Brookings County sentinel. (Brookings, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1890, 1890-07-11
Seven Children of One Family
Killed-Their Mother Fa-
tally Injured.
The West-Bound Passenger Train
Blown from the Track and Sew.
eral Injured.
Scarcely Business House in the CITY Escapes
Without lujuy-The Damage
in Detail.

o'clock Monday morning the city was
struck by most terrific wind storm,
which left behind it scene of wreckage
never before witnessed in this section.
Sunday had been unusually fine and not
until late in the evening did the clouds
put in an appearance. About II o'clock
it began to sprinkle, which lasted for
only few minutes, when the rain
seemed to settle in heavy clouds in the
southwest, and lay there until about
1 80, when light breeze sprang up from
that direction, which gradually increased
in force until about 215, when the storm
seemed to be at its best.
More Tornado Than Cyclone.
1t seemed more of tornado nature
than cyclonic, and the manner in which
the buildings are wrecked an(s the debris
distributed be ars this out. Accompany
ing the wind, however, was a terrific
electrical storm, which undoubtedly
played an important part in wrecking
the electric light towers.
Though the west-bound Northern Pa
cific passenger train pulled out from the
depot fifteen or twenty minutes after 2
o'clock high wind was blowing and
rain was coming down in torrents. The
train consisted of eight passenge
coaches and sleepers, Superintendent
McCabes private car and the baggage,
express and mail cars. The force of the
wind rapidly increased until the train
reached the roundhouse, when it became
necessary TO
Put on Every Pound of Steam
in order to keep it moving. BY the
time the last car had passed over the
bridge across the slough the train was
brought to standstill by the sheer
force of the wind and the air brakes
were put ON. 1t had been standing but
short time when the cars began to tilt
over to one side, and few minutes later
the
Entire Train Was Blown Over,
the rear cars going over first and the
others in succession, until nothing was
left standing except the engine, even the
tender being on its side. A number of
messengers were injured, but none of
them fatally.
A whole Family Killed.
One of the most fearful results of the
storm occurred at the residence of the
late Capt. Mccarthy. The family sought
shelter in a narrow hole beneath the
kitchen, when the building was moved
from its foundation, crushing down
upon them, resulting in the death of
seven children and the probably fatal in
jury of Mrs. Mccarthy. The names of
the dead are given by Mrs. Mccarthy as
follows: Rose Isabella, 10 years; Mary
Alice, 18 years; Frances Anna, IA years;
James Francis, IL years; Justin, 8 yeaIs;
Josephine, 5 years; Luella, 3years.
other Damage Done.
Tin roofs ON nearly every business
block in the city are completely torn off,
or so badly wrecked as to be worthless.
All the electric light towers were leveled
to the ground. Nearly every street in
the city is filled with debris of all des-
criptions, interviewer and bound together
by perfect network of telegraph, tele-
phone and electric light wires, which it
Will Take Days to Straighten Ont.
Buildings We're moved from their
foundations, blown to pieces, roofs and
portions Of walls gone, windows blown
in and such other disasters as only
heavy wind can perpetrate. Scarcely
a block fronting west or north escaped
without total or partial annihilation of
its face. Among the more notable
places destroyed were the Great North
ern, the Northern Pacific and Milwau-
kee freight depots. The damage to the
Northern Pacific machine shops is esti-
mated at 100000. The Plymouth Con-
gregational church is
Scattered to the Four Winds
of Heaven. The First Congregational
church is wrecked and twisted ont Of
shape. The Episcopal church is dam
aged $1,000.
- Al.s,.