Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-06-22
CYCLONES WORK.
Awful Wind Storm Crosses Southern Min
nesota-Scores Crushed to Death.

Awful Wind Storm Crosses Southern Min.
| nesota-Scores Crushed to Death.
MANKATo, Mimi, June Ib.-Une OF
the worst disasters that ever visited
Southern Minnesota occurred between
and o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The terrible funnel-shaped tornado
stalked over the land and laid waste
scores of happy homes and sent forty or
fifty souls to eternity.
Starting near Jackson, on the South
ern Minnesota division of the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul road, a funnel
shaped cloud swept eastward, and
passed four miles south of Minnesota
Lake. It then took broad circle to
south and passed away south of Wells.
Considerable rain had fallen during
the afternoon, and about 5 o'clock the
atmosphere became almost sufocating.
Curious shaped clouds began to move
over the southwest, and many people
gazed in wonder at the sight. About
$50 the wind sprung up, and off to the
west rapidly circling black cloud was
seen quickly advancing, and tearing
asunder everything in its course.
1t passed two miles northwest of
| Sherburne. 1t then struck the district
school-house, in which was the teacher
and eighteen scholars. The building
was demolished, and the teacher and
fifteen scholars killed.
AT Easton three buildings were de-
stroyed and several people were in
| jured. Linden was visited, and many
| houses were torn from their founda-
tons. One family, composed of
man, his wife and children, was kill
ed and others injured. A large grove
Of trees was completely uprooted.
The storm passed on eastward, destroy
ing farm houses, barns, and, in fact,
everything in its path.
At Wells sidewalks were overturned,
store fronts blown in, aud ~other dam
age done. Several men were blown
| down by the force of the wind.
Four miles south of Minnesota Lake
five farm houses and their build
ings were caught in the storm
and utterly demolished. Four peo-
pie were killed. The BODY of
one of these-John Brown-was taken
to Minnesota Lake this morning His
wife, q hired man and a school teacher
were injured. Section men suffered Sc
we're injuries.
Much damage was done south of Wells
and 1t is reported that forty to fifty
were killed south and west of that
village. AS most of the damage was
done in the country, reports are
slow in coming in, but what has
been already heard is enough to insure
belief that it WIGS the worst storm ever
reported in Southern Minnesota. 1t is
expected that later reports will increase
rather than diminish the extent of the
damage done as we'll az the loss of life
and personal injuries.
Many heart-rending scenes occurred
| during the night The log house OF
Bohemian family at Bowen Mills, near
| Minnesota Lake, was blown entirely
away, not one log remaining.
| The family, consisting of man,
wife and six children, spent
the night miserably in the rain
without shelter from the dampness and
| the elements. They huddled together
upon heap of straw. and with piece
| of sheet endeavored to ward Of the
! cold wind and never-ceasing rain that
chilled them TO the skin. At Wells a
section man received a terrible in
| jury in the breast from a Rying
| board. A brakeman who saw the
| storm at that place said he plainly saw
the funnel approaching from the west,
| and as it passed north Of the village he
was cast to the ground by the terrific
| pressure of the air, which was so close
that it almost stifed him. The air
| filed with white haze.
1t is impossible at present to get list
! of those killed or wounded, Probably
not less than 100 were wounded, and as
| they were mostly in the country distant
from medical aid, their sufterings were
terrible.
All along the Milwaukee road from
Jackson to Minnesota Lake the scene is
one of devastation. Not every houseAis
taken: but SO many are destroyed
that the scene is pit1ful. This
the state and is prairie, with now and
then wind-break OF trees planted by
settlers. The wind had fluff sweep.
Wires have been down all fore
noon. The Milwaukee train to
Wells got no farther than Maple
ton lost night, owing to the
debris on the tracks, and laid over
there. The morning train from Wells
was four hours late, as it repaired the
telegraph lines as it came.