A church four miles south of Ogden was destroyed. A number of people were seriously injured, and one man was killed. Information is difficult to get on account of the heavy roads. A woman and child are reported missing. The area touched by the tornado is small, and it seemed to strike the earth, bound upward, and travel east."

Des Moines, Iowa, June 18. -- A tornado swept through Central Iowa from north-west to south-east from 20 miles north of Des Moines. Grinnell was struck by it, and half of the town was left in ruins. The lateness of the hour at which anything like authentic statements could be had last night and the prostration of the wires prevented any report being sent out. The first startling news of the loss of life was soon confirmed, and later and authentic advices swelled the list of the dead at Grinnell to about 40, with several persons severely hurt, and the Cornell College buildings ruined. Eight persons, also, at least, were killed at Malcolm Station, nine miles east of Grinnell, and several were killed in the farming districts between those towns. A freight train on the Rock Island Railroad was caught in the wind, between Grinnell and Malcom Station, and badly wrecked, delaying the train west three hours. A freight train on the Iowa Central Road was also badly derailed just north of Grinnell. The first authentic news of the terrible disaster was received by the Register as follows:
Other fatal cases in Grinnell are those of CHARLES FRY, a brakeman on the Rock Island Road, killed in the train wrecked north of Grinnell; a child of JAMES PHIPPS, MRS. DONAHUE, two persons in ALONZO GILLESPIE'S family, and three in the BEATTY family.

Kellogg, June 17 -- 11:50 P.M. -- Both college buildings at Grinnell are blown down, with half the northern part of the town in ruins, and a large number of persons killed and injured. You can send doctors on passenger train No. 2, that will be held to bring them on.
The following dispatch was received from Grinnell early this morning:
Our city is half in ruins by a cyclone. From 5 to 10 persons are killed and from 50 to 100 wounded. Send doctors from Newton and Des Moines by special train. We have no wires working outside of the town. Send immediately, by order of the Mayor of the city. Both college cuildings and half of our best residences are flat on the ground.
G. M. CHRISTIAN.
Shortly after 1 A.M. a special train bearing Superintendent NOYES, Superintendent QUICK, DRS. HANNAWOLT, PRIESTLY, PATCHIN, GALLAGHER, SMITH, and RAWSON: Capt. J. K. POWERS, GEORGE SANBRUN, Col. GREEN, GEORGE HOWELL, and several employes of the road proceeded to the scene of the disaster. No satisfactory news was obtained on account of the break in the wires until the receipt of the following:

Grinnell, Iowa, June 18. -- 4:50 A.M. -- A special train from Des Moines reached this place at 3:40 with 12 physicians on board from Des Moines, Colfax, and Kellogg. The situation is worse than even the first reports made it appear. Thirty-two persons are dead and about 100 or more were wounded. The list of fatal casualties is as follows:
DEACON FORD and Wife.
MR. LEWIS and Wife.
DEACON CLEMENT'S Two Children.
MRS. EVA MORTON, of Chicago.
HENRY PITMAN'S Two Children, HATTIE and HARRY, MR. PITMAN being probably fatally injured.
MISS ABBIE AGARD, photographic artist.
CORNELL CHASE, of Storm Lake.
MRS. BOYER, the daughter of a dry goods merchant, fatally wounded.
MRS. GRISWOLD.
MRS. TOTTEN.
MRS. CULLISON and Her Mother.
MRS. ALEXANDER'S Two Children.
MRS. HUFF and Child.
GEORGE TERRY'S Baby; MR. TERRY not expected to live.
BINGHAM BURKETT, a student, of Montezuma.
MADISON HOWARD'S Boy.
A Lady from Cedar Rapids visiting at the SAYERS'.
BARRETT E. CHASE, a student, of Storm Lake.
HENRY MOORE, a brakeman on the Iowa Central
Road, of Marshalltown, badly injured.
JOHN DIEGNAN, conductor of a Rock Island freight train, fatally injured.
A tramp from Des Moines, fatally injured.
A traveling man, W. J. BARBOUR, of Chicago, and a hired girl of DEACON FORD, also fatally injured.
Eight deaths are reported from Malcolm, which is entirely leveled and destroyed. Brooklyn has also suffered somewhat. Some eight students are badly injured, having been dug out of the ruins. The Chapin House is turned into a hospital, and some of the most dangerous cases are being cared for there.
A special to the Register sent at 7:30 P.M. says:
"From numerous and contradictory stories of startled citizens we gather the following story of the disaster:
"A deep roaring sound was heard proceeding from a funnel shaped cloud, which was seen coming from the south-west. The storm swept to the north-west corner of the town, leveling huge trees and houses and barns to the ground. C. PITMAN'S house was completely leveled, burying beneath it MR. PITMAN, his wife, and three children, and his wife's sister and her little baby. His 3 year old girl HATTIE was taken out dead, and his boy HARRY, aged 10 years, was fatally, and ARTHUR slightly, injured. Not far away was the residence of MR. and MRS. LEWIS, an old lady and gentlemen, who were both killed. From here the storm pursued a zigzag course to the northern part of the town, and after wiping out the finest residences in that portion of the place turned toward the college. The west building was dumped into a mass of laths and plaster and broken timber, burying beneath it eight students, who roomed therein, all of whom were afterward rescued, more or less injured, and one of them subsequently died. East College, a five-story building, was unroofed and a fire followed. After completing the work of destruction at the college the whirling flames struck straight across the Iowa Central Railroad. Near by stood a two-story house, in which MISS ABBIE AGARD was killed. There is hardly a sign of the house left. In the vicinity, a block which contained nine houses, all but one was leveled to the ground. In one house of this block four persons were killed -- MR. FORD and wife, a hired girl, and MR. TOTTEN. In the vicinity F. N. WILLIAM'S house was unroofed. The houses of Prof. HERRICKS and MRS. MORRIS were bunched together. FRANK CARROLL, who was stealing a ride from Davenport on a Rock Island freight train that was carried off the track, lies at the Chapin House with a broken shoulder-blade and nose. HENRY MOORE, the Rock Island brakeman, is dying in convulsions at the Chapin House."
"The scenes around the ruins are heartrending. Families are wandering over the ruins of their homes in a dazed sort of way, and laughing in a pathetic manner at some ridiculous incident, while some near and dear friend is dead or dying. The engine-house where 17 of the bodies are laid out, presents a sight that brings back army days. The other dead are around in the wrecks of their homes, where enough was left for shelter, or were sent to the houses of friends. The number of the injured range up among the hundreds. Nearly every person in the track of the tornado complains of injuries or shows marks in bruised and battered faces. MRS. GRISWOLD, mother of E. GRISWOLD, and a lady visiting here now lie dead at the home of A. J. PRESTON. The following account of the disaster at Malcom has been received."

Malcom, June 17. -- A terrible cyclone passed over here at 9:30 o'clock tonight. We have found seven dead and the wounded are numerous. Five of the best business houses, including the Gazette office, are demolished, and both churches and one-third of the dwelling houses in town are flat or badly damaged. The following are among the dead:
C. H. WHEELER.
Old MRS. MYERS.
MRS. O. MYERS.
MRS. HALL.
A man and his young son were blown into a well. The father climbed up the pump-stock, pushing his child before him. South of Brooklyn a barn was destroyed and three persons were killed.
A special dispatch from Grinnell says: "The surgeons now report that 41 are dead at Grinnell, and that five or six more cannot live through the night. DEIGNAN, the Rock Island Railroad conductor, is dead. The surgeons report that the number of wounded exceeds 150, and the number of houses destroyed is between 140 and 150. The total loss of property is now estimated at $600,000. It is feared that the number of deaths at Grinnell will reach 75. The path of the tornado is now well defined as having been about 25 miles long and half a mile wide, extending five miles north-west of Grinnell and 20 miles south-east. News has been received that MR. JAMES, wife, and two daughters, and two other persons, living four miles north-west of Grinnel, are dead. It is now thought that the loss of life outside of Grinnell will reach 25, and the total loss nearly 100."

Marshalltown, Iowa, June 18. -- A committee has been organized to assist the sufferers by the tornado at Grinnell. They ask aid from outside points. Remittances may be sent to R. M. HAINES, Chairman, or C. W. BEGER, Treasurer, of the Relief Committee, Grinnell, Iowa.

The New York Times New York 1882-06-19
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!