Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-15

badly cut; arms said to be broken; removed
to Blair; injuries may prove fatal.
H. H. Herzog, lumberman; head cut
slightly, body bruised.
George Burlington, aged citizen OF Her
man; face cut and badly bruised.
Fred Hurrell, farmer and spiker; head cut.
Oliver Lowe, creamery man, Herman: head
bruised and cut.
George Coyle, station agent; head cut
slightly.
Mrs. Louis Wachter wife Of implement
dealer, Herman; bruised badly. causing a
succession Of fainting spells
Louis Wachter implement dealer, Her.
man; body badly bruised.
Mrs. William Bree, Herman; LEFT shoulder
badly bruised and back sprained.
The Clouds Gather.
Yesterday afternoon at o'clock Herman
presented a peaceful scene. A little later
clouds began to gather and before o'clock
torrents of rain were deuging the streets.
The citizens were not frightened at the ap-
pearance of the storm, because they thought
1t was simply repetition of the heavy
previously. At 6 o'clock, however, ominous
clouds began to appear. and little knots of
people assembled in every part of the town
to watch them. AS the clouds grew more
dense the inky blackness appeared terrify-
ing and the more tmid sought storm
cellars. Scores of people congregated in
these cellars awaiting the approaching
cyclone.
At 6:15 it swept down upon them, coming
from the northwest with a frightful vel
ocity. Those who were still in positions
to watch its onward sweep say that 1t came
from two directions and the appearance
Of the town today would indicate that such
was the case. Old-timers who were cooler
headed, however, think differently. They
believe it came down from the northwest,
spreading as II struck distractions and con-
verging when these were torn out OF the
way 1t required but few minutes for
the storm to do its work, although 1t seemed
hours to the unfortunates penned up in
the storm caves.
Citizens who are able to recall their i'm
pressons during the storm, although suf-
fering with terror, say that as the wind
passed over them it seemed like the flight
of thousands of large birds, accompanied
by the intermittent crashes OF heavy shells.
They knew little OF the havoc which was
being wrought in and around their homes.
When they emerged it was to find a scene
of desolation which was absolutely ap-
palling.
Appalling scene of DesoIntion.
Houses were blown down in every direc-
tion. With few exceptions the citizens could
locate their homes only by the cellars in
which they had crouched or by a few IA
miliar pieces OF furniture which remained
in the shells which formerly had been COM
modious and comfortable homes. AS far as
the eye could see, from south to north, no
building stood to furnish a refuge for the
homeless citizens,
1t required only a moment OF contempla-
tion of the frghtful scene to bring the citi-
zens to realization OF their duties to each
other, Parents began looking for children,
wives for husbands and sons for their par
ents, AS these were found unscathed the
neighborly spirit took possession OF them
and they turned their attenton TO alleyiat-
ing the sunerngs of those about them.
The dead were removed TO the Methodist
church in the north part of the city, which
served as morgue The injured were taken
to a parsonage to be transported later on a
relief train to Blair. Relief trains came
down from Tekamah and Blair with physi-
clans and nurses to aid in the search for
the injured and dead. Ninety-six persons.