All of the storms that ever struck Calhoun County sink into insignificance when compared with the great tornado of July 6th, 1893, which is generally referred to as the "Pomeroy Tornado", because it caused the greatest damage in the town and immediate vicinity.

This awful storm was formed by the junction of two clouds and two currents of air, which met in Rock Township, Cherokee county, about 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 6th, 1893. Twenty minutes later it was ravaging the country south of Alta and at 5:30 it struck Strom Lake. From there it followed closely the line of the Illinois Central railroad to a point almost south of Fonda, where it first entered Calhoun County, and again followed the railroad to Pomeroy. The buildings again followed the railroad to Pomeroy. The buildings on the Shirley, Becker, Ferguson, Moody & Davy, and Charles Perkins farms were wrecked and at about half past 6:00 o'clock the storm struck Pomeroy. Jacob Foster, then postmaster at Pomeroy had just entered the office after supper, when the building collapsed under the force of the wind. Luckily for Mr. Foster the debris piled up around him in such a way that his life was spared and he escaped serious injury in a manner almost miraculous. the district bounded by Second, Geneva, Harrison, and Seneca streets was swept clean; the Lutheran church was wrecked as were the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal parsonages; few building in the town were left untouched, and to add to the discomfort of the homeless people the wind was followed by an extremely heavy fall of rain. A report made by the United States weather Bureau says; "Near the center of the track in Pomeroy a number of buildings evidently exploded outward from the force of the expanding air within, the roofs being carried away and the sides and ends of the structures were left lying as they fell, to the four points of the compass".

Immediately after the storm had passed, Edward Masterson of the State Bank, started on horseback to Manson to secure aid for the homeless and injured. When he reached Purgatory Creek he found it swollen by heavy rainfall and the bridge washed away, except one string piece. His horse refused to enter the water and Masterson dismounted and tried to cross the remaining timber of the bridge. He lost his balance and fell into the water, but swam ashore and had hardly reached the bank when he heard the whistle of a train approaching from the east. Flagging the train with his coat, he found that it was a special, bearing Vice-President J.T. Harahan and Division Superintendent C.K. Dixon, of the Illinois Central Company, who would hardly believe Masterson's story at first, but upon becoming convinced of the truth of the man's account, ran back to Manson and secured all the physicians in town, a number of volunteer nurses and such supplies as could hastily collected, with which they hastened to Pomeroy. From Pomeroy a telegram was sent to Fort Dodge for a special train to bring all the physicians possible and such hospital supplies as the town could furnish. The special train arrived a few hours later.

In the meantime J. W. McKeen rode on horseback to Jolley and the first man he met there was Dr. J. R. Thompson, Jolley's only doctor, who hastened to the stricken town. Temporary hospitals were established in the few remaining buildings left standing and all night long relief parties went among the ruins rescuing the injured and carrying them to the improvised hospitals for treatment.

The news spread rapidly and early the next morning relief delegations came from Rockwell City, Lake City, Lohrville and Fonda, and other near-by towns. M.D. O'Connell of ft. Dodge was placed in charge of relief work and during the day fifty tents were received from the state. About 4 o'clock Friday afternoon Gov. Horace Boies arrived in Pomeroy. After looking over the work of devastation he expressed his regret that in his official capacity he was unable to do anything for the sufferers, but through the press he issued the following call for aid;

"To the people of Iowa:

"From the personal examination of the ruin wrought by the storm last evening I find that 42 are already dead and upwards of one hundred seriously injured in this town, which had a population of 1,000 souls. The great bulk of the resident portion of the town is completely destroyed and hundreds of families are homeless and destitute. In at least one town west of here eight of ten are said to have been killed and many injured. The necessity for aid is imperative.

"The good people in the towns adjacent to Pomeroy have supplied immediate wants for board and clothing, but is is impossible for them to supply all that will be needed in the future. Money, however, is the great necessity of the hour. We must not only help these people to live, but we must also aid them to rebuild their destroyed homes. Permit me to recommend that in every city and town of the state immediate steps should be instituted by the Mayors and municipal officers to organize relief committees and promptly proceed to collect and forward aid. This may be directed to the "Relief Committee of Pomeroy, Iowa", which will consist of thoroughly responsible persons of this and other towns, so that aid will be fairly and equally divided to all who are in the area.

Citizen's of Iowa: It is no exaggeration for me to say that no more deserving appeal was ever made to you for aid. Be sure that you are both prompt and liberal."

Horace Boies, Governor of Iowa

Friday evening, twenty four hours after the tornado, a meeting was held, at which the following relief committee was appointed; M. F. Stadmueller, Mayor of Pomeroy; J. H. Lowrey, Cashier of Pomeroy State Bank, R. C. Brownell, president of the same bank; Thomas Miller, county supervisor; R. A. Stewart, manager of the Wisconsin Lumber Company; C. W. Alexander, manager of the Woodford Wheeler Lumber Company; C. A. Whittlesey, mayor of Manson; E. C. Stevenson, county attorney; J. B. Ballard, merchant of Fonda; E. E. Mack, State Senator, Storm Lake ; and C. L. Granger, mayor of Fort Dodge.

Companies C. and G. of the Iowa National guard were ordered to Pomeroy and remained on duty for the next two weeks, preserving order and protecting against the depredations of petty looters. T. B. Hotchkiss, editor of the Lake City Graphic, was made general superintendent of relief work, his ready grasp of the situation and executive ability recommending him for the position.

In response to Governor Boies' appeal for assistance, liberal donations flowed in from all parts of the state and help also came from other states. Besides the sum of $69,761.23 received in money, as reported by the committee, there were seven carloads of lumber, two of flour, a large quantity of clothing, both old and new; queensware, bedding, groveries, provisions and many other articles. Mrs. John Wymaen of Des Moines, published an appeal in the papers of the city for volunteer nurses and twenty-three women responded. the superintendent of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad furnished free transportation for them and their supplies to Pomeroy and the women began work on the morning of Wednesday, July 12th, 1893, looking after the injured. the Pullman Palace Car Company sent two sleeping coaches for the transfer of the wounded to the hospital at Sioux City, and from all over the state came expressions of sympathy accompanied by substantial donations.

After wrecking the town of Pomeroy it seems as if the wrath of the storm was appeased, for a little more than a mile from the town the wind spent its force. The path of the tornado, from the point where it started in Cherokee county to where it ended, from eight hundred to one thousand eight hundred feet wide, was covered with debris of wrecked buildings, etc. the relief committee reported the following number of persons killed:

In addition to this death toll, many persons were injured, some of whom recovered and others remained cripples for life, while the property loss could hardly be intelligently estimated. With commendable energy the people of Pomeroy rebuilt their town, but it will be a long time before those living there on July 6, 1893, will forget their terrible experiences. An account of the tornado was published in book form by F. W. Sprague, under the title of "The Story of a Storm", from which many of the above facts were taken.