St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-09-01
WRECK AND RUIN.
The Fearful Consequences of Il Cyclone in
Minnesota-A City Almost Wiped Out, a
Railroad Train Wrecked, and Death and
Destruction Bestrewfng its Path.

| ROCHESTER,, MINI, Aug. ~.
The sun never saw sadder sight than
when it rose on Rochester this morning. A
| cyclone struck the city about six o'clock last
| evening. It's track presents scene of des-
| olation never equaled in this vicinity.
| North of the railway not house stands unin-
| jured, and of the most of them not vestige
| remains. Twenty-three persons are re-
| ported killed, most of them outright, and a
| large number are not expected TO live.
| About eighty persons have been thus far
| found injured, and are being cared for in
vacant halls and buildings, and at the ho-
tells, MS well as the limited resources Of the.
citizens will permit. The weather through
out the day had been unsettled, but not I'M
usually threatening. Clouds would form
and disappear, forming again heavier than
before. The wind was mostly from the
southeast, blowing scud clouds with it,
while away above the rain-bearing stratum
it drove from the northwest all day. About
three o'clock black cloud arose in the
west. very threatening, but it passed harm
lessly by with a furious wind and some
drops of rain.
At five o'clock low black bank lay in
the southwest. 1t rose rapidly, but pre-.
sented only the appearance of an ordinary
thunderstorm. AS it neared the city
it began to assume a horrible appear,
ance. The whole sky was tinged with a.
swept around here and there in immense
circles. Wherever twas possible people took
TO their cellars, and in no case where this;
was done was life lost. In the upper part
of the city the darkness was at no time
great, but at the lower part of town it grew
dark as night. The condition of things in
the northern part of the city defies de-
scripti' A few splintered stumps and
scattered boards alone remain to show
where the Third Ward was. The mill and
dwelling of L. Tordre are total ruin,.
while the immense Zumbrota Planning Mill
is badly wrecked, Mr.. Cole, the proprietor,
being caught up by the wind. carried a dis
lance of eight or nine rods and dashed to.
the earth a man5led corpse.
The residences south Of the railroad to-
Zumbrota street all suffered, losing roofs.
windows and chimneys. The shaded resi-
dence streets are almost impossible from
broken trees, pieces of roofs and debris of
all kinds. On Broadway the tin roofs are
off from Zumbrota street north, and much
of the plate glass is shattered. The First
Ward suffered the least. Many dwellings.
escaped without any injury.
Following is list of the killed as far as.
can be learned at present: John NJ. Cole,.
Steele, daughter of L. Manly, Mrs. Wealth
erbee, Mrs. Schultz, Mrs. Fred Clough,-
Mrs. Zierath, August Zierath and Miss.
Zierath, Mrs. McQuillan, daughter of Lewis:
Irving, missing-probably dead. Mrs.
Charley Quick and many others not iden--
THE INJURED.
The following is list OF the injured as.
far as known, but is necessarily very in.
complete: John Rederson, I'll. Ruah, wife
and child, George Hanson, Daniel Ryan. -
Weatherbee, dying. = Haggerty, head hurt,
Enos Matteson, Fred Clough, Charley
Clough, Dan Roth, Mrs. Roth, Mrs. Jane
Bradley, Mrs. Humphrey, Marshall Hum
Gerdy, Mrs. Gerdy y Mr.. Mccormick ttn Frank
Schultz. Mrs. Smith, infant child of F..
Rick, VIM. Hance, r. K. William, Frank
Shutz, Anna Jerath, Otto Rue, John Hove,
J ohm Shentek, Milo Sweny, Oscar Haw-
kins, William Leach, 2. and A. WEIGH,
n. Hanson, wife and child, Mrs. Osborne
and little girl, W. WEIGH, shoulder sprained,
Charles Quick and four children, Mrs. Err
win and three children, Mrs. Carter, widow
of John NJ. Quinlan, DR.. r. Eaton,
badly cut and bruised. nephew of John
Posz, leg, arm and nose broken Mrs. Chap
man, Edward Chapman, her son, and Mrs.
Chapman, his wife. Three children whose
names can not be learned are so badly
bruised that their mothers can not identify
them.
Reports from outlying towns are coming
in slowly, and show the damage is not.
confined alone to this city. Pleasant Grove
40 CpSA tco dHuIulidlcuy Two persons DeluS
killed and ten wounded.
The town of Salem lay in the track of the
cyclone southwest of here, and is said to.
be wiped out.
KAssoN, MINI, Aug. q.
A. Anderson's wife was fatally injured,
and her mother instantly killed by the cy-
clone last night. Christian Olson's wife
was killed and his child's leg broken. The.
house and barns were entirely destroyed.
At Cunestio, south of here, the house and
barn of B. A1falks were ruined, also the
house and barn of Mr., Helmbrechts is gone
and his wife can not be found Horses and
cattle were found dead in all directions
News of ruin and death is coming in from,
all directions.
ST. PAUL, MIN, Aug. q.
During session of the committee on the
Willard reception at the City Hall, Gov
ernor Hubbard received the following dis.
patch from the Mayor of Rochester:
ROCHESTER, Aug %.
Governor Hubbard: Rochester is in.
ruins. Twenty-four dead bodies and forty
injured thus far. One-half the city is laid
waste as9 We need immediate help.
(Slgned) S. WRITTEN,
Mayor of Rochester,
Five thousand dollars was Immediately
pledged by those present, and the amount.
was telegraphed to the Mayor of Rochester,.
Help is asked from the State to relieve
the unfortunate people, and aid is coming
Tor the homeless, injured and dying. Gov
ernor Hubbard telegraphed to the Mayors
II all the neighboring cities to extend aid
o the devastated community, and special
rains will be sent to the scene Immediate
y. The telegraph wires were blown to the
ground, and it is impossible to get any
further details of the storm at present, but
t is believed the whole country between
Rochester and Zumbrota was struck by the
cyclone, and the number killed may reach
lhe hundreds when all are heard from.
4 Train Demolished with Terrible Results
OWAToENA, MINI, Aug. %.
Meagre telegraphic adyices were received