The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-05-17
THE HEART OF THE STORM.
1T WAS AT SHERMAN, AND THE
SCENES THERE ARE TERRI
BILE.
ADDITIONAL BODIES RECOVERED
The Streams Are Now Subsiding and
Giving Up Their CHASTITY
Yield of Dead.

! tatorS have traVerSed the path OF yes
| terday's cyclone. Every business house
in this city except the drug stores and
eating houses suspended business at
| an early hour this morning at the re-
! quest of the president of the city coun-
Gil, and the attention of everybody has
been turned toward caring for the
wounded and the dead, the number of
which hourly increases from deaths in
the hospitals and bodies found in the
subsiding streams. The city's street
grading force, supplemented by large
number of men, has been transferred
by Street Commissioner Moorehead to
the cemeteries, and has been busily
engaged in preparing graves for the
victims of the storm. The undertake
ing establishments are being taxed to
their limits.
A word picture cannot appropriately
portray the terrible aspect of the path
way torn through the city. Great oak
trees and stately elms of a century
growth are torn up by the roots, and
were twisted off like reeds. The rem
nants of beautiful homes are scattered
and blown in all directions. Hundreds
| of domestic animals are lying dead,
and timbers are thrown about promis-
cuously and more often against the
course Of the storm than with it.
Barbed wires are often found twisted
about fence posts several times. Stones
and bricks, evidently from the Ely
residence are found several hundred
yards north, driven in the ground.
The following appeal has been issued:
THE loss of life and property by the cyclone
| is much greater than supposed last
| night, and the number injured is much
| larger the dead and wounded exceeding 200.
| The loss of property is over s250000. Sher-
man is taking good care of the wounded, but
many families have lost their all and are
| left destitute. All contributions will be
| thankfully received as they will help us to
| give to those who will have to begin life over.
| &C. H. Smith, chairman relief committee"
About three miles of wire belonging to the
| city electric light works torn down by
the cyclone, and in consequence the city was
in darkness all night. Reports are coming
in constantly of persons who have been found
injured. Reports from the North indicate
that the direction of the main cyclone which
passed through Sherman was between Deni-
son and Peterborough. The width or strength
of the storm had not varied. 1t still main
tained breadth of about $50 or 200 yards
through the entire country. Between Sher-
man and the river no fatalities have been
reported, although there are unconfrmed
rumors of a number of houses being blown
down. Conservative estimates place the total
number of killed in Grayson county at be-
tween 100 and $50. The path of the Storm
which passed west of the town, passed
through section of the country which has
no telephone or telegraphic connection with
the city. All the telephone communication
west and northwest of the city is down.
The streets are filled with grief-stricken
people. Hundreds of farmers are in town,
and it seems though half the population of
Denison Is here today. The details of the
storm grow more horrible they made
fully known. Bodies have been decapitated
limbs torn off, eyes gouged out, fingers and
toes cut off clean with a knife, hair
pulled out, great slivers of wood sticking
through limbs, noses fattened in, skulls
crushed and brains scooped out. Some of the
victims are lying in the morgue with necks
broken; others mutilated horribly. Some
are not broken or bruised at all, but appar-
emily lie peacefully and serene in death. Many
private homes are used hospitals Ladies of
the city are doing all in their power to save
and succor the wounded, caring for and dress
ing the dead. Undertakers' establishments
are overrun with work. The city is crowded
with newspaper men, and every paper that
comes to the city containing an account of the
storm is eagerly seized upon and the contents
are devoured. The people are greatly excited |
They view the dark skies and threatening
clouds with evident apprehension. The work
of caring for the wounded still continues |
Many bodies are being brought in hourly
The people of the city are responding gener-
ously to calls for help for the destitute and
homeless people. Over $4,000 has been raised
so far. Relief committees were appointed at
mass meeting of the citizens last night, and
W charpn n for the
unfortunates.
At the same hour of the storm at Sherman
a tornado swept over the northeastern por
tion of Grayson county, ten miles from Den
ison, and great damage was done. Only very
meager details are at hand. The best infor-
nation obtainable is to the effect that there
were three storms travelling in the general di-
rection, and all Of terrific fury. Seven miles
east of Denison the Turley home was wrecked
and the Turkeys all hurt. Further north the
farm house of Louis Duval was in it's path
and every member of the family was injured
some of them dangerously. From there the
storm crossed Red river, and moved in a |
northerly direction towards the Chickasaw Fe- |
male academy. Across the river the country |
is thickly populated, and apprehensions are |
felt for the safety of the people. Further
east in Grayson county another storm swept
down the ,Choctaw boyou and desolated the |
country. II moved III a nOrtnWeSterly dl- |
rection across the river, and left path of de-
struction. Everything is gone, and searching |
parties are looking for the dead and wounded |
One of the first men to go over the track of
the storm was c. B. Sale. He said: 'I drove
hastily to the west part of town. where my
sister lived to see if they injured. OF
the horrible sights I ever saw, they were
along my route. My mind cannot conceive of
all the horrible things I witnessed, neither
can tongue describe their awfulness Along
West Houston street were strewn the bodies
of the injured from their lips ascending
prayers for pity and help Passing wounded
woman, shrieking with pain and fright my
gaze would fall on the stiffened corpse Of her
little child, mangled as if some giant had
rent 1t limb from limb. Across the road the
corpse of a loved minister of the gospel lay
cold in death. Further on was the body of
woman, all cut and bruised and bleeding, the
last gasp of life going out of her, body. The
gruesomeness of this weird woe was seen,
felt and endured as a man only feels some
horrible nightmare"
H. E. Durham was at the home of Isom |
Coleman, one mile beyond the Choctaw bridge,
east of the city. He stated that he stood on
the roof. Of Mr.. Coleman's house and could
see for miles around. He sawsone section Of
the storm coming from the southeast and an
other from the southwest. When about the
vicinity of Choctaw bridge, the two sections
met with roar. He described the storm as
appearing to be about quarter Of q mile