Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-15
kilograms to The Star.
NADEADLY VORTEX
MANY LIVES LOST In A CYCLONE
Three Minnesota Towns in Ruins.
The War on the Gould Railroad System.
CANADIAN SYMPATHY WITH IRELAND.
Three Minnesota Towns in Ruins
The War on the Gould Railroad System
CANADIAN SYMPATHY WITH tRELANr
IN A CYCLONES PATH.
Frightfui Devastation and Loss Of Life
i'm Minnesota and Iowa.


THE WIND AT SAUK RAPIDS AND sT.CLoUD-
SCENES OF APPALLING DEsoLATIoN-CooN
RAPIDS, IOWA, IN RUINS.
ST. CLOUD, MINI, April 15.-The city has
been visited with a calamity the CHASTITY details
of which have never been equalled since the har-
vest of death at New Ulm and Rochester "a few
years ago. A few minutes after four O'Clock
yesterday afternoon a great black mass rose
over the hills southwest of the city and came
with terrible velocity toward the western out
skirts, in direct for the Manitoba freight
yards. The clouds hung low and rolled over
ana over
LIKE SMOKE OVER A BArTLEFIELD,
and were accompanied by loud roaring and
cracking sound that resemblcd a conflagration
IN It's fury. The cloud was funnel shaped and
the point dragged along the ground like The
tail OF a huge aerial beast, iaShing every thing
that came in its path into atoms. Citizens had
hardly time TO flee to their cellars and seek
other points of refuge before the whiriwiud
was on them and the air was filled with flying
boards, shingles, bricks and other debris that
was strewn over the country and piled in pro-
miscuous heaps. The storm came from the
southeast ana moved in n northeasterly dircc-
ton until il reached the river where its course
was diverted, and il followed the river banks
until it reached Sank Rapids, where il diyerged
to the left, passing directly through the center
of that town. The utmost excitement pre-
vailed. Women and children fled from their
houses and
RUSHED AIMLEssLY ABOUT
In the midst OF the dark cloud of dust and
avalanche OF boards and bricks. Men lost
their presence Of mind and stood in silence
and inactivity in the presence of the wind
demon. 1t was hardly noticed before it was
on the city In all its fury. The portion OF 1T.
Cloud struck 10y the cyclone was the southwest
ern, and was the residence portion occupied by
the laboring class o1 people, majority OF them
being foreigners employed on the railroads.
Their dwellings were iignt built houses and be-
came an easy prey. They were like cookie
shells in tie grasp of the whirwind ana were
picked up and tossed in the air aud rent into a
thousand pieces.
THE EARTH WAS FLOWED UP
in the line of the cyclone, and the path over
which it passed TO IA width oI nearly quarter
S been unb ,.s looks sv as though rri,a a. had
canic eruption. 1t had hardly begun its terri
bic work before il finished and the scene
that greeted the eyes oil those who had escaped
its fury was one that caused the stoutest heart
TO shudder. Cries and shrieks of the wounded
rent the air, and the ground was strewn with
the bodies OF the dead men, women and chill
dren. Citizens rushed to the demolished dis
tricts, and, summoning physicians, began their
work of rescuing those who Were still living
from beneath the piles OF dirt ana fallen ouliu-
ings Brainerd was promptly photographed 10
Tor medical helf and she Immediately re-
sponded by sending a dozeL physicians and
surgeons by a special train, but il was late IN
the evening when they arrived. st. Paul and
Minneapolis were also appealed 10. and spe-
cial car was sent out with twenty-three sur
geons and phy sicians for the scene OF the dis
aSter. On the grounds
THE SCENE WAS a CHASTITY ONE.
The rain poured down in torrents and hum
dreds of men wandered over the ground, many
of them carrying lanterns, searching tor bodies
among the ruins. The hotel Hobbies were filled
with excited citizens. Women, seemingly un-
conscious of the rain that was falling, glided
about sobbing and moaning. In the track OF
the cyclone stood the Manitoba freight house
and cars nlled with freight Down on them
the whirlwind bounced, and, grasping the
heavy cars. lifted them from the tracks and
hurled them to pieces. The
IRON RAILS WE'RE TORN FROM THE TIES
and twisted like wires. Telegraph poles were
torn up and the wires twisted into curious
The roof was lifted and blown several hundred
feet; the sides next succumbed, and over
$4,000 worth of freight was whirled through
the air and thrown into heaps, and scattered
by piece meal over an area of "A quarter OF "A
mile. Fifteen freight cars We're demolished.
The operators in the telegraph Office and en-
ployes at the freight depots saw the cyclone
coming and fled into the cellar and they
capped. 1t Was $50 in the evening when the
special car arrived from st. Paul and Minneap-
oils. The run was made in two hours through
u terrible thunder ana hail storm.
ON the arrival of the train with surgeons
work at once begun to relieve the wounded,
The dead were taken TO the Little Giant engine
house and stretched on the floor, while the
wounded were sent to ST. ienedict hospital
There were twenty-eight wounded. The scene
in the hospital was hcartrending Women and
children lay in broken shapes, bathed i'm their
own blood. and faces blackened and grilny
and arms and legs broken, scaips torn aud
bodies lacerated. The scene at the engine house
EIGHTEEN LIFELEss BODIES
were stretched on the floor in two rows, draped
in sheets and blankets, while around ana
among them moved men with lanterns uncoy-
ering laces trying to recognize in tie distorted
features some familiar line in which they might
trace relationship. The bodies presented "A Ter
rible spectacle. The clothes were torn into
shreds. their faces Were black with dirt and
gravel WAS ground into the cheeks, while the
scalps We're torn and blood sill flowed from
gaping wounds Skulls were crushed, eyes torn
from their sockets, and tongues protruded from
between lips that were cruelty cut ana mutt
lated.
Following is list OF the killed: Joseph Gisk-
avski, 40 years; Mrs. Straus, 30 years; Charles
Eureski, to years; Mrs. Stein, SO years; Minnie
Stein 10 years; John Waldron, II years; Mrs
Tramp, 81 years; Edgar Hull, president OF the
GerInan-American National bank; Carrie Sta
bold. IL years; Nicholas Junemann, "a years:
four immigrants names unknown; an unknown
man apparently about ~ years old; three
Younger children, two girls and one boy.
John Younger had both legs broken: Frank .
Giskarkie had his kulI fractured; Mrs. aiskar-.
kie had a leg broken, and her three children
arm broken and scalp wound; Marquis N Fair
had both arms broken; Mrs. Frederick Johnson
and boy both had their legs broken.
The tracks are covered with debris west of the
town, but a wreckin9 Iorce is at work clearing
them, and it is expected that trains will be run
ming regularly this AFTERNOON.
THE DAMAGE AT RICES STATION.
The report which came from Rice's station,
about twelve miles from here, was that the
struck nv the cvcIone and twenty pednIe kiIied
including the bride and groom. This has not
yet been verified. but il is certain that there
loss to this city is estimated at from Si25, 900
to 81 81, OOO
The Devastation at Sank Rapids.
SAUK RAPIDS, MINI, April ia cyclone
struck this city shortly after four O'Clock yester-
day afternoon, and in just six minutes the best
portion OF the town Was in ruins. Not BUSH
ness house is left standing on the main street.
The wind came from the southwest and swept
everything before il for a width of about four
blocks. The storm cloud was as black as night,
with a bright clear sky on either side. The
court house Is a heap OF ruins, and several OF
the county officers were killed. The Union
school house, the Presbyterian and Congrega-
iOnal churches, the post Office, Hour mill, and q
large machine shop were converted into kind
ling wood in less time than IL takes to tell il.
What was the center Of the town Is now COW
cred with all sorts of debris, timber. doors,
remains intact. The Northern Pacific depot
was literally blown away and large number
of freight cars overturned upon the tracks. At
the present time
TWENTY-FIVE DEAD BODIES
have been recovered from the ruins, and large
number Of people are injured. The bodies are
laid out In the nearest houses left standing, and
several half demolished buildings are made to
answer the purpose OF a morgue. The total loss
OF property is not less than $3O0. 600, without q
dollar Of cyclone insurance.
THE TOWN Is WELL NIGH RUINED.
The living are caring for the wounded, as well
apolis and Brainerd are In attendance. The
following ID list Of the killed and fatally In
jured: John Renard, county auditor; Gregg
Lindley, county recorder; A II. Lake, carpen-
ter Abner 81 Cyrs nAtally hurt HIS son Man