Morris tribune., 1881-07-21
OF EYE WITNESSES.

L
MAI. JOSEPH BoBLETER.
one of the committee from New Ulm to wait
upon Gov Pillsbury, was met by a PIONEER
PRESS reporter in St Paul, to whom he gave
the following details Of the disaster:
The storm came on at 4:45 p. m, first
striking the town from northeasterly di-
rection. 1t rained and blowed for about ten
minutes, when it appeared that another storm,
coming from the southwest, met the first
storm, and then the work of destruction be-
gan 1t seemed a. though the clouds came to
the ground. there was such fearful pressure,
all the fronts of the buildings being pressed in.
1t was terrible sight. The storms were
accompanied by good deal of
electricity-in fact, 1t seemed that
People who were not in the storm center, but
observed the operation of the cyclone from
distance, say that there seemed to be four
great spouts pointing toward the earth. Some
times they touched the earth, and at other
times they would be drawn up to the sky
again. These spouts were of various shapes.
One was III the form of an immense inverted
cone. Another was cylindrical shape. A
third was like an immense gourd. Another
was oblong with convoluted edges. They
moved along in a swiftly revolving course,
and their path was about mile and a half
wide. The storm lasted about twenty-five
minutes, and Its destructive force was simply
terrific. Solid brick buildings were leveled to
the ground as though they we're made of pa
per- Small frame buildings and heavy tim
bers were carried bodily through the air.
There was of course intense excitement among
the citizens during the terrible visitation, and
it was not allayed until long time after the
storm was over. As soon as the fury OF the
elements had subsidized the first thing they did
was to look after those who were
THE VICTIMS OF THE DISASTER.
Drs Berry and Miller, assisted by DR.. Old
berg, formerly of St Paul. now of Washing
ton city, who happened to be in New Ulm on
visit, conducted the work of relief of the
| wounded. There were between 800 aud 600
buildings damaged by the storm, a large Lum-
| many of them swept away, the debris being
| carried away out on the prairie. The loss is
| estimated at about 100000. 1t IS diff
cult to find words to adequate
ly express the frightful havoc done
| 6y the cyclone. Every store front in the town
was blown in and the glass shattered. The
streets were filled with the debris of the de-
molished buildings. Trees were twisted and
uprooted as though they were but twlgs, and in
many cases they were entirely stripped of the
bark. The governors guards are patrolling
the streets to prevent the possible depreda-
tions of thieves. The town was wrapped in
gloom when L left A great many of the bust
ness men have been ruined by the work
of the winds, and scores ol
laboring men mourn the loss of their houses
/
as far rs heard from, the storm was the most
severe in the towns of West Newton, Nicole
| county, and Wellington, Renville county, II
the former town, Joseph Halubo and wife aud
three children were killed, the only survivor Of
the family being q little child who was badly
wounded. At another place, the body of an
old man was found embracing tree. He had
evidently been blown against the tree
and killed by the shock In other
places cattle were lifted into the air and after
| wards dashed to the ground and killed The
| course of the storm was phenomenally eccen
trio In some localities it leveled solid brick
buildings and left adjacent light frame houses
almost unharmed. As rule the frame build
ings in the business portion of New Ulm suf.
fered the least the storm seeming to have
blocks. My house, veneered structure
which is about being completed
is the only one in the neighborhoot
left standing
ALTHOUGH 1T IS HIGHER
than any of the rest The roof, however, wa
The brick Methodist church close by was razet
to the ground. Mr.. Eckert. one of the killed
was formerly the proprietor of what is nov
known as tho Pauly house on Bridge square
Minneapolis. His son was also killed and hi
wife is missing. The decapitated body Of Mis-
suburbs. Her head has not yet beel
found The remains of the killed wer
buried to-day by their immediate relatives AM
friends. George vogefs saloon, large on
aud half story frame building, just built, wa
lifted into the air and dashed to fragments, th
latter being so scattered that nothing of tn
structure but the ground floor can be found
The occupants were all injured, H. Fiedele
aud VIM. Sp9rhas it Is feared fatally Tn
others received serious cuts and bruises
Joseph Kunz, laborer, employed on m
building, had one leg and collar bon
fractured, and also received interns