The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-06-14
Either Dea,h, Injury or Loss OF
Relatives by the Frightful
Storm.
Number Of Dead Estimated All
the Way From Fifty to Two
Hundred.
Many of the Injured Brought to
Twin City Hospitals for
Treatment.

Struck as by a mighty battering ram
from the sky, New Richmond is all but
total ruin. Out Of about 500 houses
in the town. 800 are total wrecks. In
the direct path of the cyclone not SO
much as a single post stands upright.
Everything is crushed fat. A scene of
desolation, destruction and devastation
to surpass 1t cannot be imagined. The
citizens are ~newildered, impoverished
and bereaved. Scarcely a home but
has lost n OK more members. and
many still watch about hopelessly seek
ing those who are only to be found
among the increasing list Of dead. Just
how many lives were lost in that sud.
den whirling tempest may not be known
for some days, but the most conserva-
tive figures are 50 dead and 200 or more
injured. while other estimates reach 200
dead. The bodies Of the dead were
taken to two churches, from which they
were taken TO the cemetery and turned
over to friends and relatives, while
the injured, after being cared for by
the physicians and nurses who came
down from the Twin Cities, were sent
on the relief trains t. the hospitals in
St. Paul and Minneapolis. OF the fair
little city only scattered fragments and
burning ruins remain. The main bust
ness street is a ~smouldering heap Of
stone and ashes in which an occasiona!
explosion marks the location of a hard
ware store. The 4-story hotel is as fat
as the lowest cottage and the whole
scene is one of devastation and desola-
ton. The people are impoverished by
the storm, and the supplies that were
hurried down by special trains during
the night and early morning were most
necessary and welcome. Rescue work
came first accompanied by tender nurs-
ing. Then relief for the famished and
stricken survivors.
Father Degnan's story.
1t is difficult to get a concise account
of the fearful catastrophe.
NV. III. breudH VI luz CiluICu Oh the
Immaculate Conception tells the bes,
story. He says:
II was standing in the porch of my
house. which is some three blocks ives,
Of the Omaha station. My little nephew
was with me. Pointing to the threat.
ening clouds l said to him: Those
clouds are ~cyclonic.' That was abou,
$3.50. Then heard a fearful sound
1t was like the painting If 80 locomo
tives on an up grade. l said to the boy
'There is the cyclone In the south
west was a great swishing black cloud
cone shaped, the apex on the earth, thu
funnel in the sky.
Already far ahead of the center the
air was full of flying debris, splinters,
boards, feathers, bedding and every.
thing. | told the boy to run and warn
the people in the houses between us and
the track. From all sides the people
came running, begging assistance.
took them and some people from the
parish schoolhouse and hurried them
into the cellar Of my house. They
begged for absolution and | knelt down
and gave it to them. Even as l praysd
the great black cloud of.destruction wa:
upon the village. Out of the genera,
and terrific war l could hear the crash.
ing and Kissing sound as house afte,
house collapsed. l ran ont and was
ctr uck twice by pieces Of flying plank.
Then the storm was gone. 1t had come
from the southwest. It struck and de.
stroyed all tn e residences lying between
it and the Omaha tracks. The depot
was right in its path; as it crossed the
track there it went right up the main
street Of the town
Destroying Every Building
in the business center. ! Immediately
began the work Of rescue. 1t was aw-
full. God keep me from seeing the like
again. Everywhere women's means
and shrieks and calls for help were
heard"
Father Degnan fastened to the center
Of the town where the loss Of life had
been the greatest. 1t was hard to tell
where to begin work. The people who
had escaped turned out with tools, wag-
ons and horses to the work of rescue.
1t was done systematically. Groups Of
excited, distressed and broken-hearted
men were detailed to different buildings.
Wherever a cry for help was heard the
suffering was warned to keep still
for fear Of displacing some mass that
would crush him. The dead were gen.