The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-04-16

uge before the whirlwind was on them and the
air was filed with flying boards, shingles and
other debris that was strewn over the country
and piled in plomiscuous heaps 1t came from
the southeast and moved in a northeasterly direc-
tion until 1t reached the river, when its course
was diverted and it followed the river bank until
it reached Sauk Rapids, where it diverged to the
left, passing through the centre of that town.
The Utmost Excitement Prevailed.
Women and children fed from their homes and
rushed aimlessy about in the midst of the dark
cloud of dust and an avalanche of boards and
brick. 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 and the people were
not warned OF their danger before it vas upon
them. They fell like grain , before the reaper's
cyclone was the southwestern and residence por-
ton and occupied by the laboring class of people,
on railroads. Their dwellings were light built
and an easy prey to the monster. They were
like cookie shells in the grip of the whirlwind and
were picked up and tossed into the air and rent
into pieces and scattered to the four winds of
heaven The earthwas plowed up in the line of
the cyclone and the path over which it passedtoa
Width of Nearly Quarter of Mile.
looks as though it had been upheaved by terri
BILE volcanic eruption.
it had hardly began its work before it was fin
ished, and the scene that greeted the eyes of
those who had escaped its fury, was one that
caused the StOuteSt hearts to shudder. The cries
and shriekS of the wounded rent the air, and the
ground was covered with the bodies of the dead
Among them were strong men, weak women and
weaker children. The citizens almost to a man
went to the demolished districts, and, summoning
physicians, began the work of rescung those who
were still living, from beneath the piles of dirt
and fallen buildings Brainerd was promptly tel
egraphed for medical help, and Immediately re-
sponded by sending dozen physicians and sur
geons by special train, but 1t was late In the
evening when they arrived on the scene ST.
Paul and Minneapolis were also appealed to, and
special car was sent with 23 surgeons and ply
SiciauS to the of the disaster.
The scene on the streets after dark was impress
sive. Knots of men stood on corners discussing
the disaster, and speaking touchingly OF their
friends and acquaintances who had either been
killed OR terribly wounded On the ground
The Scene was a Terrible One.
Rain poured down in torrents and hundreds Of
men wandered over the ground many of them
carrying aeFn e t 9g cf e
Zens, many of whom yet suspected that some por-
tion of their families or their friends had fallen
victims to the terrible disaster.
Women seemingly unconscious of the rain that
was falling were in the streets, and ignoring gut
ters and local streams, glided through the streets
SObbing and moaning in their fright.
The scene defes description. In the track of
the cyclone stood the Manitoba freight house and
cars filled with freight. Down on them the whirl-
wind pounced, lifting heavy cars from the tracks
and tore them to pieces in shapeleSs mass.
Rails were torn from the ties and twisted like the
smallest wires telegraph poles were torn up and
wires twisted into curious shapes. The freight
house was totally wrecked. The roof was lifted
succumbed and over $4,000 worth of freight was
whirled through the air and thrown into heaps
and scattered by piecemeal over the area OF a
quarter of a mile. Fifteen freight cars were de
molished. Operators in the telegraph office and
employees at the freight depot saw the cyclone
coming and fed into the cellar and thus escaped.
The Horrors of the Night.
1t was @ $40 in 1.-THE the evening when q special ar
was made in two hours, through terrible thun-
der storm, The skies hung low with clouds as
black as the curtains of Kedar, and zigzag streaks
Of lightning made livid riffs in the black pail,
while pealS of the thunder too deep to be drown
ed by the roar of the car wheels Shook the air.
Through the air drove a torrent of hail and rain
with sufficient force to almost break the car win
dOwS. The locomotive drove at the rate of SO
miles an hour. Along the road signs of the terri
streams turbid and swollen had burst over the
confines of their banks and covered the praries
until the country had the appearance of world
of water.
On the arrival of the train with surgeons, work
was at once begun to relieve the wounded, The
dead were taken to Little Giant engine house and
stretched out on the floor while the wounded
were sent to st. Benedict Hospital, where they
were cared for by corps OF physicians and
nurses, among whom were numerous lady resi-.
dents, who had volunteered. There were twenty
eight wounded stretched on cots in various wards
and every facility of the hospital tested to
its utmost to fill the requirement.
The Scene in the Hospital Was Heart
Rending.
Men, women and children lay in broken shapes,
bathed in their own blood and their faces black
ened and grimmy and arms and legs broken,
scalps torn and bodies lacerated. The scene at
the engine house was more horrible Eight life
less bodies were stretched on the floor in two
draped in sheets and blankets. Five bodies pre-
sented a terrible spectacle. The clothes they had
worn were torn into ShredS, their faces were black
with dirt and gravel was ground into their cheeks
while their scaps were torn and blood still flowed
from their gasping mouths and covered the floors.
Skulls Were Crushed,
eyes torn from their sockets and tongues protrud-
ed from between the lips that were terribly cut
and mutiated. The tracks are covered with de-
briS west of the town, but a Wrecking force is
clearing them. The report which came from
Rce'S Station about IL miles from here, was that
a house in which was avoiding party was struck
by the cyclone and twenty killed, including the
bride and groom. This has not yet been verified
but it is certain that there was considerable loss
of life in the village. The loss in the city is est
mated at $15Qpo0.
Loss of Property is Not Less than
100000.
MINNEApoLIs. April 15.-At late hour Gov
Hubbard received message from State Senator
Buckman at Sauk Rapids, saying that the town
was in ruins and asking for all the aid possible
The Governor sent message at once to the
mayors of cities and large towns in the State,
asking that steps be taken at once to secure
money and things needed and forward them as
speedily as possible to Senator Buckman for the
destitute 1t is learned that among the injured is
ex-senator f. G. Hubert, formerly of Bingham
ton, N Y, but at present the Northwestern agent
of the New York Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany with headquarters in st. Paul. He is not
expected to 1--we.
The Killed and Wounded.
Estimates of the killed and wounded show the
following casualties
Killed. Wounded
SIT