River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-09-27
III DEALT DEATH.
Many Human Lives Are Taken by
the Recent Cyclone.
Thickly Populated Portions of Iowa and
Minnesota Severely stricken-I pwards
of Seventy Are KiIled-Many Towns
Entirely Wiped Out.
SCORES ARE SLAIN.

ST. PAUL. Mimi, Sept. 25.-The cy-
clone of Friday night that swept
through Minnesota and Iowa was one
of the worst that ever visited this sec
ton. At least seventy persons were
killed ard many others were fatally
injured. In addition several towns
were wrecked, some of them being
totally demolished.
Path of the Storm.
The storm was first observed a few
miles south of Spencer in northwest
cru Iowa about o'clock in the even
ing. Sweeping resistlessly acrose
the state north of Emmetsburg
and Algona it wiped out the
town of Cylinder, touched Mason
City. running buildings and crops
northwest of Usage. Here the cyclone
bore off to the northeast, crossing the
Minnesota line, aud soon after 10
o'clock wrecked the little town of
Leroy, where bad fire added to the
destruction. Spring Valley was in the
path of the cyclone and suffered Sc
verely. Turning again to the east the
little towns of Homer and Lowther
were badly damaged and at one
time reported completely wiped off the
face of the earth. After crossing the
Mississippi and doing considerable
damage to farm buildings near Marsh
land, Wis, the storm seemed to have
spent its force. smaller storm did
some damage at Dodge Center. which
was not on the path of the main
cyclone. The path of the storm was
not wide, but it had all the character
istics Of the deadly tornado and the
dimensions of a cyclone.
Upwards of Seventy Are Killed.
just how many lives have been lost
is still uncertain. but the reports re-
ceived indicate that certainly not less
than seventy are dead while some re-
ports place the number from seventy
to 100. The towns damaged or de-
stroyed are Cylinder, Burt, Forest
City and Manly Junction, in Iowa;
Leroy, Spring Valley, Dodge Center,
Homer and Lowther, Mimi, and
Marshland, Wis.
Eliminating apparent Implications
of names of dead the following from
points in Iowa is fairly accurate:
Algona, 10; north of Garner, ID, north
of Britt, IS; near Manly, II.
In Minnesota the storm seemed to
start at Leroy, after travelling in the
air for several miles. Three persons
were killed at this place. At Chattield,
Mimi, dance was in progress at the
opera house when the ste. descend
ed upon the town. The budding was
blown down and many persons were
hurt. Sixty houses in all were demol-
ished and 100 persons were injured. AT
Spring Valley three were killed.
Aid Is Needed.
LEROY, Mimi, Sept. 25. The cyclone
sufferers are in a very destitute con-
dition. The loss will exceed Sl00.0 900.
Thirty families are entirely destitute
and many business men have lost their
all. Money is needed. Three thousand
sight-seers were here Sunday The
local relief committee is doing all in
their powe-, W hich is limited.
There Were Three Cyclones.
SP RING VALLEY, Mimi, Sept 90
That there were at least two and prob
ably three twisters responsible for the
work of destruction and death Friday
night seems conclusive upon examina-
ton. While several points were struck
at about 10 o'clock, Burr Oak, village
near Usage and to the southwest of
Leroy, was visit, at IL o'clock, and
it does not seem likely one cyclone
would make such a complete circle
and last from 9:45 to IL o'clock in a
radius OF miles. Furthermore Leroy
was strnclI at 9:45 o'clock and Cresco,
Ia, on the southeast. at almost, If
not precisely the same moment, so
that it is quite clear that these were
separate cyclones.
ALGoNA, Ia, Sept additional
victims of Fridays cyclone reported
in this vicinity are:
Baker. child of Albert; Frank Becklemeyer;
Clousedens child; Mrs. Christian Dau and
two children: Roekyells child; NJ. Sweeper
and two children.