162 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



happily no great damage was done. Corn was flattened to the earth, wheat was 

 blown down and some small buildings overturned. 



The severest and most destructive wind and rain storm of the year visited 

 Topeka at the same time. Several small buildings and hundreds of shade trees 

 were blown down, thus resulting in damage estimated at from $i,ooo to $1,500. 



SATURDAY, JUNE I ith. 



Details of the cyclone which passed near Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday even- 

 ing give the damage as most extensive, and increase the loss of life. It first ap- 

 peared about six miles east of the city, moving southwest to northeast, in a fun- 

 nel shape, with fearful velocity and terrific noise. It struck the earth at McGriff's 

 orchard, about five and a half miles south of the city, and went northeast to Wm. 

 Garfield's farm, completely demolishing his new house. Mrs. Garfield was 

 somewhat injured, although not seriously. One hundred bearing fruit trees were 

 blown down by the storm. 



The next farm struck was that of John Hayes, the cyclone going corner wise 

 through his large orchard, destroying 350 or 400 fruit trees. His large barn was 

 completely blown from its foundation and destroyed. Two horses in the stable 

 remained on the floor unharmed. A one-story tenement house 100 yards from 

 the barn was entirely demolished. Parts of a wagon standing near the barn were 

 scattered in different directions. The wagon bed was found a quarter of a mile 

 distant in a slough, and the front part of the gearing was found in a pile of torn 

 up trees some distance off. It is also said that a pump standing in the well near 

 the barn was taken entirely from the place. 



The cloud lifted and next swooped down in Gamp and Four Miles Town- 

 ship east of the city, totally demolishing the house of Mrs. Johnson, scattering 

 the debris in every direction ; thence northeast to the house of Henry Lamb, 

 which was destroyed. Next a barn of John Greerens ; next the house of a Swede 

 named Erickson, who was killed by the falling timbers, his skull being crushed in 

 by a heavy beam. The body was blown some distance from the house and car- 

 ried with cornstalks which had been set on fire by the lightning, and when found 

 the body was badly burned and the brains were oozing from an ugly hole in his 

 head. His wife was so badly injured by the falling timbers that her recovery is 

 considered doubtful, and their little child was lifted in the air and carried a quar- 

 ter of a mile, where the little unfortunate was found lying in a field so badly in- 

 jured that its recovery is despaired of. 



The next house struck was the residence of Mr. John Walters, two and a 

 half miles west of Rising Sun. The house was torn to pieces, and his little child 

 was killed by the falUng timber. Others were more or less injured, whose names 

 could not be learned. 



In Gamp Township the house of B. F. Peters was blown down, on the Bodwell 

 farm, in which his nephew and family had sought safety in the cellar. The house 

 was blown off the foundation and completely demolished. No injury done to 

 any of the family. Mrs. Snellson's house was blown down and the contents ut- 



