New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-24
THE MINNESOTA TORNADO.
RUIN AND DEATH AT ROCHESTER,.
ABOUT THIRTY PEOPLE KILLED AND OVER FIFTY
WOUNDED - 100000 WORTH on PROPERTY

RUIN AND DEATH AT ROCHESTER,.
ABOUT THIRTY PEOPLE KILLED AND ovKR yurY
WOUNDED = 100000 WORTH or PROPERTY
MINNEAPOLIS Minn., Aug. 23-On Tuesday even.
ing at o'clock, Rochester the county seat Of Olm-
stead County. Mfnp., was Of the most beautiful
cities in the West Ten minutes later its beauty had
disappeared before q tornado. and in parts Of the
city ruin and desolation reigned. Just one month
ago tornado passed six miles north Of the city.
The day bad been beautiful and warm until even
ing, when clouds began TO gather. The atmo-
sphere was oppressive, heavy and hot About 4
o'clock 1t seemed az though the sky would clear,
but soon heavy black clouds came from the north
west and rain fell In torrents Directly after
o'clock the clouds assumed greenish tint accom-
panied by rumbling noise, and in short time tho
wind increased in violence until the full force Of
tornado was felt and what was once Q we'll
populated portion of the city was scene Of ruin.
The tornado possessed the peculiaties a. that
Of July 21. Its main course was through the lower
town. but its force was more or less felt In all parts
of the city, and its freaks wera simply Won
derful. II demolished well-buit structures on
Broadway and left adjacent buildings
unharmed beyond turning chimneys and
stripping the tin coverings from the roofs Hun
dreds of trees either torn down or broken of.
and many of the streets rendered impossible by
being filed with their trunks and limbs Some Of
the trees were stripped bare, even the bark being
torn of.
That portion Of the city north Of the railroad.
called the lower town, suffered most damage In
deed there not house there that Is not Injured
and only about twenty are left standing. 1t looks
at distance as though there had never been q
building standing In that portion of the city while
m uther secfions hA soft the hon
terribly destructive force of the wind. As soon ~
the tornado had passed and the people In the moro
favored portion Of the city began to learn of tho
damage. they went at once TO the lower town to
render what assistance they could. Many worked
all night. The dead and wounded taken from the
debris were conveyed to Bucks Hotel, the Winoua
House, DIR. Layers Office and to private residences
But no idea of the extent Of tho damage BY tho
storm could be obtained until the next morning,
when its horrors were appalling to behold.
Beginning at j. r. Cooks house, on the st. Paul
road, which entirely demolished. the tornado
next destroyed Leland's residence. barn and out
buildings. not leaving a stick standing. Then it
swept through the lower town. From
the appearance of the ground it seemed as
though a terrific food had swept over this
part of the city, In many places where there had
been residences scarcely board Is LETT on tho
premises The grass 10 tiled with dirt and sand, -
If muddy stream had poured over it.
Early wednesday morning an organized move
ment was made to care for the wounded, and
appeals were issued to the larger cities for aid.
these have been answered with fiberality.
THE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY
The following Is list of the killed: John NJ.
Cole a prominent business man, owning four mills.
who was picked up by the wind and hurled to the
ground, breaking every bone IN his body; Mrs.
McQuillan, Mrs. Steel. Mrs. Zierath and August
Zlerath. her son; Mr.. Osborn and his aunt, Mrs.
Frederick Clough, Mrs. Wetherby. Mrs. Hetzell,
William Higgins, Mrs. Qaick aud child. and Miss
Mccormick. Eight bodies taken into the
country by their friends before their names wero
ascertained and four others are still unclaimed,
making in all twenty six killed. So far as can be
learned six persons were killed outside OF Roches-
ter.
OF the wounded, ffty.one are sufficiently so to be
under tho care of the doctors. Carl Quick and
five children are cut about the head and otherwise
injured. Mr.. Rhud, wife and child, aud Frank
Schultz badly hurt, the shoulders of the latter
being out OF joint and his head cut. Annie Zerath
is seriously cut about the face and head. Otto
Rhud is bruised internally John Haney, John
shaenook, Milo Wseney. Daniel O'Bren. George
Hansen, Mr.. wetherby. Oscar c. Hall. Mr.. Hankins
and William Lee are injured about the head, face
and arms. s. A. WEIGH was wounded. but not
seriously. Mrs Irwin aud two children and
Nelson Hansen, wife and child, were badly cut on
the head and body Mrs. Osborne and daughter
were badly bruised. Three children whose names
cannot be learned are 90 badly bruised that they
cannot be recognized. Their clothes are all gone.
The above named are In tho hospital The follow.
ing are with friends: Louis Pessc leg broken; Mrs
Coons, leg broken, and Frank Clements, arm
broken.
The principal losses on property, nearly as can
be estimated are as follows: Court House unroofed
and dome carried away $1,000; High School build
ing, tower and part of roof gone. $1,000; Methodist
Church, roof gone sides bulged, inside wrecked;
So 900; Congregational Church. steeple of. 81 900
raIlIoad depot unrooed. round house gone. bridge
ruined. ETC., entailing loss SOL OF $lo'9oq; vsa
elevator, o. 600 Harvester works and lnacninery'
ST., 900; j. N. ColY's mill, side and roof OIL mill
wrecked and engineer blown into river, $500
Crescent Creamery, 5000: Cascade Mill, $o.OOOj
ten business books unrooied, $4,000; 2oOO houses.
with contents wrecked, $1S5, 600; 200h houses
damaged x3O, 600; total loss, about $4OO00.