Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-14
'D|RE WORK OF STORM
OcsO|atiOn in Wisconsin Town
Of New Richmond
| SCORES OF PEOPLE KILLED.
Hardly a Family Without Dead, In
jured, or Missing.
TERRIFIC TORNADO IN NEBRASKA.
The Town of Herman Literally
Wiped Out of Existence-No House
TORNADO IN NEBRASKA
jured-Many Killed.

NEW RICHMOND. WIS, June Bin
! describably sad are the scenes of desola-
| ton wrought by last nights tornado, that
has practically swept out of existence the
prosperous little city of New Richmond.
out OF $50 houses and store-buildings
comprising the town, fully 800 were wreck
ed by the storm or destroyed by fire. AL
most every family has one or more men,
| bers among the dead, injured, or missing.
and little groups are seen everywhere
searching by the light of lantern or torch
for loved ones who may be buried In the
piles of debris on every hand. With franz
tic energy the search has been conducted
bodies had been found. although the num-
Der of dead will certainly reach leo or
more. These have. for the most part, been
taken to the Catholic and Congregational
churches. which. although in the storms
very path, miraculously escaped its fury.
SIGHTS TO TOUCH THE HARDEST.
In these temporary morgues the sights
are such as TO touch the hardest heart,
IA the gref-stricken living recognize the
bodies, horribly mangled and often dis
membered. OF missing dear ones.
The wounded find temporary asylums in
the uninjured dwellings on either side of
the path Of the storm, where doctors and
nurses from nearby cities and towns are
doing heroic Work, without stop or rest.
As many as possible of the injured whose
chances for recovery are considered good
are being sent TO the hospitals at ST. Paul
and Minneapolis, where they will have
better care.
BUSINESS-H HOUSES ALL GONE.
The business portion of the city covered
space of four squares each way, and
was built soldly or brick and stone. This
entire space was swept clear, foundation
walls and I'm some places masses of de-
bris, alone marking where the business
places formerly stood.
The tornado came up the river from
Hudson where the damage was compare
lively light. Following the general course
of the river and the branch Of the Omaha
road. the storm gained in intensity as IL
progressed, and was at its worst when II
struck the business centre of New Rich
mOnd.
HOMES SCATTERED TO THE WINDS.
Outlying residences in the path of the
storm were stripped of shingles and
boards, their sides were blown off, or, as
more frequently happened. they were torn
asunder, and the fragments We're scat
tered TO the -FOUR winds. Trees were up
rooted and r0ldways blocked, washed
away, or so overlooked as 10 be made
entirely unacceptable. The desolate
view Of the New Richmond of to-day Is
not one soon to be forgotten. Among
the broken fragments Of their homes the
people wander helplessly, striving some
what aimlessy and feebly 10 gather what
has been left to them.
on the east and west limits OF the
city many houses are still standing. with
little or no damage, and to these homes
the occupants welcomed their less for
unate nelghbOrs and friends, giving them
such aid as was possible, and the sym
patty that is 80 much to stricken souls.
PROPERTY LOSS ALMOST TOTAL.
The property loss cannot be estimated
at this time, and may never be accu-
rateIv known. 1t was almost total, for
the insurance agents report that no tor
nado insurance was carried In the town.
and In only small number Of cases will
the businessmen be reimbursed for their
loss.
FORTY ADDITIONAL DEAD.
An additional list of forty dead has just
been completed. OF this number sixteen
of the bodies are unrecognzable.
HUNDREDS MISSING
1t is the average resident of New Rich
mond who estimates the loss of life most
seriously. They claim that hundreds are
missing who were buried in the ruins and
there incincrated.
one such is A. Nelson. who owned the
Columbian restaurant, located on Main
street His estimate Of the loss is 400
dead. He says that when the rain-storm
which preceded the cyclone broke, not
less than twenty persons rushed into his
place for shelter. He is positive that
not more than four besides himself es-
capped. When he heard the roar he rush-
ed for the rear door. but could not open
it, In an instant the crash came. The
ruins tumbled about his head and left
him lust space enough to crawl out. III
the shop was MI. Broadbank, who was
killed. Nelson found only four alive. He
could hear screams and groans. Since
then he has seen none OF the survivors.
y tIsIlNJ I MAN - i+-Nl l<iNlIs.Nth%s
Rev. Or. Dagn, of the Church Of the
Immaculate Conception, thus describes
the approach of the storm and the inn
mediate results: II was standing on the
porch Of my house. which is some three
blocks west OF the Omaha Station, with
my little nephew. Pointing 10 the
threatening clouds | said 10 him. Those
clouds are cyclonic.' That was about
6.3D Then | heard a fearful sound. III
WAS like the painting of fifty locomotives
on an upgrade. said to the boy: There
f. the cyclone In the southwest was
a great. whiskng. black cloud, cone
shoned the apex in the earth, the runner
i'm the sky. Already far ahead OF the
centre the air was full OF flying splinters'
boards feathers, bedding and everything
T told the boy to run and warn the peo-
Dla in the house From all sides the
noople were running crying for assistance
/ took them and some people from the
norish school-h0use and hurried them into
the cellar OF my house. They bessed
FOR absolutlon, and l knelt down and
gave IL TO them. Even as / prayed the
great black cloud OF destruction was upon
the village out OF the general and ter
rife roar / could hear the crashing and
kissing sound as hotse after house col
lapsed. | ran out and was struck twice
Inv pieces OF flying plank. Then the storm
was gone. II struck and destroyed all
the residences lying between 1t and the
Omaha tracks. The depot was right III