The morning call., 1890-07-14

ST. PAUL, July 13.-A cyclone struck the
northern side of this city this afternoon,
and the latest estimate of the loss of life is
thirty-siX. 1t is reported that from eleven
to fifteen were killed at COlemans Lake,
twenty to thirty at Little Canada. two or
more at Lake Joanna, several at Bass Lake,
and that the cyclone also reached White
Bear Lake. The first reports were from
| people who have come from the devastated
| districts, and they also report great damage
to property. If White Bear Lake was in
the path of the storm the loss there will be
very heavy, both of life and of property, as
great crowds were there to-day.
THE GATHERING STORM.
A few minutes before o'clock this after
| noon. clouds which had been threatening a
storm began to collect over the region Of
Lake McCarron, two or three miles north OF
this city. soon taking on rotary motion and
the terrible appearance of a cyclone. Hun
dreds of citizens watched the clouds as they
swept together. and followed their course
to the northwest, in which direction many
little lakes are scattered over the
country. Anxiety for the absent
ones drew many downtown during
the evening to learn the first partie-
ulars of what was thought to be undoubt-
edly disastrous storm.
A TERRIBLE CLOUD.
The cyclone developed from a terrific
storm of wind, rain and hail, which set in
at 3 80 o'clock and ragged with unabated fury
until nearly o'clock. At the latter hour
the clouds in the southwest suddenly as
nd fr,nn al chan hoin ~
fringed with lace work of fieecy white.
| When the eddying monster gained its full
| momentum the wind suddenly veeIed from
the east TO the south. Almost in twlnkling
the great swirlng mass spread ont like a
| fan, and sweeping across Lake Gervalse
| leveed everything in its path.
A man drove in from Lake Coleman
! with the information that at least two per-
sons We're killed and over 100 injured at the
point. he had been out there with young
| lady friend and having gone after a buggy
| to drive home, on his return to where she
| had been standing he found his companion
| seriously injured by the storm, which had
suddenly came upon them.
HAVOC AMONG CAMPERS.
Other reports followed thick and fast,
each being little worse than what had
| preceded it. To the north aud east of the
city there are a great number of little lakes,
! which are sought by the multitude evts
| Sunday, and On the shores of these lakes
many campers pass the hot months of the
summer. Lake Coleman is one of these
| and the damage there was very heavy.
When the storm struck Little Lake a
boat-hOuse was lifted up boldly and over
! turned in the water, and boat loaded with
| persons was given similar treatment
| Other buildings were demolished or badly
! wrecked.
NARROW ESCAPE OF A TRAIN.
| assinO from tha atartinU mint tho
| clone struck Lake Joanna, Lake GervaiSe,
| Lake Nodnais and Little Canada, and
passed on about four miles east of White
| Bear Lake. Passengers on the ST. Paul and
Duluth train, which left White Bear at
| 4:55 O'Clock, were approaching Gladstone
| when they observed the cyclone forming.
and they watched the motion with interest
other than fear or excitement. Not 50 with
the engineer, however he saw the
threatening aspect of the sky, and with
a startled look ahead to see if all WAS clear
he pulled out the throttle and the en-
gine leaped forward. His judgment
and quick action undoubtedly saved the
lives of train-load Of people, for the twist
ing. terrifying devastat0rS crossed the track
scarcely more than minute after the train
| passed.
Help that had been called for from the
stricken districts was at once sent to them,
| doctors and other assistants going as fast as
they could be taken. The bodies of those
| ultHllOutu were 10 llllS CITY ILLS
evening and turned over TO their friends.
BOATING PARTIES MISSING.
The most alarming news comes from the
| keeper of the boat-house at Lake Kolhman.
| He says he let out this afternoon at least
| fifteen boats. None of these had less than
two occupants and some three or four.
| Since the fearful storm passed over the lake
no trace of the boats or the unfortunate
| pa ssengers has been found. Still it cannot
be positively stated that these people are
| lost. 1t will be impossible to find out as to
that until tomorrow. Should it BIZ proved
| they have all gone down it would swell the
reported loss Of life at various points to at
| least fifty.
STEAMER AND MANY PASSENGERS LOST.
A report has just been received in this
| city that the cyclone or hurricane struck
the little city of Lake City, located on Lake
| Pepin, about seventy miles below here, and
that large number of people were drowned
by the sinking of a steamer. The steamer
Sea Wing was coming up the lake
at about o'clock tonight and when oppo-
site the city the storm struck it fairly and
sent it to the bottom. There were on board
some $50 people from Diamond Bluff and
about fifty more were on barge which
was in tow The loss of life runs over 100
| at the lowest.
LOSS OF LIFE AT LAKE GERvAIsE.
The place where the cyclone struck the
ground and caused the loss of life was on
the shore Of Lake Gervaise, where j. H..
Schurmier of this city had summer cot
tage, and where Simon Good was also To-
Gated. A funnelshaped cloud swooped
down ON them. demolished their dwellings
and also number of other buildings in the
same Deigbb0rhOOd. The camp of Colonel
Helleser of this city. composed of large
party, was blown down, but tile parties all
escaped injury. In the wreck of Schur-
mier and Goods houses, however, five were
| killed and ten injured.
The killed are: Mrs. ]. II. Schurmier,
Charles Schurmier, Rev. Mr.. p. Hae1er Of
Brennan Tex, George Miller of the First
National Bank Of this city, "Pete," Schur-
known. The bodies of Mrs. Schurmier and
her son and Mrs. p Haefler have not yet
been found. The injured are: j. III.
Schurmier, scalp wound; Charlie Good,
serious injury, to the scalp; Mrs F. Haefier,
seriously; Mrs. George Miller, injuries to
her head; Miss Corrie and Miss Matterie,
| wounded on the head and shoulders; Clark
Hansen. bruised hip; Roy Good, three scalp
wounds and an injury to spine; Mr.. Center
| and Miss Minnie Moss.
| 1t is said the cyclone was confined to q
district only three and half miles long
and that the worst damage was done within
limit Of half mile.
| HEARTRENDING SCENES.
| From Lake Gervais the cyclone passed
| almost due east, and, it is reported, struck
settlement twelve miles southeast Of Still.
water, demolishing it and killing several
persons. The telegraph lines are. how
ever, all down, and no dispatches can
be got through. The scenes at Lake
Gervais along the path of the storm, just
after 1t passed by, were heartrendng.
Help was on hand at once; the wounded
and dead were dug from the buildings, the
| former being taken to the houses of neigh
bors and to the hospital, and the dead were
all collected in the hotel of John Coleman.
A majority of the buildings were light
frame structures, which were SO completely
blown to pieces that there really were not
much of wrecks under which the occupants
could be buried. Dead bodies were found
many rods from the houses they
had owned when living. Help