Lost Nation, Iowa Tornado
May
18, 1898
Last night about 4:30 o’clock a terrific
cyclone passed through this county, scattering
death and destruction in a most horrible
manner....
From Lost Nation. The storm was first seen in the far west and for many miles its approach seemed
to be coming directly toward this town. Later, when apparently about ten miles
distant, the funnel-shaped cloud slightly changed its course and seemed to swing
to the south somewhat bit its general course was east, and a little later it
again appeared to come directly toward town, crossed the line into Clinton
county just south of the Iseman farm, then south to
Theo. Hillis’. The first
house was destroyed in the county, as far as we have learned, was that of
Patrick Welch. Twenty-eight persons had taken refuge in
Mr. Welsh’s cellar and
the house was blown from over their heads, but no one was hurt. The part
included Teacher Miss Spellacy and all the pupils of the Welch school; the
school house near by being completely destroyed. Some damage was done to the
property of Tim O’ Boyle one mile south of town. It seems a miracle that in the
six miles course over Liberty township, but one house and one schoolhouse
happened to be in the course of the storm and no loss of life is reported here,
but from that on the destruction was terrible, although the cloud at the Welch
place changed its course to directly east two miles, leaving the town to one
side. It then turned to a northeasterly direction, crossing the corner of Sharon
township, destroying the homes and property of Peter McAndrews, (except house),
building on the Wm. Rice Welch farm; from there on it took a course almost
direct toward the town of Delmar, passing just south of the home of
J. D. Leinbaugh but striking and entirely destroying the beautiful property of
Wm. Ruggenberg, at whose place the work was particularly destructive as it
completely demolished his large barns, house, etc., and killed nearly all of a
large drove of fat cattle, most of his hogs and horses. Other homes on the route
toward Delmar that are reported destroyed are Geo. Teakey, Gene Hiner
and E. A. Coverdale.
Clinton Daily Herald ,
Clinton, IA 19
May 1898
 Search for more information on the
Lost Nation Tornadoand other disasters in the Historic Newspaper Collection on line at ancestry.com
Search
over 1000 different newspapers. Use this Free Trial
 to search for your ancestors.
Search
for your ancestors from Lost Nation, IA among the billions of
names at ancestry.com
Find birth records, census images, immigration
lists and genealogy other databases for your
surnames. Use
this Free Trial
to search for your ancestors.
The
Clinton Mirror Newspaper, Clinton, Iowa
 Read
it on line at ancestry.com! Use this Free Trial
to search for your ancestors.
|
