St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-15
HORRORS OF THE TORNADO.
The Swirling Monster and Its
Awful Work.


The Swirling Monster and Its
Awful Work.
Special to the Globe.
LAKE CITY. MIMI, July 14-Sur-
rounded by beautiful bluffs and
pleasant farming lands, Lake Pepin's
unruffled surface to-day gave little evil
dence of the fierce struggle with the
elements and of the death-deaIing fury
of the storm that ragged off this beauti-
full little city last night. With scarcely
note of warning there burst upon this
region one of the Severest storms ever
known in it's history, and the loss of life
is probably greater than any other sim
gle calamity that has ever visited the
Northwest. st. Clouds cyclone Of a
few years ago was disastrous in the ex-
treme. but it is as nothing beside this.
The list of dead already numbers 65,
and may exceed 100. The excursion
steamer Sea Wing, of Diamond
Bluff, had carried party of
200 or more excursionists from Red
Wing to the camp of the First regi-
ment, Minnesota national guard, which
is just below this city. When the day
was coming to close Capt. Wetheren
prepared to return his boat load to their
homes. Many among them feared an
approaching storm, and asked that he
postpone his departure until after the
storm had blown over. Thinking the
storm would not prove serious, he
would not consent. but at about 8
o'clock started off up the lake towards
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
tried to make her way, but the gale was
too strong for her. A point of land
runs out from the Minnesota shore,
just above this place. across from what is
known as Maiden Rock. Topass around
this point. it was necessary for the
steamer to turn slightly towards
the Wisconsin shore. and immedi-
ately the hurricane had seize d
hold of the already trem-
bling and creaking vessel and twisted
her out of the control of her en-
gines and crew. An attempt to beach
her failed, and over she went with her
great load of passengers. The barge
Jim Grant, which was in tow, and on
which about one-quarter of the excur-
--ts had crowded, was also seized.
ksa awning being crushed in and the
passengers thrown into the water. This
happened just below the point, and as
the helpless hulks drifted before the
gale the steamer righted herself for a
moment, but was again keeled over and
so badly torn by the storm that she
could but lie helpless and let the waves
wash over her. The barge had broken
loose from the steamer and drifted down
opposite the town, and those still on
board, about twenty in number, were
rescued. The steamer drifted in back
of the point and sank with most of those
on board. Many were saved, however,
and the
HerOism of Few
cannot be too highly praised. Corporal
B. l.. Perry, of st. Paul, compelled a
spectator to assist him and saved the
lives of eighteen of those who were
still clinging to the wreck. He went
out ON the lake when the storm was at
its height, and seemed to know no fear.
Others there were like him, and over
sixty were rescued from what seemed
certain death. Small boats cruised
around for several hours and picked up
some three-score of struggling but still
living victims of the storm. AS soon as
the word reached the camp volunteers
were called for, and every one volun-
teered to assist in rescuing the living or
searching for the dead. Adjt.-Gen,
Mullen Immediately took charge of the
regiment and the work was systemati-
cally begun and carried on. Body
fiafter body of men, women, chii
dren = in some cases almost oi
whole families-was taken from the
water, some of them alive, others un
conscious but not dead, and yet others
from which the breath of life had for
ever fled. An invaluable aid in the
work, both of resuscitation and of lay
| ing out of the dead, was rendered by
| the excellent ambulance corps, which
| had been but recently organized. Sac
experiences have been many, and re-
markable escapes are not lacking. The
GLOBE man had just secured the names
| of the latest discovered victims when {
stranger, whose anxiety was apparent
| in ever movement, stepped up ant
asked:
rs my daughter heard from yet?'
''What is the nameY'
"Bertha Winters was the response.
An inclination of the head and mo.
tion toward the written list told the be
| reaved father of his affliction, and h'
| turned away to go after the lifeless ella,
of his child. "And my boy is not amons
!! them." was the sadly half-consolator
remark of Contractor Carlson, who hat
worked feverishly all night and all day
without finding trace of his son. An(
| so it went on. AS fast as the bodies
were taken from the water they wer,
identified by mourning friends and rela
tives, and placed in coffins for transpor.
tation to their homes. By 2o'cIock this
morning fifty bodies had been recov
cred, identified and sent to Red Wing
By O'Clock eight more had taken the
. = uM<>~