Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-08-29
The Rochester Cyclone.

On the first page of the TRANSCRIPT
may be found an acc cunt of the terrible
cyclone which devastated the city of
Rochester and vicinity Tuesday evening,
Aug. q, which agrees with the latest intel
ligcnce, save where it speaks Of a terrible
railroad accident attended with great loss
of life. The truth is, that mixed train
approaching Rochester, ran into the ruins
of house which had fallen across the
track, and was completely demolished,
killing one person only, the fireman. In
addition to this corrected report, there a.e
several other incidents of interest to our
readers. Two days after the catastrophe
the dead were buried. Eleven of the
bodies were carried to lakewood cemetery,
itself scene of desolation and ruin. The
flags of the city hung at half mast while
5000 spectators filed INTO the cemetery to
pay their last tribute of respect and affec
ton.
Some singular contrasts appear. One
family by the name of Quick had father,
mother and one child killed. six children
lie mangled upon beds Of suffering, and
an infant is missing Not one escaped so
far as known. Another family of eleven
by the name of Donahue escaped without
injury, although the house was crushed
to atoms about them. On the grounds OF
F. A. Poole may be seen the trunk of Il
maple tree six inches thick, perforated by
pine board six feet long and four inches
wide. A Mr.. Hetzel was driving a span
of horses attached to a wagon with aspan
of mules hitched behind. Mr.. Hetzel
was fatally wounded, since dead, one
horse killed, another wounded, while the
mules were hung up by their harness in Il
tree-top. An old oak tree with Il trunk
as thick as flour barrel, was torn up by
the roots and whirled away.
AS soon as the shock was past, imme
dite measures of relief were taken. Not
only were the dead and wounded dragged
from the debris, and the immediate neces-
stiles Of food and shelter temporarily pro
vided. but responses to the appeal OF Gov
ernor Hubbard for help came pouring in.
Minneapolis gives in money and lumber
to the amount of $1,000 st. Paul So. 600,
contributions from the lumbermen con-
gregated there. nearly $4,000 and other
cities and towns according to their abili-
ty. Large as these sums may SEEM they
are nothing when compared with the total
loss entailed, to say nothing of suffering
of body and mind. $50 houses swept out
of existence! Not lumber enough left
to build one house This means ESQ des-
titute families, deprived Of home and all
its comforts, penniless. and winter at
hand. $50 other dwellings badly wrecked
will demand the means and attention of
their owners, thus diminishing the num-
Der of those who could help.
Nothing but large and immediate dona
lions of money and clothing can keep
these people from months of suffering
such as should not be permitted in our
land of plenty.
An honest and competent committee
are dispensing the funds and supplies,
and when they say enough has been done
it will be time enough to stop.
Let us all do, and do cheerfully and
bountifully, not knowing but our needs
some day may he as great as theirs. When
Rochester gave 81, 600 to the Elgin suffer
ers, her people little dreamed how soon
the bounty would be measured out to them
many fold. Better than the stimulus of
possible need is the dictate of true hu-
manity that loves. even at the price of
self denial, to extend helping hand to
the afflicted and needy. In such service,
we lay up for ourselves that benediction
from our Heavenly Father, "lnasmuch
as We have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, We have done it
unto me.