Johnson County, Iowa Tornado

May 28, 1899

"A TAIL TWISTER"

A Cyclone Visited Union and Clear Creek Townships Yesterday.

The Path of Destruction a Sad One. -- List of Property Injured.

This morning John Neuzil of Union township came too the city and reported to the Press the story of the cyclone which visited Union and Clear Creek townships last evening. Mr. Newuzil stood at his home and saw the storm in its awful fury and today he eloqnently [sic] described the terrible scene.

The cyclone was one of the old fashioned tail twisters with its balloon shaped cloud of wind and fury. Coming from the south-west, it took a north-easterly direction and in its path today remains nothing but a scene of destruction.

Striking the farm of Frank Cole in Union township the cyclone gave but a small demonstration of what was to come and here it destroyed the outbuildings and fences on that fine farm, carrying with it the remains of what was once the property of that gentleman. Missing the barn entirely the storm caused some little damage to the house and proceeded on its path of destruction to the home of Albert Smith also of Union township. Here the fury of the storm lifted the house from its foundation and destroyed the outstanding sheds and barn scattering them to the four winds.
Next in the path of the cyclone was the home of Frank Radick and here all is destruction. The house, barn and out buildings have been wiped from the face of the earth and scattered for miles by the unmerciful wind.

Crossing the line between Union and Clear Creek townships the home of Geo. Cole fell in the path of the storm and in the twinkling of an eye the effects of that gentleman were added to the list of property claimed by the monster cloud shaped tornado. Here a large house and barn were totally destroyed and nothing remains today but the foundations of the buildings to show that a man once lived upon the premises. The cyclone lifted the barn from its foundation and left the stock tied to the mangers but did not injure any animals in the stable.

Then came the farm of George Madden Jr., and here a wrecked home only adds to the awful story of destruction. It appears that at this point the storm had spent its force and only one more home, that of George Madden, Sr., fell in the way of the terrible destroyer. Here the house was left standing but the barns and outbuildings and five head of cattle fell victims to the cyclone.

The storm occurred at 6:15 last evening, about the time Iowa City people were startled by the furious looking clouds that came rolling up like mountains from the west. As soon as the cyclone had passed, neighbors flocked to the scene of destruction and found no human beings killed or injured all on account that people had flocked to the cellars and there resting securely had seen their homes carried and the work of their life time destroyed. The storm seemed to follow the low ground and only crossed the hills when the sloughs ceased to exist. Beginning at the home of Lou Cole it followed a north-easterly direction for a time and then went directly east until it lifted and faded away.

Throughout the whole section in the path of the cyclone the fields are covered with scattered lumber, broken vehicles and the stores of granaries [sic] and barns. About the tree tops are lashed harness and ropes as though the giant of storms wished to bind the trees securely for future use. Where fences marked the boundary lines of farms and fields now only stray and twisted posts show where the lines should bee. The loss to property is large and to stock is small, owing to tithe fact that most of the stock was being pastured at this season. The path off the storm covers an area of about two and a half miles long by one-fourth of a mile wide.

Heard from AGAIN.

The following report brought in to the office later tells of the havoc played by the cyclone before it reached the farm of Lou Cole. At this point the storm occurred about six o'clock, thus traveling fully three miles in the short space of 15 minutes. This point lays three miles to the south-west of the Cole place and the damage done is almost as great as that chronicled above.

Henry Rohret's house, five miles due west of the poor farm, was sadly damaged by the storm on Sunday evening about six o'clock. His dwelling, a two story frame 16x28, with an addition almost as large, was totally destroyed, torn to pieces and scattered. The family escaped by fleeing to the cellar. Mr. Rohret was bruised and hurt by the falling timber, and his daughter was slightly injured. The windmill was blown down and the barn twisted and moved on its foundation.

Mr. Jacob Holzhauser has two barns on his large farm. One of these was twisted about and wrecked, and the one on his home farm was quite destroyed, but so far as we can learn without injury to his home or other property.

The Rohret school house was blown down.

Mr. Lou Rohret's barn, just east of the school house was badly damaged. The locality of this storm was quite narrow. It is about three miles east of Mr. Cole's and one mile south of the Clear Creek line.

THE START OF THE STORM.

This morning Anson Seydel living on the old Cornelius Bradley farm in Hardin township came to the city and brought with him the news of the beginning of the storm. He tells a peculiar story of the start of the cyclone. Just before six o'clock Mr. Seydel's barn was struck by lightning and he hurried to the spot and turned his houses and stock out expecting every moment to see the building wrapped in flames. On the road to the barn he noticed a whirlwind such as are common, gathering up the dirt and sticks in the barn yard. The whirlwind increased in size and each moment gathered force until at last it struck the stable and finished the destruction of that building. Seemingly possessed of all the pent up furies it struck out across the fields in a north-easterly direction towards the Rohret place two miles distant growing and expanding as each field was crossed, until at last it filled the heavens with its awfulness and its terrible aspect. From here on the story is told above.

Daily Iowa State Press, Iowa City, IA 29 May 1899

Transcribed by Sherry McClellan.  Thank you, Sherry!

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