Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-04-21

pOlnte OF refuge BEFORE the Wh1r1Wlno was on
them and the air was lllsA with flying boards,
shingles. bricks and other debris that was
strewn over the country and piled in promiscu-
Gus heaps. The cloud came from the
southeast and moved in . northeasterly d.
rection until it reached the river, where it,
course was diverted and it followed the
river bank until It reached Sank Rapids, where
it diversed to the left and passed directly
through the center OF that town. The utmost
excitement prevailed. Women and children
ran from their houses and fed aimlessly about
in the midst Of the dark cloud Of dust and the
avalanche of boards and bricks. Men lost their
presence Of mind and stood awel into silence
and inactivity in the presence of the wind
demon. 1t was hardly noticed before 1t was on
the city in all ito fury, and the people were not
warned of their danger before it was upon them,
and they fell like grain stalks before tho reap
ers sickle. The portion of St. Cloud struck BY
the cyclone was the southwest, and WAS the res.
idence portion occupied by the laboring class Of
people, the majority Of them being foreigners
employed on the railroads. Their dwellings
were light board houses, and became easy prey
to the monster that had 20 viciously bounced up
On them. They were like cockle-shells in the grip
Of tho whirlwind, and were picked up, tossed in
the cir, rent into ten thousapd pieces, and scat
tered to the four winds of heaven. The earth
was plowed up in the line Of the cyclone, and
the track over which it passed to the width Of
nearly quarter Of . mile looks - though it had
been upheaved BY . terrible volcanic eruption
1t had hardly begun its terrible work before it
Vas finished, and the scene that greeted the
eyes Of those who had escaped its fury, was one
that caused the stoutest heart to shudder. The
cries and shrieks Of tho wounded rent the air,
and the ground WAS strewn with the bodies Of
the dead, among whom were stalwart men, weak
women and weaker children. The citizens a.
most to man rushed to the demolished district,
and summoniDg physicians began their work Of
rescuing those who were still living, from be-
meath the piles Of dirt and fallen buildings
Bfainerd was promptly photographed for medical
help, and she promptly responded by sending
dozen physicians and surgeons by special train
but It was late in the evening when they arrived
on the scene. St. Paul and Minneapolis wer.
also appealed to, and = special car was sent out
with twenty-three surgeons and physicians for
the scene OF disaster.
The scene on the streets after dark was An i'm
pressivo ono. Knots Of men stood on corners
discussing the features of the disaster and
speaking touchingly Of their friends and &C.
auaintances, who had either been killed or terri
bly, wounded. On the ground the scene was
ghastly one. Rain poured down in torrents, and
hundreds of mon wandered over the ground,
many Of them carrying lanterns searching for
bodies among the ruins Hotel Hobbies were filed
with excited citizens, many Of whom yet sus-
peoted that some portion Of their family or their
friends had fallen victims to the terrible mon
ster. Women seemingly unconscious Of the rain
that was falling and converting cutters into tur-
bid streams, glided through the streets sobbing
and moaning In their fright. The scene deAes
description. In the track Of the cyclone
stood the Manitoba freight house, and cars
Alled with freight. Down on them the whrl-
wind pounced, and, grasping the heavy cars,
lifted them from the tracks and cast them In
shapeless masses. Iron rails we're torn from the
ties and twisted like the smallest wires. Tel-
egraph poles wers torn up and wires twisted in
to curious masses. The freight house was to-
tally wrecked. The roof was lifted and blown
several hundred feet. The sides next sue
cunbed and over 5000 worth Of freight was
whirled through the air and thrown into heaps
and scattered BY piecemsL over IN area Of .
quarter Of mile. Fifteen freight cars were de-
molished. Operators in the telegraph ONCE and
employees 1t the freight depot saw the cyclone
coming and ned to the cellars and thus escaped.
1t was $3.50 In the evening when the special
car arrived from st. Paul and Minneapolis,
bringing Drs. ]. H. Murphy. ". W. Day, Richie,
Abbott and Danslow Of st. Paul, and H. G. Ives
Of the Manitoba road and Lieut.. Gov. OIL
man and ex-senator Mcdonald, from this city,
who were in st. Paul when they learned Of the
calamity. The train was drawn BY engine $50,
uuder Engineer Olafson and in charge Of Con-
ductor Dyson, and the run WAS made In two
hours through terrible thunder storm, and the
night wss 20 black that during most Of tho way
the engineer was unable to dsscFy objects on
the track i've feet ahead Of the engine. At
Minneapolis Mayor Ames, accompanied BY
eighteen city physicians, boarded the train, also
members Of the police and detective forces.
Mr.. Gilman was laboring under terrible appre-
hension that his family had suffered, ~ his
dwelling stood almost in the direct line Of the
storm, ~ It was reported 70 have moved by the
specials sent to st. Paul, but he learned upon
arriving here that his property had escaped un-
touched, and he Immediately turned his
attention 10 TIE aiding the sufferers.
BY $50 al the bodies that could be foand
wers taken from the ruias and cared Tor. The
dad wers taken to the Little Giant engine
81 H. h
wounded were cent 70 st. Benedict hospital,
where they wsrs promptly cared for BY the
corps Of physicians and nurses, among whom
were several ladies who had volunteered
their services. There were twsn0-sight
wounded stretched out. on cots In ths various
wards, aud every facility Of the hospital va
tested to ito utmost to All the requirement.
The scene in the hospital was hsart-rsnding.
Men, women and Children lay in broken
shapes, bathed in their own blood,
their faces blacksnsd and griny
and their arms and lego broken and their scalps
torn and their bodies laeeratsd. The scene It
the engine house Wa more horrible. Eighteen
lifelese bodies were stretched on the floor In two
rows. draped In sheets and blankets, whils
around and among them moved men with Ian
terms, uncovering faces and trying to recognise
In the distorted features some familiar outline In
which tn y might trace relationship The bodies
presented terrible spectacle. The clothes they
had worn were torn into shreds, their fAees were
black with dust. and gravel W. ground into ths
cheeks, while the scalps were torn, and blood
flowed from gaping woands md covered IL
floor. Skulls wsrs erssAsd, eyes toea nom their
sockets, and Tongues pretradsd hon hstwssa
igs thst wsrs sr1slly cut anA natilat-
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