On Wednesday, May 18, 1898, a disastrous cyclone prevailed and a tornado formed, passing over Carroll County from the Mississippi River to the eastern border of the county, leaving death and destruction in its wake.

The MT. CARROLL DAILY DEMOCRAT published nearly fourteen columns, giving the particulars of the storm. One thousand extra copies were issued, but all were sold and the demand not nearly satisfied, hence we republish what we had written in this form, illustrated with pictures taken after the storm was over.

CAL M. FEEZER

A Cyclone is defined as any atmospheric movement, gentle or rapid, general or local, on land or sea, in which the wind blows spirally around and in towards a center. This center or "low" is the point of lowest pressure, and in the northern hemisphere the cyclonic motion of the wind is in a direction contrary to the movement of the hands of a clock.

Hon. Willis L. Moore, in charge of the Weather Bureau at Washington, D. C., who is regarded one of the best authorities on winds and weather, describes the Cyclone as, "An atmospheric disturbance of vast horizontal extent as compared with its thickness or extension in a vertical direction. Thus a storm condition may extend from Chicago to Omaha in a horizontal direction and yet extend upward but two or three miles. The whole mass of whirling air two or three miles thick and 600 or 800 miles in diameter is called a Cyclone or Cyclonic System. The wind circulation in a Cyclone is quite analogous to what takes place in a basin of water when we make a hole in the bottom of the basin. The water is immediately set in gyrations that are weak at the circumference but strong in the center.

Cyclones occur at all hours of the day and night, and take place under conditions which involve unequal atmospheric pressures or densities at the same height of atmosphere, due to the unequalities in the geographical distribution of temperature and humidity.

In the United States, east of the hundredth meridian, a whirlwind of a small radius of highly destructive violence, usually seen as a whirling funnel pendant from a mass of black clouds, occurring most frequently in the south-east quadrant of an area of low pressure several hundred miles from its center and having a rapid progressive movement generally toward the northeast. Tornadoes are purely local disturbances; they exhaust themselves in a few hours and form again the next day further on if the conditions are favorable. The Tornado path is comparatively narrow, varying from a few feet to a half mile in width.

The Tornado has two additional characteristics which distinguish it from a thunder storm, viz:--A pendant funnel cloud and a violent rotary motion in the direction contrary to the movements of the hands on a watch, together with a violent up draft in the center.

Tornadoes generally occur just after the hottest part of the day when the atmosphere has its maximum instability. The months of its greatest frequency are April, May, June, and July. The devastation of the Tornado may be caused either by the surface wind, which is forced in on all sides to feed the ascending current of the funnel or by the gyrating winds of the funnel itself when sufficiently low to come within the reach of buildings; in the latter case, no structure, however strongly built, is apparently able to withstand the wind’s enormous force.

The tornado which swept over Carroll County on May 18th, 1898, is thus described by E. K. Stedman, in the Savanna Journal. Mr. Stedman watched the cloud from the court house in Mt. Carroll, from the time it first appeared in the west until it passed and was lost in the east. Mr. Stedman says:

"So much has already been written about the tornado that a description at this late hour may seem superfluous, but as the writer was an interested eye witness to the terrible demon for a half hour perhaps his account may prove interesting. The first peculiarity noticed among the clouds was the fact that those directly overhead were passing swiftly northward, but as our vision dropped to the western horizon the clouds were seen scudding swiftly southward to a given point, (the tornado) when they would dart down behind the hills, then it was seen that the clouds to the south of the tornado were also going north at a rapid rate, where also on reaching the tornado they would dive down behind the hills. Here was a combination performed by the clouds that was not readily understood at first, but as we watched a large blue black cloud was seen to rise over the western hills and now could be seen the cause of the queer working of the air. As the clouds would reach the edge of this magnetic influence they would for a moment stand still, as if hesitating, then with a wonderful velocity speed into this swirling mass of destruction.

On it came, slowly, now working north, then south; as the smaller clouds would come in contact with its force they would form rapidly revolving pillars on each side of the monster seeming to be guards to escort it on its path of demolition, then they would charge down to the earth only to be swallowed up by their stronger companion when other cork-screw guards would take their place.

The cyclone proper as it approached could be seen working itself into a frenzy. Now the mass would boil up and down as if unable to control itself in its small space; then it would revolve right and left, up and down, at angles and inclines, as if seeking victims from above and below. The blue-black had now assumed a dense black that reached from the heavens to the earth, appearing to be about 300 yards wide and could be noticed working zig-zag fashion north and south over its path; as we saw it was not going to strike us we watched till it had passed from view. Descriptions are impossible: huge dark objects would be seen to sail into the air, where they were whirled around and around, then to dart away through the air, their flight too swift for eyesight. It was an awe inspiring scene that held the writer spellbound by its fascination. It was a huge monster giant of goblin days, dressed in a coat of black, rushing, tumbling abroad over the hills and prairies, destroying all in its path, picking up large houses as mere nothing and dropping them to earth again a formless mass of lumber, mortar and bricks, stripping trees of their bark and tearing giant monsters of the forest out by the roots and laying them in its wake as reminders of its awful wrath. Barb-wire fences, boards, trees, mud, brush, corn, grass, grain, clothing, household furniture, all mixed in a conglomeration hard to imagine are seen along its path, while dead stock is scattered over farm yard, wood and field."

Under the heading of "An Awful Catastrophe," the DAILY DEMOCRAT of Thursday morning, May 19, said:

One of the wildest storms in the history of Carroll county passed over the country about a mile south of this city yesterday evening about 5 o’clock.

A very heavy hail, thunder, rain and wind storm formed in the west about four o’clock and slowly passed to the north-west. One edge passed over this city, and hail fell to a considerable extent.

The air grew very hot and oppressive, lightning flashed and the roaring of the storm sounded like the rumbling of a heavy freight train.

Then directly in the west was observed a fierce black, umbrella shaped cloud that soon assumed the form of a tornado; the twisting, rolling motion being ever present. To the onlookers it appeared like a thing of life, a giant awful something. It is impossible to describe. It was green, and black, and red and yellow. The sky above us had a grayish greenish cast. Then the great, awful monster in the west moved south, then straight east, then south again; twirling, twisting, roaring, terrible to look at; causing one to stand almost paralyzed, appalled at the sight.

But it is useless to undertake to describe it. It was simply awfully grand in appearance and thrilled one from top to toe, causing one’s heart to stand still.

After the storm the DEMOCRAT took every means at hand to ascertain the damage done, but it is impossible, as the telegraph and telephone wires are all down and we are cut off from the outside world.

At Savanna the storm crossed the river below the Sabula railroad bridge and it is said sucked the water out of the river. Hail stones which measured 13 ½ inches in circumference were picked up, while those of ten inch size are said to have been numerous.

The Savanna people had been apprised of the coming of the storm by a telegram from Maquoketa which told them a cyclone was headed for Savanna.

Savanna people watched the awful sight in its appalling grandeur, fear being depicted on every countenance.

The damage cannot be computed. Where yesterday stood fine homes with large barns, granaries and out buildings filled with horses, cattle, grain and hay, are this morning one vast mass of nothing, gone in a single moment.

That there was not a greater loss of life seems miraculous and certainly a kind Providence prevented many persons from being crushed to death or maimed for life.

The loss in money will doubtless foot up to a million.

The upper story of the county house is blown off entirely. Every window in the west side is blown in. But one room is left uninjured; used as the parlor. The top story of the building lies in a heap on the east side of the house. The wind mill and water tank was piled about five rods from the house, nothing left of it but tank and iron frame to wind mill. The barns are torn off the foundations and all stock killed except three cows. A chicken was found stripped of every feather except around the neck. The granary is all blown away and grain piled in a heap, all mixed together. The horse and buggy belonging to Dr. Wood, who was making a professional call there, was in the storm. Nothing can be found of the buggy, but the horse was found slightly injured. The storm struck the buildings coming slightly north of west. The evergreens in the front yard are lying flat on the ground falling in all directions. The trees east of the house are stripped clean of every branch and leaf.

Reports from Wacker say that Mrs. John Kessler is killed. Mr. Kessler, who was blown away has since been found, his injuries unknown. The son, Henry Kessler is seriously injured.

The Bashaw house and barns are completely destroyed.

All live stock on the Downing farm killed and buildings blown down. Wm. Petty’s farm is in the same condition.

Scarcely any property of Keiffer’s saved; no insurance.

The people were in the dining room. They got the inmates downstairs with the exception of one woman inmate named Mame Edwards, who went up stairs to close a window in the third story, was struck and blown over beyond the barn, severely injured about the head.

The large parlor was the first part of the building struck from the south-east and entirely demolished, the sofa being the only piece of furniture uninjured. The inmates dining room was scarcely touched, except broken window panes. The bath room is uninjured. List of wounded at the farm are:

Joe Roff, cut about the head and shoulders.
Mame Edwards, cut on head, seriously.
Conrad Traum, broken arm and badly bruised.
George Gardner, badly hurt.
Mame VanBuskirk, cut on back of head.
Court Edgerly, head cut, leg injured.
Lizzie Downs, slightly injured.