The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-05

trophe. "A large force OF police guard
the avenue to keep back pressing
masses OF curious humanity that
are gradually forcing their way to
the woiul scene Of the calamity.
Five hundred men stand by the wrecx
dazed and helpless too weak or too
lazy to lend O helping hand to the
brave squad OF rescuers. It is sight
to strike anguish to the soul Of the
bravest. Words are powerless to ex-
press the awful scenes that each sue.
ceedine minute rolls through the CAST
ly panorama. Bodies mangled and
shapeless beyond recognition are be-
ing dragged from beneath the ruins
every few minutes. Men, women and
children linger about the scene with
faces filed with dread anxiety, less
they recognize in the shapeless mass
OF flesh and bone the semblance OF
features OF some relative or friend.
Market street this evening looks
like q ruined village. The devasta.
ton on this thoroughfars is nearly
complete. Between Tenth and Elev-
enth the same is true and no lives
were lost. The next square had some
and was the location Of Falls city
hall in whose wreck such large num-
Der lost their lives. Eleventh street
reported q few houses slightly dam.
aged and q number ruined, but no
fatalities. Eighth and Ninth streets
had considerable loss from collapsed
buildings. The storm seemed only to
have swept Broadway from Fifteenth
to Nineteenth, but nearly oil houses be-
tween those streets and on intersect
inc streets were demolished. Most Of
the cottages and low frame
buildings however, escaped with
out serious injury. From Six.
teenth down to Nineteenth the
DESTRUCTION WAS TERRIBLE.
Peter Speth and family were quietly
seated In their parlor when the storm
burst with all it's fury. The building
sweyed and tottersd, and finally the
walls OF the second story reeled and
tell with rssounding crash. All OF
the family remained huddled in the
hallway and escaped without injury.
Furniture and building were destroy
ed and the total loss will be about
$500. Adjoining is the residence OF
Mrs. Welsh. 1t was literally de-
molished, but the family miraculous
ly escaped. Many other similar cases
are reported. Three lives were lost
at the corner OF Eighteenth and Maple
streets.
In going down Main street in an op.
posite direction to the course pursued
by the tornado, on every side evil
dences OF serious destruction appear.
Wholesale houses are destroyed and
stocks ruined. A thrilling experience
was that OF Mary Roemele, who kept
q dry goods store at Colgan and Ssv-
enteenth streets. Her house was q
new brick, and at the time OF the
storm her nephew, Willie Killmier.
was with her. When the walls began
to shake and threaten to fall both Of
them rushed to the front door just as
the whirlwind was passing. 1t gath
cred in both OF them and carried them
into the afr a distance OF 40 feet. At
Maple street they were hurled against
q fence and remained there uncon.
scious until they were found by neigh.
bors q few minutes later. Both were
considerably injured.
All the entire western portion OF
Parkland, which lies just beyond the
southwestern limits Of the city was.
wrecked. The storm STRUCK that part
before reaching the city and it's course
was p most peculiar one. 1t did not
move in @ direct line
MOVING DOWN A PATH
before it. but went about its dreadful
work In zlgzag fashion.
Churches escaped, with the sxcep
tion OF the Baptist. which was twisted
some. The track OF the storm in
Parkland was about three blocks
wide, but in such zIgzag manner it
is almost impossible to measure its
exact track.
Jacksonville WAS struck by the cy-
clone at 8 O'Clock. 1t was very dis
tinctly heard two miles in the coun-
try where people wondered what 1t
meant. Fortunately not q person
was killed in the town, though
some were badly hurt. The destruc-
ton is terrible and is estimated not
lower than 100000. The force
OF the wind was terrible and car
ried everytning before it. A ek:fi
was lifted bodily from the river
and blown inso q second story win,
dow. A terrible funnel-snaped cloud
was seen approaching up the riv " by
several persons, among them Walter
Dean, who says it looked like black
double funnel, with tho narro west
part in the middle. It's roar could be
heard long before it struck the city
ana seople were alarmed by it. An
estimate OF the furniture and other
property ruined cannot be made. It
Is certain that in almost all damaged
! houses the furniture is nearly q com.
plete loss, owing to the heavy rain.
It was fortunate the cyclone struck
before people went to bed, or greater
destruction would have resulted. At
Sixteenth and Magazine streets in
MOST HORRIBLE CREMATION
OF the bodies OF three men occurred.
These men were caught in the falling
timbers OF two.story grocery and
the barroom OF Nick Phieman, and
burned entirly 10 blackened and
charred mass. They were two labor.
ers and an undertaken. Several peo-
pie were in the house at the time, and
Nick Phitman, the owner. escaped
with his life alone. being uadly burned
aud bruised. 10 q reporter he told
the following story: Il was standing
in the bar at the back OF the store
and was talking to the three men who
are now dead, and to two othermen.
About $50 we heard terrible roar
and tearing sound and then the
house rocked hack and forth.
Ben Schildt had Just said that
be was going home, but he bad
scarcely said it when the door was
blown to and we were caught. tried
TO open it but could not. My wife
and children screamed, but ran sale.
ly out the back way, but they had
scarcely got out when that portion OF
the house was blown down. Wetried
the windows but just then the floor
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