Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-04-22
DEVASTATION AND DEATH.
st. Cloud. Sank Rapids, and Rice's
Station, Mimi, Swept by a
Fierce Cyclone.
Thirty Persons Reported Killed at the
Two Former Towns, and Fifty
Others Injured.
All the Inhabitants of Rice's Station
Either Dead or Wounded-Ruin
in Iowa Sections.
[st. Paul telegram.l

[St. Paul telegram
Reports received here give meager details OF
cyclone, the most destructive that has appeared
In the Northwest for years, which passed over
Sauk Rapids and St Cloud this afternoon, car
rying death TO fully fifty people and destruction
TO three times that number of residences and
other buildings. The day had opened balIny as
ever did a spring day, and at noon the sun shone
brightly. Soon after clouds began to lower and
the atmosphere 70 change from Dnimy a,5 "a SUI SUI
peared apparently two or three miles to the
southwest of the city and moving with great
rapidity. 1t came in northeasterly course ana
swept away everything in its track, which was
some 600 yards wide. 1t lasted but for rev
minutes, but In these few minutes it caused
destruction which, in the confusion and dark
ness that followed, cannot be told as
vet. In st. Cloud the havoc was the same.
Among the structures wrecked are the Manitoba
freight house, Sanborn's Touring mill, Briggs *
Co 's hardware store, the Central Hotel aud the
Court House at Sauk Rapids They all lie IN
splinters and level with the ground 1t Is re-
Rapids and as many more at St. Cloud, and that
100 in all are injured The following arc killed
at St Cloud: Nick Tinemann, farmer; Mrs:
Meisman an old lady, and little girl son,
pears old of Bowerski; son, years old, OF
Frank Gernskorffski Mrs. Stein, widow; son,
4years old, OF 7. Waldorf; shortridge, a young
railroad man Van Hoser, @ railroad man; two
Knoll
The following were killed at sauk Rapids: J.
Berg merchant, and two children John Kinard,
County Auditor; George Lindlay, County Treas
urer two children OF G. G. Wood, merchant;
Abner ST. Cyr; child OF ,I r Carpenter Clerk OF
American National Bank. Forty are missing
and are thought TO be buried in the debris.
Freight oars on the Northern Pacific tracks were yer,
lifted from the ground and smashed to bits. The
appearance of the cyclone, its course, and prog:
ress are told by the following graphic special
from st. Cloud few minutes after o'clock,
the skies became overcast by a dark cloud, and
great black mass rose over the hills
southwest Of the city; and coming with
skirts in direct line for the Manitoba
freight yards The clouds hung low and rolled
over and over like smoke over battlefield, and
were accompanied by loud roaring and crack
ing sound that resembled q conflagration in its
fury The cloud was funnel-shaped and the
point dragged along the ground like the tail OF
huge aerial beast lashing everything that came
Citizens had hardly time TO flee to their cellars
and seek other points Of refuge before the whiri-
wind was ON them, and the air was hlled with
flying boards, shingles, bricks, and other debris,
that were strewn over the country and piled IN
promiscuous heaps. 1t came from the south
east aud moved in northeasterly direction un-
til il reached the river, where its course was dt-
vefted, and it followed the river banks until II
reached Sauk Rapids, where it diverged to the
left, passing directly through the center OF the
town.
The utmost excitement prevailed. Women
and children fed from their houses and rushed
| aimlessly about in the midst of the dark cloud
| of dust and an avalanche OF boards and brick.
Men lost their presence Of mind aud stood in
|
wind demon. 1t was hardly noticed before II
was on the city in oil its fury, and people were
not warned OF their danger before 1t was upon
The portion Of St. Cloud struck by the cyclone
was tho southwestern, and was the residence
portion occupied by the laboring class OF people,
a majority Of them being foreigners employed
ON the railroads, Their dwellings were light
| built houses and became an easy prey TO the
| monster that had so viciously pounced NJ on
them. They were like cookie shells in the giI
of the Whirlwind, and were picked up and
tossed in the air and rent into thousand pieces
md scattered TO the four winds OF hpaven. The
earth was plowed up in the line OF the cyclone
and the path over which II passed, 10 wldt.
| OF nearly a quarter OF mile looks as though
1t had been upheaved by q terrible volcanic
eruption.
IL had hardly begun its terrible work before 4
was finished and the scene that greeted th'
ewes OF those who had escaped its fury was on'
that caused the stoutest heart to shudder. Crie
and shrieks of wounded rent the air. ana tht
ground was strewn with the bodies of the dead
Among them were stalwart men, weak women
and weaker children. Citizens almost to a maj
rushed TO demolished districts, and, summonin
physicians, began their work OF rescueing thos
who were still living from bene ath the piles Q
dirt and fallen buildings. Brainerd was prompt
| ly telegrephed to for medical assistance, ant
she Immediately responded by sending a dozei
physicians and surgeons by special train, Du
II was late in the evening when they arrived o.
the scene. st. Paul and Minneapolis were as
appealed TO- and a special car was sent out wit
twenty-three surgeons aud physicians for tn
scene OF the disaster.
The scene ON the streets after dark was i'm
pressive. Knots Of men stood on the corner
discussing the disaster. and speaking touchingl
Of their friends and acquaintances VINO ma
either been killed or terribly wounded. On tn
grounds the scene was CHASTITY one, The raj
poured down in torrents, and hundreds Of me
wandered over the ground many OF them ca .ll
! ruins. The hotel lobbies were filled with e'
cited citizens many of whom yet suspected tht
some portion Of their families or their friend
haA faII VIZ
, Women seemingly unconscious OF the rain thG
was falling were in the streets, and, ignorin
, the cutters and turbid streams, glided throug
! the streets sobbing and moaning in their frigh
, The scene defes description. .
, Gov Hubbard at once sent messages to tn
MAYORS of all cities and large towns in the Stat
asking that steps be taken at once to secui
: money and things needed, and forward them {
4 speedily as possible to Senator Buckman for Il
! | destitute Brief dispatches have just been r
\ | ceived saving that between forty and fift
bodies have been recovered from the ruins
: | St Cloud and the search not completed. III
. town presents n scene OF the utmost desolatic
4 | as seen by light, Pickering lanterns, and u
: groans OF the wounded and the lamentations
a those who have lost relatives are heartrending
J. the extreme. Not until daylight VIII the ~
extent of the havoc be known.
!, I The doad were taken to the Little Giant e
!. gine house and stretched out on the noor, VIII
4 where they were promptly cared for by cor
4 Of physicians and nurses, among whom we
v several ladies' who had volunteered their ser
Ices. There were twenty-eight wound,
y stretched out ON cots in the various wards, NJ
a every facility OF the hospital was tested TO
!. utmost to fill the requirements.
Z. The scene in the hospital was heartrendin
i Men, women, and children lay in broken shape
X bathed in their own blood and faces blacken
m and grimy ar arms and legs broken and seal
;, torn and bodies lacerated.
y The scene ut the engine house was more he
n rible. Eighteen lifeless bodies were stretch
~ on the floor in two rows, draped in sheets al
,d blankets while around and among them NOV
"a men with lanterns uncovering faces, trying
ld recognize in the distorted faces some famili
- line In which they might trace relationship.
M -