Cedar Rapids, Iowa Tornado
June
22, 1882
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 23.-The
following particulars have been learned of the
storm of Thursday; It was a hurricane -- not a
tornado -- and swept over all area of 20 miles
in width; some damage was done at Walker and
Rowley; also as far north as Oliver. The centre
[sic] of the greatest force and destructiveness
was at Independence. The storm broke in its
greatest fury about 5 P. M., blowing from the
north-west with a straight wind, without a
tornado funnel. In a few minutes property valued
a $150,000 was destroyed, two lives were lost
and 10 persons were injured, two of them
dangerously. The killed were
ALBERT RIRKE, aged 11 years, and his
brother, aged 18 years. The latter was killed by
the moving of the house on its foundation as he
was going to the cellar, and the former was
crushed by the falling roof of the house as he
was leaving it in fright. The streets were
thronged with people, and the wonder is no more
were injured. There was a scene of great
confusion on the streets, women screaming and
all rushing to shelter, while the air was filled
with flying missiles. About 20 residences were
wrecked. Nearly 50 barns were leveled and an
enormons [sic] amount of plate-glass was
smashed. The Insane Asylum was damaged to the
extent of $2,500. The brick smoke stack, 130
feet high, was blown down to its foundations,
and in falling struck the carpenter's shop and
boiler-room. The west end and north side of the
roof of the front centre [sic] was carried off.
The stables, wagon, and slaughter-houses were
unroofed. No patients or employes [sic] were
injured.
The New York Times, New York, NY 24 Jun
1882
Transcribed by Sherry
McClellan. Thank you, Sherry!
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