Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-24
MINNES0TA'S WHIRLWIND
THE FURY OF THE CYCLONE
HIDEOUSLY SHOWN.

A Man Torn Limb from Limb in the Fun
mel Shaped Cloud-Two- Thirds of Ro-
chester Laid in Ruins-AppeaIs for
SuccOr Generously Answered-The
Death List Appalling.
ST. PAUL, August 23.-The cyclone
which struck Rochester demolished about
three 300 houses and damaged 200 more.
Twenty-four persons were killed as far as
known. The Governor has received the
following dispatch:
ROCHESTER,, MINI, August % 1881
Rochester is in ruins. Twentv-four nor
sons have been killed and forty seriously
injured. One-third of the city is laid
waste. We need immediate help.
signed ). w. WRITTEN,
Mayor.
In a short time $1,000 was raised and
sent to the aid of the sufferers. Telegrams
were sent to all the cities in the State
calling for aid.
| CHICAGO, August 23.-Ed Peck. who
passed through the ruined city of Roehes-
ter, Mlnn., and has just arrived here
/ gives succinct account of the disaster
! 1t was O'Clock Tuesday evening when
! Mr.. Peck reached Rochester. He states
! that the entire northern portion of the
! place from the Chicago and Northwestern
] Il
debris. Scarcely "a house was standing.
and the few which were had been re
moved from their foundations, and shat
tered as If by an earthquake. The af-
frighted survivors were at work rescuing
the injured, and recovering the bodies OF
the dead. Before midnight twenty-three
corpses lay in a hotel to
| They presented Il shocking appearance.
some of them being crushed and mangled
| out of all human semblance. Nearly ali
were injured about the head, and, from
their begrimed faces, appeared to ohave been
dragged into the earth by the whirlwind.
Forty wounded persons, many Of them
seriously injured, had been removed TO
undestroyed dwellings. 1t was thought
that at least twenty bodies remained in
the ruins. The portions of the city swept
| by the cyclone composed about One-thrd
of its extent, including several stores and
generally the poorer dwellings. The
storm appeared to have formed about
eighteen miles northwest of Rochester,
and, gathering violence as it progressed.
destroyed several farm houses in its
course. A lowering, dim-colored tunnel
sharped cloud, was seen approaching the
fated town, and in a few minutes the
slaughter had been accomplished. No
time was given for any preparations, had
1t been possible. The scene in the devas-
tated district and the place where the
dead lay was indescribably sad. Mothers
wildly searched for their children, while
little homeless waits were found
whom the tempest had orphaned. One
child was the only survivor of
family of seven. The passengers
of the train on which was
MIR. Peck were not aware that the cyclone
had passed near them until their atten-
tiOn was directed to feather beds and ar
ticlpS of wearing anDarpl lOdupd aUoipsf
barbed Wire fences. Wheat and straw
were twisted about the rails in large
quantities where the cyclone crossed the
track. Shortly before the train arrived
at Rochester, a freight train was wrecked
on the frestle at the western approach Of
the place. The wind twisted the switch
bar from its place, throwing open the
switch. The engineer saw his peril when
close at hand and jumped, saving
his life. The fireman was
carried over an embankment with the en-
gine and was killed. The fatal black
cloud swept toward st. Charles, five miles
southeast of Rochester, cutting a wide
swatch through the timber and farms.
wrecking many of the buildings in the lit
tie hamlet, and leaving two c0rpses and
three persons fatally manned. The
body of one of the men killed was
found in tree top. He had been
torn limb from limb by the mere force of
the wind while being drawn up and car
ried along by the terrible funnel A FAM
lily named Stevens, consisting of four per-
sons, saw the approaching storm-clOud
and hastily crept into a large tank els
tern in the ground, and, which Fortunate
ly, contained no water. Their"house was
torn to pieces and wholly carried away
over ther heads. Not a yestige of their
home remained, but their lives were
SDared