The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-07-19
CYCLONES WORK.
Over a Hundred People
Drowned by the Capsiz-
ing of q Boat.
Terrible Wind Storm Strikes
Lake Gervais Killing Six
and Wounding Eleven.

and WOunding Eleven.
LAKE, Cry, Special Telegram
| What will probably prove to be the mos
disastrous cyclone that has ever struck thi!
community passed over this city at 8 O'Clock
tonight, inflicting the loss of life of per
haps 100 or 2OUpeople and damaging prop
| erty to an extent that at this writing canno
be estimated. Your correspondent was Wis
iting friends in Lake City and was sitting
in the yard, when what appeared to be ar
ordinary electric storm was noticed coming
| up from the west. In half an hour the
| whole heavens were converted into
a complete canopy of lightning,
which was watched with interest
| by the brave citizens of the little village,
and with fear by the timid women and
children. A little before dark
TERRIFIC WIND
struck the community, and your reporter
sought the shelter of the house just in time
to escape being caught under a huge tree
that came crashing down against the house.
People began to gather on the streets and
in a few moments the news was scattered
abroad that an excursion boat with over
200 people on it
WAS CAPsIZED e.
in the middle of Lake Pepin. The boat
proved to be the steamer Sea Wing, which
came down the lake from Diamond Bluff,
q small place about seventeen miles north
of here, on an excursion to the encamp'
ment Of the First regiment, N. G. s.. NJ,
which is being held a mile below this city
The boat was crowded to its fullest capac.
ity, about $50 men, women and children
from Red Wing and Diamond Bluff being
on board and about fifty people on a
barge which was attached to the side of the
steamer. When about opposite Lake City
the boat began to feel the effects of the
storm. But the officers kept on their way.
The storm increased as the boat continued
UP the lake, and in fifteen minutes was al
its height.
Nearing Central Point. about two miles
above Lake City, the steamer was at the
mercy of the waves. which were now wash
ing over the boat and all was confusion.
The boat m~omentarily ran onto a bar and
the barge was cut loose, and the steamer
again set adrift in the lake. A number Of
those on the barge
JUMPED N SWAN ASHORE.
Asthe barge also foated again into the deep
water, those on the barge saw the steamer
as it was carried helplessly put into the
middle ofthe lake, and as they were being
tossed about on the raging waters, they
were Mortified a moment later to observe
the steamer capsize and its cargo OF 15O
people precipitated into the lake.
As soon as the storm began to abate, and
in half an hour lights were observed fitting
about on the pier at Lake City, opposite
which point the upturned steamer had now
been driven before help could reach them.
However, the poor creatures who yet re-
manned to tell the horrors of the night were
again submitted to another
T. WITH b ELEMENTS.
At the encampment grounds of the First
regiment the tents were more or less de
molished, but the four or five hun.
dred soldiers in camp We're not
commander Of the regiment, had his leg
badly bruised by a trunk being thrown
against it. .
LAKE Cry, Special. = Surrounded by
beautiful bluffs and pleasant farming lands,
Lake Pepin's unrufaed surface to-day gave
little evidence of the fierce struggle with
the elements and of the death-dealing fury
of the storm that ragged off this peaceful
little city last night. With scarcely a note
of warning there burst upon this region one
of the severest storms ever known in its his
tory. and the loss of life is probably greater
than any other single calamity that has
ever visited any part ofthe Northwest. st.
Clouds cyclone Of a few years ago was dis
astrous in the extreme, but it is as nothing
beside this. The list of dead already num-
bers sixty-fye and may exceed 100.
The excursion steamer Sea Wing of Dia-
mond Bluff had carried a party of 200 or
more excursionists from Red Wing to the
camp of the First regiment, Minnesota ma
tional guard, which is just below this city.
When the day was coming to q close Capt.
Wetheren prepared to return his boat lead
to their homes. Many anon them feared
an approaching storm, and asked That az
postpone his departure unit after b storm
had blown over. Thinking the storm Woulo
not prove serious, he would not consent
but at about 8 o'clock started OF up the
lake toward Red Wing, nearly all OF the
over 200 passengers being on board. The
wind was
BLOWING A GALE,
into the teeth Of which the Sea Wing trieo
to make its way, but the gale was too strong
for her.
A point of land runs out from the Min
nesota shore, just above this place, across
from what is known as Maiden Rock. e
pass around this point it was necessary fol
the steamer to turn slightly towards thu
| Wisconsin shore, and Immediately the hur
| =. ...>S l>~l rosuzl LaJJ ~ 4hD olrno1xy frapo
o,& nj Tho oopfro1 of hor opuinos and crew