St. Landry democrat., 1886-04-24
A FIERCE CYCLONE.
An Appalling Disaster to Several
Minnesota Towns.
st, Cloud, Sank Rapids and Rice's Landing
Laid Waste--A eart-Rending List
of Casualties Partly Tells
the Tale of Woe.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, April ia tornado
struck ST. Cloud, MIMI, at halt-past TOUR
Yesterday afternoon. 1t came from
southwestern direction, passed through
the town and went almost due north,
striking Sank Rapids, three miles away,
few seconds later. The first news OF
the tornado was received at the general
office of the St. Paul, Minneapolis Man
itoba railroad just before five O'Clock.
The message said that the company's
freight depot had been swept away and
every car in the company's yard blown
over and carried several blocks. A sec
ond message was received few minutes
later saying that sixty or seventy build
ings had been demolished.
st. Cloud is the county seat of Stearns
County. 1t is west of the Mississippi,
several miles back from the river, ana
seventy-iye miles north of St. Paul. 1t
has population of 1850.
Sank Rapids is three miles above, on
the opposite side of the river in Benton
County.
At St. Cloud the loss to the Northern
Pacific & Manitoba railroad is $4,000,
and to dwellings $4,000 At St. Cloud
the storm seemed to have been almost
local in origin, and to have gathered and
spent it's force within space OF less than
thirty miles in length and twenty rods in
width 1t started less than two miles
south of st. Cloud. About $3.50 p. m,
| number of dark and ominous clouds gath
cred in the southwest, and short dis
lance beyond the city began to take the
terrible appearance OF cyclone. A long
and exceedingly black and funnel-shaped
cloud seemed to be let down
from the heavens. Some people who
were hunting in the Immediate vicinity OF
the fierce storm beginning say that
stratum of hot and motionless air seemed
to settle on them for q moment with
sitting effect and they fed onward as the
fierce demon of the storm rode down
upon the wings OF the wind.
The weakest part of the tornado was
felt in st. Cloud. The storm seems to
have barely gathered force when it fell
upon this city.
WORSE THAN FIRST REPORTED.
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, April 15.-Latest
reports from the path of the cyclone indi-
cate that the destruction of life and prop
erty has been even greater than at first
reported. The storm was the most ter
rife ever experienced. From the point
of starting, about one mile south
west of ST. Cloud, to a point some dis
lance beyond Sank Rapids, distance
of fifteen miles, it destroyed every
thing it touched, tearing and rending the
stoutest materials. Its path, so far as 1t
has been examined, is from 500 to 1000
feet wide From this every building,
fence, tree and shrub has been swept
away. In places the ground is torn up as
if by an explosion, and in the yards OF the
Manitoba railroad at St. Cloud even the
rails were twisted from the ties and bent
into useless shapes.
Each report received increases the list
of casualties. The following is the most
complete list vet received, and it is feared
that it does not nearly tell the whole sad
story:
sAUK RAP1Ds-KILLED.
Ernest Albright. clerk.
John Swanson, SWede.
Clara, his daughter, aged fourteen.
Ella, a daughter. seven years old.
Mrs. Fletcher, of Dakota, visiting her faith
ollie Carpenter six years old, daughter OF
S. p. Carpenter.
little bahy was found in the street dead
It is not known who he Is.
Mrs. Peter Fink and three boys and one
girl were all instantly.
Mrs. Poppenfus and her two grandchildren,
Henry Bernhardt, German, thirty three
years old. He leaves wife and two children,
totally destitute.
John Renard county auditor.
e:g Liney, county recorder.
4. II aSe, carpente"
Amnri an Bank.
Joseph Shumpn druggist,
An uI%S nown Sw" dish woman.
IN unknown Polish young WON an.
Ernest >ibrecht.
Maurice ST. Cyr, ten years.
WOUNDED.
Miss Fredarlka Wade, arm broken.
Mrs. &c trnde Nneth, arm broken and head
j. J. Lander, both legs broken and ampu-
tat ii: will die.
The ,dore Berg, jaw fractured and wounded
In arm.
VIM Jochem. flesh wound in ann.
Abn + It Cvr, fatally wounded
Child Of john Carpenter. a stake driven
through body
Camille st. Cyr eleven years, badly hurt
Mrs IIaukeS. internally Injured and her
two chill ten iaiureh seriously.
LAM a voun, man, two ribs broken and
lungs injured.
Claude Russ II, six wears, arm broken.
Mrs. JOHN Russell, skull and face wounds.
Her nfnnf, badly bruised
A Anderson, badly wounded.
J. Dame 4ght arm disloca ed.
IS Lucy Gilman, badly bruised.
F. Sc iptura. skull crushed. will die.
s en- year-oli son, skull crushe d !; will
die
Unknown bohemian woman; fracture OF
upper jaw will de
Miss Scripture BADLY bruised.
Boz emian boy twelve years; fracture OF
lower jaw and a III broken.
Mrs Poppenfus, seriously injured; may
die.
Miss Annie Beherendt, intern al injuries.
Charia- GILMAN, aged eighty; hurt about
head may no. recover.
Abner i Cyr, ataIlv hurt.
His son, Maurice, nine years old, had his
ribs broken and has died since.
9. Dr. jerks, badly Injured, not expect
ed tn recover