374 The Iowa and Illinois Tornado. (July, 
a twig. By far the greater number of trees along the 
ravine were thrown down from the south-west. The same 
broom-like appearance was generally presented by the 
broken trees as already mentioned. 
Thomas Warmoth’s house stood in the bottom of the 
ravine. Mrs. Warmoth testified as follows:—Heard a 
roaring first. When the storm came near the roaring was 
louder than thunder. Some hail fell just before the tornado 
blew. It was immediately preceded by a very bright flash 
of lightning. Went into the house and got upon my feather 
bed, together with my child, because I was afraid of the 
lightning. A large tree was blown down, catching the side 
of the house. The house went to pieces, the tree, however, 
keeping the floor in its place. Found myself under the 
feather bed with my child. The bed was pinned to the 
earth by pieces of timber. Was soaking wet. Everything 
was covered with mud. Heard nothunder. The lightning 
struck a tree, depriving it of its bark. 
I was unable to find this tree. Mrs. Warmoth’s testimony 
is valuable as a curiosity. It was generally impossible to 
obtain any information from the ladies. If one questioned 
them rigorously they took it as an insult, and if allowed to 
tell their own story they immediately commenced running 
such a muck among the prodigious and the incredible that 
one was glad to make his escape. In this conneétion it is 
also worth mentioning that although invariably offering pay- 
ment for any necessary hospitalities, I soon learned the 
wisdom of always addressing myself to the master of the 
house when asking for such. 
After leaving Warmoth’s house the tornado-centre crossed 
to the south bank of the creek, where it continued for 
nearly a mile farther, although somewhat increasing its 
distance from the creek. It crossed to the south bank 
where a smaller creek joins Swan Creek from the south. 
This brought it nearer to the house of A. J. Caton, Swan 
Township, Section 15, which stands about 500 yards from 
the centre of the whirlwind. Part of the roof was blown to 
the south-east and part to the north-east. A smaller house 
was blown a few yards to the north-east and inverted. A 
house on Mr. Caton’s farm, tenanted by N. J. Reynolds, 14 
feet by 20 feet and one story high, was carried 8 yards to 
the north-east bodily. It then struck the ground, tumbled 
over, and was blown to fragments. Its four inmates were 
carried from 50 to 60 yards, but not killed: It stood a 
little south of the centre. After passing Mr. Caton’s farm 
the tornado entirely left Swan Creek. 
