The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-04-23
DEATH AND RUIN.
Terrible Work of the Cyclone in Mime
sofa.

at New Ulm and Rochester a few years
ago, and the community is grOanlng and
wailing under a pail of grief that is in
tensified as each hour brings to light
fresh evidences of the terrible work of
the elements When the sun rose or
this city yesterday morning, happiness
reigned in every family and their peace
was not maTIed by any shadow OF the
terrible gloom that settled down on the
community before the sun had sunk to
rest. y few minutes after four O'CLOCK
the skies became overcast with a dark
cloud, and a great black mass rose over
the hills southwest of the city and came
with terrible velocity toward the west
ern outskirts. in a direct line for the
Manitoba freight yards. The CLOUDS
hung low and rolled over and over like
smoke over a battle field, and were ac-
cOmpanied by a loud roaring and crack
ing sound that resembleG a cOfagration
in it's fury. The cloud was funnel
shaped and the tail dragged alOpg the
ground like a huge aerial beast, lashiEg
everything that came in its way into
atoms. Citizens had hardly time to flee
to their cellars AMI other places OF ref
uge before the whirlwind was on them
and the air was filed with flying boards,
shingles, bricks, aud other debris, that
was strewn over the country and piled
in prOmiscuOus heaps.
The portion of st. Cloud struck bY
the cyclone was the southwestern, and
was the resident portion occupied by
the labOring class of the people. ma
jOTity of them being foreigners employed
on the railroads. Their dwellings were
light-built houses and became an easy
prey to the monster that Lad pOunced
upon them. They were little cookie
Shells IN the grip of the whirlwind, and
were picked up and tossed into the air
and torn into d thousand pieces, and
scattered to the four winds of heaven.
The earth was torn up IN the path Of the
cyclone and the line over which it
passed to a width of nearly a quarter of
a mile, aud looks as though it had been
upheaved by a terrific volcanic eruption.
1t had hardly begun its terrible work
before it was finished, and the scene
that greeted the eyes of those who had
escaped its fury was one that caused the
stOutest heart to shuddeT. Cries and
shrieks of wounded rent the air, and
the ground was strewn with the dead
bodies of men, women and children.
SEARCHING FOR THE VICTIMS.
Citizens almost to man rushed to
the demOlised houses, and summODing
physicians, began their wOIk of rescuing
those who were still living from the
piles of dirt and fallen buildings. Brain
ard was promptly telegTaphed to COT
medical help, and she Immediately re-
sponded by sending a dozen physicians
and surgeons by special train, but it was
late in the evening when they arrived
on the scene. St. Paul and MinneapO-
lis were also appealed to, and a special
train was sent out with twenty three
surgeons and physicians, for the scene
Of the disaster. On the ground the
scene was a CHASTITY one. The rain
poured down in torrents. and hundreds
of men wandered over the ground,
many of them carrying lanterns, leok-
ing for bodies among the ruins. The
hotel l0bbieS were filed with excited
citizens. many Of whom suspected that
some portion of their families or their
friends had fallen victims to the terrible
disaster Women, seemingly uncon-
scious Of the rain that was falling, ran
through tue streets sObbing and moan
ing in their fright.
Il was $50 10 the evening when the
special car arrived from st. Paul and
Minneapolis. The run was made in two
hours, through a terrible thunderstorm.
On the arrival of the train arrange.
ments were made to relieve as much as
possible the suffeTings of the wounded
and care for the bodies of the dead,
which were taken to the Little Giant
engine house and laid out on the floor,
while the wounded were taken to St.
Benedict Hospital where they were
promptly cared for by a corps of physi-
1rI vrh
several ladies who had volunteered their
services. There were twenty-eight
wounded stretched out on cots in the
various wards, and every facility OF the
hospital was tested to its utmost capac-
ity to meet the requirements.
THE SCENE IN THE HOSPITAL
was heartrending. Men, women and
children lay in broken shapes, bathed in
their own blood, and faces blackeued
and gTimy, and arms and legs broken.
and sCalps torn and bodies lacerated.
The scene at the engine house was
more horrible. Eighteen lifeIess bodies
were stretched on the floor in two rows.
draped in sheets and blankets, while
around and among them moved men
with lanterns. uncOvering faces and
trying to recognize in the distorted
features some familiar line in in which
they might trace relationship. The
bodies presented a terrible Spectacle.
The clothes they had worn were torn in
to shTeds, their faces were black with
dust, and gravel was ground into the
cheeks. while the scalps were torn and
blood still flowed from sapping wounds
and covered the floor. Skulls were
crushed, eyes torn from their sockets
and tongues pTOtTuded from between
lips and were cruelty cut and mutilated.
THE RUINS AT ST. CLOUD.
ST. CLOUD, Mimi, April 15.-Tbe
work of devastation in the district Wis
tied by the cyclone is complete, as the
scattered fragments of what once were
houses testify. The scene today was
one to appall the strongest hearted.
For width OF 900 feet the tornado had
leVeled almost everything before it. An
occasional building partly wrecked was
left to tell tell the tale, as if by contrast
with the ruins TO be seen on every side.
1t is estimated that 400 structures were
blown down, all of frame and not costly.
Inc small residences were mostly oc-
cupied by foreigners, whose names it
has been impossible to ascertain with
any degree CT accuracy.
In the Catholic hospital there are
about forty wounded. but only five or
six of them are considered to be in a
dangerous condition. The loss will not
go over 100000. The force of the
storm was such as to wrench off the
door of the safe in the post Office and
carry it some distance from the build
ing. The church bell weighing 1900
pounds was found among the debris 400
feet from any building. The remains
OF the dead are almost unrecognizable.
being completely crushed and black
ened. There are remarkable number
injured about the hips and spine. Many
of the survivors Will be disabled for
life.