The Mineral argus., 1883-10-04
A Fearful Tuesday Evening which Sees
the Minnesota Town a Victim
of CyclOnie Wrath.
Hundreds of Buildings Shattered, 26
People Killed and 80 Other
UnfOrtunates Injured.
Nearly all Public Buildings damaged
and a Loss Of 100000
Inflicted.
RUINED ROCHESTER,
HORRIBLE WORK or THE CYCLONE

AhAAbA W0ha VI ~ -
ROCHESTER, Special Telegram, Aug. 22-
The citizens Of Rochester are wan Of cheek and
~hollow-eyed, aud well they may, since they
passed last evening as evil a quarter Of an hour
IS ever fell to the experience Of man, and to
this succeeded a night Of horror, snch as made
men used to the terrors OF a stricken field
vince and shudder. The storm first came at z
IN the evening and lasted from twelve to fifteen
minutes Not until after G O'Clock we're the
residents the least alarmed, which is
the strlngest, when it is remembered that
. month ago eyclOnic fury vented itself
but a few miles from here By 7:1O the south
west quarter had assumed that sickly greenish
tint which serves as drop curtain for such
dire work In a few moments the green
changed 70 copper, then to bronze, with
Whiish edges aud lateral lines Of flying scud
lthwart it in every direction. Next was noted
that dseaded and dreadful inverted cone, with
height seemingly immeasureable and murki-
ness appalling. With the speed Of & cannon
ball it came down the valley Of insignificant Sill
YER creek, and when within half a mile
Of the devoted city, its roar could
be heard. Cellars we're rushed to by almost
every one, but a few Of the harder ones stayed
At points Of vantage near the edges and wit
messed
THE ATTACK OF THE R-EsIsTLEss MONSTER
Full3OO feet in the air it rose, and ia j its whirling
mass were trees and stones, animals and debris
Of every conceivable description. The dome
OF the court house melted from view, though
touched merely by the hem Of tho wind
Trees snapped like cAt-o'-nne tails, or stranger
still. were twisted a. cOrksorews in the
hands Of a Titan, and lifted bodily into the
air with tons Of earth clinging to their roofs
Animals we're dashed against stone walls,
and their backs aud bones crushed 10 powder.
The roar Of the fierce surge was like nothing
ever heard before. The atmosphere was
surcharged with electricity. and pellets Of
rain and nail we're driven vertically a. if shot
from q rife. Fifteen minutes Of this terror,
Ehd then q silence By s O'Clock tho stars
we're shining as peacefully as if cyclones we're
unknown; but the silence was soon
broken by the groans Of the dead, dying and
the sorely wounded The northern part OF the
city, fortunately not the larger or thickly set-
lied portion, had been changed from a habit
able place to maze Of mAngled matter, a desert
with signs Of woe and terror scattered every
where Not a house stood where 800 had
been At 7 o'clock Most Of the dwellings we're
Of the poorer class but many we're pretty, care
fully tended and decorated houses. The
citizens on the South side quickly repaired in
crowds to the scene Of direst disaster aud went
n Wnrk All NIGHT l,,. - a.. Gaf-F 49, "A
lAnters at first and later aided by the moon
they toled
SCORES OF BODIES
mAngled. cut torn and bruised. some breath
Ing, some breathless, were taken out By
sunrise those Of the dead OF wounded who had
friends we're speedily borne to private houses.
The majority were taken to Rommers hall, a
large building on Broadway, where cots we're
hastily prepared for the wounded The dead
were taken away by friends or to ". H sew
ards undertaking place on Broadway. Physi-
clans aud nurses we're soon to the fore. and
everything possible done TO alleviate suffering.
The wounded we're in a horrible plight, and q
walk through the hall where they lie.
wen now, makes one rant Inc
Ius and bruises are generally about
he upper part Of the body, and
'hldish faces are seen with wounds on them
70 ghaaly that even the physician shuddsrs as
as uses sponge and needle. Into the cuts dirt
and even powdered stone we're forced in many
instances. Cellars seemed OF little or no pro-
lection, since, whilo some Of he houses above
hem blew away, those to the west were
crushed bodily into their depths Think Of
two mothers, as late a. noon to-day,
sEEKnso FRAsTIcALLT FOR LOST CHILDREN.
seeing three who oorrespondsd in sizs with
hose they sought hut all 20 marred BY dir,
and blood and wounds that even maternal love
sould not tell whether to say ''mine" or not
The scenes around the demolished houses we're
he~artrending; men, women and children cry
ng bitterly and almOstb ersft Of reason An
absolute doubt exists in many cases
~ to where the site Of their
home was; ever a dreadful uncertainty
and q haunting dread. aud through ii
al the breeze signing gently, N neon smil-
ng calmly and men working srzvsly. The
rising sun showed the utternsss Of Ghe desola-
ion Queer freaks there we're, of course
here stands 3 wall, and on It hangs an IN
broken lookng-gl1ss, while a heavy stove.
crushed into fragments, lies on the foor near
BY. There, swaying to aud fro in the breeze,
3 the family rocking chair, while = few feet
from tia horse lies