Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
FARGO, DAKOTA, IN RUINS.
A Cyclone Visits the Town and Almost
DemOliSheS II.
A Train Derailed and Several Lives
Are Lost.

FARGO, July S.-This city was struck
this morning by the severest wind storm
ever known here. 1t began at $50 and
continued half an hour. Earlier in the
night there were some indications of ram
and about midnight it began to thunder
and lighting. The wind first began to
blow from the south but suddenly shifted to
the northwest and in short time was
blowing hurricane. Three electric light
towers were soon blown down, leaving the
city In darkness that was relieved only by
the vivid flashes of lightning. The
frightened inhabitants were aroused from
sleep and lights were shinining from the
windows all over the city, but outside
there was nothing but darkness and
the tempest and nothing could be
heard but the angry roar of the wind
and the crashing of flying debris. By
4 O'Clock the people were hurrying in
every direction to ascertain the
amount of damage done. Some appall-
ing discoveries were soon made, the sad
dest being the death of seven children of
the late Capt. James Mccarthy, who
died only few weeks ago The children
who were at home with their mother,
sought safety in coal bin, where they
were crushed to death. The mother was
will recover A few other persons sus-
tanned slight injuries. The Northern
Pacific through north bound passenger
train was blown from the track and many
Of the passengers we're severely but not
dangerously injured. The Northern
Pacific car and machine shops, the freight
depots, the great Northern and Milwaukee
roads were demolished several churches
were ba dly wrecked and numerous other
buildings more or less damaged. The
total damage in the city is about S720 00
The Whapeton, n D. correspondent of
the Pioneer Press telegraphs as follows:
A straight wind from the northwest struck
Fargo at 2:30 a. m. Great damage was
done the city. The electric light towers
were blown down, whole blocks were UNI
rooted, Yerxes wigwam, McGill & Co.'S
warehouse, opera house, Republican office,
Kenney block, the battlements on the
bank of North Dakota, Chaplin block Ex-
change hotel, Continental block and Mani
toba freight house were unroofed, and
the Milwaukee depot was blown
down. A dozen small houses were RACED
and almost all the plate glass windows
on Front street and Broadway were
broken. The Jay cook hotel and the
Grand Pacific at Moorhead were unroofed
The residence of the late Capt. Mccarthy,
corner Fitnh and Ninth streets, was struck
by the storm and demolished. Seven
children were instantly killed, and
Mrs Mccarthy is not expected to live.
Two unknown tramps in a box car were
killed. The No. passenger train on the
Northern Pacific going west had just
pulled out of the yard and stopped at the
Milwaukee crossing. The train was made
up of the baggage cars, nine coaches and
sleepers, a party of Chicago & North
western officials in private car and
Sup't McCabe's car. All of the coaches
and the tender were blown from the track
but no lives were lost and no one was
fatally hurt. The lights had been put out
so there was no fire nor steam. Superin-
tendent McCabe and conductor, brakemen
and porters acted very cody and Gained
the frightened passengers who were sent
back to the city in special coaches.