Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-04-21

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the southeast and moved in a north
easterly direction until it reached
the river, where its course was divert
ed, and it followed the river banks
until it reached Sauk Rapids, where
it diverged to the left, passing direct
ly through the centre of that town.
The utmost excitement prevailed.
Women and children fled from then
houses and rushed aimlessly about
in the midst of the dark cloud of dirt
and dust and ali avalanche of boards
and brick. Men lost their presence
of mind and stood in silence and in
activity in the presence of the wild
demon. 1t was hardly noticed be-
fore it was upon them and they fell
like grainstalks before areaper S sick
lie. The portion of St Cloud struck
by the cyclone was the;southwestern,
and was the residence portion occu-
pied by the laboring class of people,
n majority of them being foreigners
employed on tho railroads. Their
dwellings, were light-built houses
and became an easy prey to the mon
ster that had so viciously pounced
upon them. They were like cookie
shells in the grip of the whirlwind
and were picked up and tossed in
the air and rent into a thousand
pieces. The earth was plowed up in
the line Of the cyclone, and the path
over which it passed to a width of
nearly quarter of a mile looks as
though it had been upheaved by a
terrible volcanic eruption. 1t had
hardly begun its terrible work be-
fore 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 shudder.
Cries and shrieks of the wounded
rent the air and the ground was
strewn with the bodies of the dead.
Among them were staiwart men,
weak women and weaker children.
Citizens almost to man rushed to
the demolished districts, and, SUM
mcning physicians. began their work
OF rescuiDg those who were still lv-
ing from beneath the piles of dirt
and fallen buildings. Brainered was
promptly telegraphed to for medical
help and she Immediately responded
by sending a dozen physicians and
surgeons by a special train, but it
was late in the evening when they
arrived ON the scene. St Paul and
Minneapolis were also appealed to,
and a special car was sent out with
twenty-three surgeons and physic-
ians for the scene of the disaster.
On the grounds the scene was a
ghastly one. The rain poured down
in torrents, and hundreds of men
wandered over the ground, many of
them carrying lanterns, searching for
bodies among the ruins. The hotel
lobbies were filled with excited citi
zens, many of whom yet suspected
that some portion of their families or
their friends had fallen victims to the
terrible disaster. Women, seeming
" unconscious of The rain that was
falling, were in the streets, and ig-
noring the CUTTERS and turbid streams,
giided about sobbirg and moaning in
their fright. In the track of the cy
clone stood the Manitoba freight
bouse a0d cnrs flied with freight
Down Oh them this whiriwind pounc-
ed, and grasping the heavy cars, lift
Cd theTn from tue tracks. and east
them TO pieces III a shapsless mass.
The iron rails were torn from the
ties and twisted like the smallest
wires. Telegraph poles were torn up
and the wires twisted into euri5ns
masses The freight house was to-
tally wrecked. The roof was lifted
aud blown several hundred feet the
sides next succambed, and over three
! Thousand dollirs worth q freight was
whirled through the air, and thrown
into heaps, and scattered by piece
meal over an area Of q quarter of a
mile. Fifteen freight cars were de-
moiished. The operators in the tele
graph Office and employees at the
freight depots saw the cyclone COM
ing and fed into the cellar, aud thus
escaped. 1t was $50 o'clock in the
evening when the special car arrived
from st. Paul and Minneapolis.
On the arrival of tie train with
surgeons work was at once begun to
relieve the wounded The dead were
taken to the Little Giant Engine
House and stretched out on the
floor. while the wounded were sent to
st. Benedict Hospital, where they
we're promptly cared fCr by corps OF
phy- icians and nurses, among whom
were numerous lady residents who
had volunteered their services. There
were twenty eight wounded stretch
ed ont ON cots in the various Yards,
and every facility o. ihe hospitd was
tested to its utmost to ill the re Iuire-
meMt. The scene III the hospitll WAS
hear.rending. Men, women auG chill
dren lay in broken shapes, bathsd in
their own blood, and faces blaclened
and grimy, and arms aad legs broken
scalps torn and bodies lacerateG The
scene at the engine house wss more
horrible. Eighteen lifoless bodies
were stretched on the floor il two
rows, draped in sheets and blankets,
while around among them mov,d men
with lanterns uucover;ng facet try
ing to recognize in the distortid feat
ures some familiar line in which they
might trace relationship. Tbs bod
les presented n terrible spectacle The
clothes thev had worn we're tom into
sbreds. their faces were bIacl with
dirt and gravel was ground in'o the
cheeks, while the scalps wer- torn
and blood flowed from gaping wounds
and covered the floor. Skull were
crushed, eyes torn from their sockets
and tongues proiruded from b.sween