The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-04
Four of It's Occupants
Are Injured Quite
Seriously.
WIRES ALL AWRY.
Telegraph and Street
Railway Folks Suffer.

northwest, and turning it completely
upside down, all of the Kirmse family
with the exception of the mother, were
thrown off to the right, and nearly
clear of the debris. The three younger
Children, Frieda, two years of age;
Lena, six, and Annie, twelve, did not
receive as much as a scratch while
the injuries to the other son, William,
are of rather a trivial character.
Mrs. Kirmse was thrown directly be-
meath huge pile of debris and it was
only with the most herculean efforts
OF the part of George Terrain, Sergt.
Ryan and Officer Ryder that they
were able to make a sufficiently large
aperture through which Mrs. Kirmsa
could be taken from the wreck.
Ratchet was also imprisoned in the de-
bris, but managed to eXtricate himself
He was rather stunned by the fall, but
did not seem to be badly injured.
AS soon as it was found that assist
ance would be required, the city hos
pital was notified and the ambulance
dispatched to the scene. Mr.. Kirmse
decided not to have any of his family
taken to the hospital, but Mr.. Ratchet
was brought over, and had his wounds
dressed Ratchet is a cigarmaker.
siXty-tlVe years of age, and worked for
ucheit BROS, 349 Wabasha street. 1t
was thought that on account of his
advanced age, his injuries might prove
SERIOUS, but advices from the hospital
late last night indicate that beyond a
cut behind the right ear, which is
rathef painful, and a general shaking
uR, MI. Ralchel is not badly hurt
Df. Gravel was early on the scene
and attended to the Kirmse family
VINO mad been removed to the resi,lence
oL AINeda Gagnier only few feet
away. Mr. Kirmse is probably the
i Inft . 3auIy injured, having one of his
4eIl Tlps bfoken. his right arm frac-
tured and bad cut on the iugular
VEIN. together with other cuts abont
the head 1t is feared that he has
other internal injuries which NAV no+
nave been discovered last night.
Mrs. klrmse and her son, William
were quickly attended to by DR.. GRAY,
Ell, and in talking with a G lob MAJ,
shortly after the occurrence Wi1i;arn
gave the following account Of the ac-
cident ''ie az
Rather, mother myself and the 9th
eI GlIIdfen We're seated in the kitchen
ana Mr.. Rachel had gone up stairs to
lay down, when we heard a heavy
cIash. was scared, and hollered to
rather that lightning must have strucfy
the house. l did not have the words
spoken when the wind took up the
building and carried it fifteen feet
turning 1t upside down, and smashing
1t to pieces. I was thrown pretty near
~ away from the Wreckage of the
building, but 1 guess a piece of tim
Der must have hit me on the head, as
1t feels pretty sore. I did not lose con
seriousness. [ looked around and saw
mother trying to get out of the very
center OF the house. or what was left
OF 1t. Just then some men came. and
heIped her out. Father was so badly
hurt that he tainted, but Frieda. Lena
and Annie We're not even touched
they were thrown farther away from
the place and fell in some soft mud"
When a reporter visited the place
last evening the house looked as if
1t had been through a Dakota cyclone
Not piece of timber of any descrip-
ton was left standing, and the stone
wall in parts was tumbled down. lust
at the time the Tightening did it's work.
and when the policemen first visited
the scene of the catastrophe there
were strong indications of smoke and
burning timber, but the debris did not
catch on fire. Had it done so, the fate
of Mrs. Kirmse must have been a
dreadful one, as it took several min
utes to assist her out of the place into
which she was thrown, and, with the
high wind, the slightest fire must have
spread through the wreckage with
great rapidity. The roof of Mr.. Gag
nier's barn was blown off, but other
than this no further damage is report
ed in that vicinity.