The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-07-23
MINNESOTA CYCLONES.

The theory OF our Minnesota correspondent
propounded few weeks ago that Minnesota
is north Of the cyclone belt apd need have nc
fears of such visitations, must henceforth be
accepted with material modification. That
state was last week visited by two or three very
notable and destructive cyclones The frs,
occurred on the Nth at Birds Island dong
great damage to buildings and crops The
new Baptist church was wrecked with several
dwellings and large number of outhouses.
Another (or possibly the same storm on the
same day, beginning in Dakota, in the south.
west and passing INTO Minnesota, swept strip
of country mile wide and 40 long IN a north.
easterly direction. AT Ortonville four build.
ings were demolished. Then it swept farm
houses along its course for thirty miles, in.
creasing In fury as it went. Horses, barns and
farm machinery were strewn in all directions,
and stock killed by the wholesale. A small
hamlet called Fairfield ten miles north OF Ap.
pleton, was III the track of the cyclone, and
nothing but the stone foundations of the build.
ings remain to show where the village stood.
u,
Some were not recovered until the following
morning, having been dropped half mile
away. The people are left in the most pitia.
bic plight, without shelter or clothing.
Next day another furious cyclone ravaged
and nearly destroyed New Ulm, situated on
the Minnesota river, about GO miles from St.
Paul, containing about $500 people. Two
currents of air swept the valley simultaneously
coming from different directions The scene
was appalling. Stone and brick buildings
were RACED to their foundations and the air
was full of debris. Two.thlrds of the town and
Its suburbs were reduced to a mass of RUNS.
West Newton in the adjoining county of Nj.
collet was visited at the same time and fam.
lily of three persons killed In New Ulm four
persons were killed and thirteen badly hurt
The loss foots up some 100000, including
the destruction of Huntsmann's brewery,
Schullacher's brewery, Catholic church and
'nunncry, Epple's block, w, Mullen's store,
Nesmans brick block, &c, &c. There is not
a building but is more or less damaged in the
majority of cases the roofs, chmneys, and
window glass being smashed, involving from
800 to $500. In many other cases the build.
ings are knocked out of plumb.
The destruction, however, was not confined
to the city but extended to the thickly settled
farming district around 1t, so that, at latest &C.
counts, the deaths, including those in New
Ulm, foot up 32, with larger number of bad
ly injured. To add to the horror of the cal
amity some of the survivors who lost friends,
family, and property in one fell swoop have
become insane, and at least half dozen are re
ported in this melancholy condition. The
force of the storm Is seen by number Of incl
dents. Heavy iron bars, stones, and agrlcul.
tural implements were carried over the high
bluffs. A horse was found alive in tree top.
Boards and timber were hurled through the
houses and into the ground like spears, and
everywhere is seen evidences of the terrible
force OF the tornado. The crops IN the track
Of the storm are totally destroyed and the city
will be almost destitute until the natural en-.
terprise of Its inhabitants shall bring it up
a