Grinnell, Iowa Tornado

June 18, 1882

Grinnell, Iowa, Completely Wrecked.

Forty to Fifty Persons Killed.

Houses, Barns and Crops Laid Prostrate.

Des Moines, Ia., June 19. -- A terrible cyclone swept through Poweshiek county this state late Saturday night bring death and ruin to cities, villages and farm houses along its track. The destruction was fearful; over half the city of Grinnell is in ruins including both college buildings. The first authentic accounts Sunday morning gave the number killed at Grinnell as 32, with a hundred or more wounded. Trains on the road that were met by the cyclone were blown off the track and terrible havoc ensued. A dispatch was received here from Grinnell just before midnight Saturday night as followed:

Grinnell, June 18 - 12.50 p. m. Our city is half ruined by a cyclone. From five to ten are killed and from fifty to one hundred wounded. Send doctors from Newton and Des Moines by special train. We have no wires working outside of town. Send immediately; by order of the mayor of the city. Both the college buildings and half of our best residences are flat on the ground.

Shortly after one o'clock a special bearing railway men and physicians, left here. No satisfactory news was obtained, on account of the break in the wires, till the receipt of the following from The Register's reporter:

Grinnell, June 18 - 4.55 A. M. - The special train from Des Moines Ia., reached this place at 3:40 with twelve physicians on board from Des Moines, Colfax and Kellogg. The situation is worst than ever. The first reports made it appear that thirty-two people are dead, and about 100 or more wounded. The list of fatal casualties are as follows:
DEACON NORD and wife.
MR. LEWIS and wife.
DEACON CLEMENT'S two children.  MRS. EVA MURTON, of CHICAGO.
HENRY PITMAN'S two children, HATTIE and HARRY, and MR. PITMAN fatally injured.
MISS ABBIE AGARD, photographic artist.
CORNELL CHASE, of Storm Lake, the only student killed.
SUSIE BAYER, daughter of a dry goods merchant, and her mother, MRS. BAYER; also his son fatally wounded.
MRS. GRISWOLD, MRS. TOLTEN, MRS. CULLISON and her mother.
MRS. ALEXANDER'S two children, MRS.HUFF and child, GEORGE TERRY'S baby; TERRY not exspected to live.
BINGHAM BURKETT, student, Montezuma.
MADISON HOWARD'S boy.
A lady from Cedar Rapids, visiting at Bayer's.
Three persons are dead, two miles west of the town; BARRETT E. CHASE, student, Storm Lakes; HENRY MOORE, brakeman on the Iowa Central road, of Marshalltown, fatally injured; JOHN DIEGNAN, conductor of the Rock Island freight, fatally; a tramp from Des Moines, fatally; a traveling man, W. J. BARBOUR, of Chicago; a hired girl of DEACON FORD, and MRS. TOTTEN.

Eight of the students are badly injured, having been dug out of the ruins. The Chapin House is turned into a hospital, some of the most dangerous cases being carried there, including Charles Fry, beakman [sic] on the Rock Island road, at the train wreck north of Grinnell; a child of James Phipps; Mrs. Donahue; two in Alonzo Gillespie's family and three in the Beatty family.

The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI 19 Jun 1882

THE DESTRUCTION AT GRINNELL.

The special reporter to the Chicago Times, writing from GRINNELL for ten or fifteen miles first learned of the catastrophe by finding their fields covered with papers and shreds of clothing, or noticing strips of bedding pinned to the trees in their neighborhoods.

Of the 120 buildings destroyed by the cyclone in Grinnell, not enough lumber remains to build a dozen poor barns. The debris looks as though the town had been blown up by nitro-glycerine. One gentleman offered to sell what remained of his $3,000 residence for $45, and give the money back if the purchaser would haul the wreck away.

Various are the stories told by eyewitnesses; but to one who has gone over the desolate track of the cyclone nothing relating to it seems incredible. A power that can peal back the bark from a tree, take a bite from the wooden cornice of a house and leave the remainder standing, throw an iron rail a thousand feet and drive it in the ground with the strength of a dozen pile-drivers, demolish a brick and stone college building substantial enough to resist an earthquake, crush a large brick block with as much ease as a man can crush an empty peanut shell, mow down a town as though it were done with a scythe, and sweep forests, can do almost anything. The marvel is that a thousand lives were not lost instead of seventy five to a hundred. That a single being within the range of its fury escaped is a miracle.

From every town, county, township and farm track of the cyclone, come similar reports of the fearful destruction wrought. The towns of Malcom and Mt. Pleasant suffered terribly.

THE IOWA CYCLONE.

The Death Roll Growing Larger - Gov. Sherman Appeals for Help.

Des Moines, Iowa, June 20. - The best posted men at Grinnell say the death roll will reach 100. The actual loss in this State will reach three-quarters of a million dollars. Governor Sherman has issued the following proclamation to the people of Iowa:
The tornado which passed through the central portion of the State on the night of the 17th inst. has proved one of the most frightful calamities in the history of the Commonwealth. Along the path of the storm, and especially at Grinnell and Malcolm, there was not only a great destruction of property, but an appalling loss of human life, and many who escaped death in their ruined homes are left in a condition of suffering and need which appeals urgently to the generosity of the people. Ready hands and generous hearts have already done much to care for the wounded and shelter the homeless, but the results of so frightful a disaster must be long lasting, and others further removed from the scene only await an opportunity to aid their stricken fellow citizens. I do therefore most heartily recommend all contribution for their relief be sent to Hon. J. B. Grinnell, who is fully authorized to receive them, and whom such a trust of generosity may be most confidently committed. -- BUREN R. SHERMAN.

..... Grinnell is a town of the New England people, a thrifty, intelligent people, and with the lowest rate of crime and illiteracy in the state and the highest rate of intelligence and morality. The rich towns of the east may well help these sons and daughters of New England in the distress and need of the utter calamity visited upon them so cruelly by this Moloch of the air, which has killed fifty of their people, destroyed 160 of its homes, maimed and mutilated 200 more of its people, many of whom wiil [sic] soon die, and all of whom must be cared for for months, and wiped out totally nearly $500,000 in uninsured property.

Iowa college has had all its buildings destroyed, its four hundred students made homeless, and suffered a loss of $75,000 in uninsured property.

The Ohio Democrat, New Philadelphia, OH 29 Jun 1888

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 with, 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 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 [illegible] with debris from the destroyed portion. The course of the tornado was from west due east, and its southern line the college buildings.

The New York Times, New York, NY 19 Jun 1882

Forty were killed or have since died in Grinnell. The following is a partial list of the dead: MRS. GRISWOLD, MISS EVA MORTON, MISS GUISBERG, aged 10; B. H. BURGETT, E. B. CHASE, MISS ABBIE AGARD, W. H. FRY, MRS. FANDERBURG, MRS. CULLIISON, OLIVE HOUGH, MRS. ELLEN HOUGH, MRS. VANDERBUILT, E. CLEMENT, LIZZIE CLEMENT, MR. LEWIS and wife, W. N. FORD and wife, MISS TIPTON, MRS. D. B. TALTON, young son of Mr. Alexander, little daughter of MRS. HOUGH, MRS. GRISWOLD, SUSIE BAYER, HATTIE PITMAN, MRS. LELBRE, MISS MORTON, of Chicago; young son of M. HOWARD, MR. O. D. JAMES, wife and two daughters; MRS. C. J. BAYER, JOHN DEIGMAN, a son of MRS. PITMAN, WILLIAM ELLIS, a child; babe of GEORGE TERRY, a lady from Cedar Rapids, at MRS. BOYERS; a servant girl at MRS. FORD'S MRS. BOYER , HENRY MOORE, brakeman on the Central train; JOHN DEGMAN, brakeman , C., R. [illegible] and P.; MR. GUTHRIES, and infant son of MR. PHIPPS. Over 100 houses in Grinnell were completely wrecked. The following are among the injured at Grinnell: Thomas Schackley and wife and daughter Mary; Mrs. Gue; Edward Griswold; Nathaniel Ellis fatally, wife slightly; Wilson Ellis, seriously; Dora and Fannie and James Ellis seriously; Mrs. G. W. Nichols seriously, two daughters slightly; Henry Pitman injured, girl killed, two boys badly injured, wife slightly, and wife's sister seriously; Andy Rhinefort, S. Stowe, and wife badly hurt; Mr. Pierce; Mr. Clendenin badly bruised, wife and child seriously injured; T. C. Taylor fatally; Mr. Terry and wife hurt; Mr. Wrincer and wife badly hurt; Mrs. Fairfax's son fatally; Mrs. William A. Reed, of Des Moines, ribs broken; Mrs. D. Smotte seriously injured; Miss Sara Smith hurt. Many were saved by fleeing to the cellars as the storm came on.

The following is a list of the losses in Grinnell; I. Worcester, total, $1,000; Charles Hobart, partial, $2,000: Mrs. A. Scott, partial, $2,000; Rev. J. W. Chamberlain, total, $6,000; college buildings, $60,000; -----Dodge, of Boston total, $1,000; Charles Ridley, total, $2,000; S. N. Saunders, total, $5,000; G. & H. Stevens, partial, $1,000; --- Ferguson, total, $2,000; Mrs. Mary B. Day, total, $2,500; Dr. Clark, total, $1,000; Rufus Ricker, total, $1,500; W. A. Carhart, total, $2,500; Charles F. Craver, total, $6,000; A. Larabee, total, $2,500; Dr. E. W. Clam, partial, $1,500; M. Stevens, partial, $1,500; Kemball R. Merrill, partial, $1,500; L. C. Phillips, total, $5,000; --- Guthrie, total, $1,000; the widow Clement, total, $1,000; the Rev, A. V. Everest, partial, $1,000; Mrs. Murray, partial, $1,000.

This is a very incomplete list, and perhaps does not include one-fifth of the sufferers.

The New York Times, New York, NY 20 Jun 1882

Transcribed by Sherry McClellan.  Thank you, Sherry!

AN AWFUL DISASTER

One Hundred Persons Killed.

DES MOINES, IOWA, June 18. --- A tornado swept through central Iowa late last night from northwest to southeast from twenty miles north of Des Moines. The town of Grinnell was struck by it and half of the town was life in ruins. The lateness of the hour at which anything like authentic statements could be had last night from the tornado at Grinnell, and consequent prostration of wires, prevented any report being sent out. The first startling reports of the loss of life were soon confirmed, and later and authentic reports swelled the list of dead at Grinnell to about forty with several severely hurt and Cornwell College buildings ruined. Eight at least were also killed at Malcolm Station, nine miles east of Grinnell, and several living in the farming district between. A freight train on the Rock Island Road, and between towns, was caught in the wind and badly wrecked, detaining trains west three hours. A freight train on the Iowa Central, just north of Grinnell, was also badly derailed. The first authentic news of the terrible havoc was received by the Register as follows:

KELLOGG, June 17, 11:50 p. m. --- Both of the college building as Grinnell were blown down with half of the north part of the town in ruins, and a large number killed and injured. You can send doctors on the 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 five to ten persons are killed, and from fifty to one hundred wounded. Send doctors from Newton and Des Moines by special trains. We have no wires working outside of the town. Send immediately by order of the mayor of the city. Both college buildings and half of our best residences are flat on the ground. G. M. CHRISTIAN.”

Shortly after 1 a. m. a special train, dearing [sic] Superintendent Noyes, Superintendent Quick, DRS. HANNAWOLT, PRIESTLY, PATCHIN, GALLAGHER, SMITH, and RAWSON, Captain J. K. Powers, George Sandrun, Colonel Green, George H. Howell, some reporters, and several employes of the road, proceeded to Grinnell. No satisfactory news was obtained on account of the break in the wires till the receipt of the following:

GRINNELL, June, 18, 4:50 a. m. --- The special train from Des Moines reached this place at 3:40 with twelve physicians on board from Des Moines, Colfax, and Kellogg. The situation is even worse than first reports made it appear. Thirty-two people 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 CLEMENTS' 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. SUSIE BAYER, the daughter of a dry goods merchant, her mother, and son, were fatally wounded; MRS. GRISWOLD, MR. TOTTEN, MRS. CULLISON, and her mother; MRS. ALEXANDER'S two children, MRS. HOFF and child, GEORGE TERRY'S baby; MR. TERRY not expected to live; BINGHAM BARKETT, a student, of Montezuma; MADISON HOWARD'S boy; a lady from Cedar Rapids, visiting at the BAYERS'; three persons dead two miles west of the town; BARRETT E. CHASE, a student, of Storm Lake; HENRY MOORE, a brakeman on the Iowa Central Road, of Marshalltown, badly injured; JOHN DIEGMAN, conductor of the Rock Island freight, fatally injured; a tramp from Des Moines, fatally injured; a traveling man, W. J. BARBOUR, of Chicago; the hired girl of DEACON FORD, and MRS. TOTTEN. Eight deaths are reported from Balcomb, which is entirely destroyed. Brooklyn has also suffered some. Eight of the students are badly injured, having been dug out of the ruins. The Chapin House is turned into a hospital, some of the most dangerous cases being called there --- CHARLES GRY, a brakeman on the Rock Island Railroad, child of JAMES PHIPPS, MRS. DONAHUE, two children in ALONZO GILLESPIE'S family and three in the BEATTY family. A special dispatch sent at 7:30 says: “From numerous and contradictory stories of deep roaring sounds proceeding funnel shaped cloud. C. PITMAN'S house was completely leveled, burying PITMAN, his wife, and three children, his wife's sister and her little baby. The three-year-old girl, HATTIE, was taken out dead. The boy, HARRY, was fatally injured, and ARTHUR slightly injured. Not far away the residence of MR. LEWIS, an old gentleman, and lady, who were both killed. From here the storm pursued a zigzag direction to the north of the city, when, after wiping out the finest residence portion of the city, it moved toward the college. The next building was dumped into a heap of laths and plaster and broken timber, burying beneath it eight students who roomed therin, all of whom were afterward rescued, more or less injured, but one subsequently died. In a two-story house a MISS ABBIE AGARD was killed. There is hardly a sign left of the house. In the vicinity, a block which contained nine houses all dut [sic] 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 this vicinity F. W. WILLIAM'S house was unroofed, PROFESSOR HERRICK'S and MRS. MORRIS'S two houses were hunched together. The scenes around the ruins are heart-rending. The engine-house, where seventeen of the dead bodies are laid out, presents a sight that brings back Army days. Some of the dead are in the wrecks of them. The number of injured range up among the hundreds. At Malcolm seven are dead.

The Rolla New Era Missouri 1882-06-24

Submitted & transcribed by Stu Beitler  Thank you, Stu!

CYCLONE WORK

Terrible Tornado at Grinnell, Iowa.

GRINNELL, Ia, June 18. --- Immediately on the receipt of the report at Des Moines of the terrible result of the cyclone at this point your correspondent started for the scene of the disaster. No one can describe the scene when I reached there. The city contains between two thousand and three thousand people, and had a large number of beautiful residences, several fine churches, two colleges and many superb business blocks. To day the greater part of all this is a wreck, and six or seven million dollars worth of property lies in utter ruin. Fifty lives have been lost, and hundreds of men, women and children, many of whom must yet die, are maimed and wounded, and the heavy wind which prevailed all through this section of country last night took the form of a cyclone here, and the result is the most destructive ever growing out of a tornado in this state. The city is strewn with debris. Almost every building that remains standing is put into use for a hospital for the wounded. Added to the horror of the affair, many of the survivors appear to be entirely insane over the loss of friends, and of property. At one time it was feared that the terrors of a general conflagration would accompany the general destruction caused by the tornado, for when the cyclone struck the East college an esplosion took place in the laboratory, and flames broke out at once. The fact that the buildings in the immediate neighborhood had been levelled, prevented the spread of the flames. The college building was burned.

The tornado was seen coming before it struck the city. Like a funnel shaped death-cloud, it came upon the town. Many people rushed to their cellars, and so saved their lives, although their houses were shattered and destroyed above their heads.
The story of the Grinnell terrible disaster begins with the ominous, roaring sound and the funnel-shaped cloud, coming from the southwest and striking the northwest corner of the beautiful village right in among the handsomest residences. Previous to touching the town it was seen leveling huge trees in its pathway. --- The first house it struck was that of A. A. FOSTER, likewise his barn, leveling both to the ground and carrying MR. And MRS. FOSTER and two children through the air a distance of thirty yards, precipitating them amidst the debris of their home. All were somewhat injured.

Many of those who were saved in the demolished buildings had fled to the cellars, while the houses were carried from over their heads.

AN AFFECTING SCENE.
One young girl was heard to say, half in tears and half in laughter, that she belived [sic] she had found a fragment of her room, and was looking for some articles by which to know it. She stopped and picked up a photograph and burst into tears. It was a picture of her little sister, who had been killed.

Rich furniture and carpetings are buried in debris and mud, while fine pianos and organs are turned upside down or scattered in fragments over the prairie.
High winds and “young cyclones” also occurred Saturday night over Kansas and Nebraska, doing considerable damage to crops and fencing, and occasionally to a house.

DEIGMAN, the Rock Island conductor is dead.

Surgeons report that the wounded exceed 150, and the number of houses destroyed and ruined is between 140 and 350. The total loss of property is now estimated at over $600,000. It is feared the number of deaths at Grinnell will yet reach seventy-five.

The path of the tornado is now well defined as having been about twenty-five miles long and half a mile wide.

MR. JAMES, wife and two daughters, and two other persons, living four miles northwest of Grinnell, are dead. It is now thought the loss of life outside of Grinnell will reach twenty-five.

Liberty Weekly Tribune Missouri 1882-06-23

Submitted & transcribed by Stu Beitler  Thank you, Stu!

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