The Indianapolis journal., 1883-08-28
THE MINNESOTA CYCLONE.
A Graphic Account of the Terrible Scene at
Rochester People Torn in Pieces by the

a Graphic Account of the Terrible scene at
Rochester-Peopte Torn in Pieces by the
Storm.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
The anxiety of the family of Miss Phoebe
CouZins was relieved at noon yesterday, when
letter from her was found at the postofffee
announcing her safety, and at the same time
explaining why it was that no information
had previously been received of her where
abouts. She was not at Rochester, Mimi, on
Tuesday last when the town was destroyed
by tornado, nor in the track of the storm,
but was between Rochester and Kasson for
tunately out OF the track of the storm. Tele-
graph lines were down so that she could not
announce her safety by that medium, and as
she was not on the main line of railroad the
letter which she at once mailed was some
time in coming. Immediately after the tor
nado had passed Miss Couzins visited the
stricken town. and her account of the horrors
she witnessed describes a situation which
was something terrible.
Mrs. - and l." writes Miss Couzins
drove down to Rochester, a distance of sew
enteen miles and have witnessed such a sight
as we hope never to look upon again. The
country for many miles is laid waste, farmers
crops and barns and improvements are strewn
i'll every direction; but the loss of life is not
so great as at Rochester, although the few
that are killed and wounded in the country
are most horribly mangled. The wife of one
house, but failed to reach it. She ran for
stake in the field, but was blown almost to
pieces. the stake was driven through her
body, and her limbs torn off, so that they
have not yet been found One young woman
is so fearfully mangled with ashes ground
into her flesh that she cannot live. A boy
had his spine so filed with nails that he will
die of lockiaw
'But the most frightful of all scenes was
that at Rochester.
The scene in the north part of the city
where stood 300 houses and large number
or trees, beggars description; not a dwelling
or a tree remains. The debris is piled up in
huge masses, or scattered over the plain in
hopeless ENHANCEMENT Cattle, horses and
pigs lie about dead, in all manner of atti-
tudes, One COW we saw had her head COM
pletely blown from her body, and two horns
sticking into her bowels.
IA horse tied to tree was blown on his
knees, and his eyes in death bespoke the ter
ror which possessed him. Hon. John Nc
Call, of Winona, was killed hear his elevator
He had started for the house across the way,
but had evidently beer caught in the air and
whipped on the EARTH for the grass was
swept clean where he was found, and every
bone in his body broken. A long train of
grain cars was thrown from the track and
some of them were pitched into the
river beyond. Among the trees bor-
dering the bed of the river all sorts of
garments were flying from the limbs, and,
while we were there, the bodies of a woman
and a baby were found The railroad depot,
the locomotives, carriage factory and harvest
er-works are complete wreck though not
so completely blown to atoms as the north
part of the town. In the streets on the other
side of the depot the trees are piled up in
every direction blockading many of them
while tin roofs and towers of churches, cor
nices, brick chimneys and debris OF all kinds
present most fearful picture. That hun
dreds were not killed was marvellous. But
the time being 2 in the evening, and the
storm seen by every one, men had gone home
to their families, and every one had taken
refuge in their cellars. All who were man
gled or killed were those who had no cellars
10 go to- In almost every instance every one
saved was in the cellar.
But the most hearJ-rending sight was the
big hall, with the houseless and homeless
and killed and wounded Near the door of
the hall improvised as a hospital, lay five
children, all dreadfully hurt, whose parents
had both been killed. A sixth child the
badly, never has been found This sight
moved the stoutest heart to tears. Over
forty were in here-men, women and chill
dren-in most pitiable condition. One
cunning baby, which reminded me of IS
little one, which no one claimed, with one
of its eyes put out, lay and gazed with it's
one eye at every person who passed, with the
most intelligent questioning look, as if to
say: What does this all mean? Can no one
find my mammal?
Twenty bodies were buried yesterday
We drove out to the cemetery, and saw the
deep. wide trenches prepared, but did not
stay for the interment. The excitement is
intense throughout the country, and work is
not thought of nor doue. l could write you
pages of what 1 saw and heard but am tired
and worn out from the continued strain of
nerve and body"