The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-14

struck the town Of Herman in Washing
ton county this evening and wiped the
place ont Of existence. Herman Is
place of about 300 inhabitants, in the
extreme northern part of Washington
county. 1t is on the line Of the Chicago.
st. Paul. Minneapolis and Omaha Rail
way. Details as soon as possible.
WROUGHT FEARFUL HAVOC.
Omaha. Neb., June 13.-The tornado
that struck the village Of Herman this
evening wrought fearful destruction.
4 conductor on the evening train from
Sioux City passed through the place moi
long after the storm and he says not
building is left standing in town. He
counted twelve dead bodies lying i'll the
streets.
The fatalities will undoubtedly run
up to Il hundred if not higher. \ special
train has left Blair. the county seat, ten
miles distant for the scene Of the diSaS-
ter, carrying surgeons and all needed
supplies Wires are all down north OF
Herman, and it is not known how much
further north the storm went. but re-
ports are coming in to the effect thar
Il large portion of country north OF
Herman is laid waste. The entire East
ern portion of Nebraska is being swept
by terrific wind and electric storm to-
night.
The streets of Omaha are flooded and
the play of the lightning Is fearful.
| THE NEW RICHMOND HORRORS
New Richmond Wis, June BIN
describably sad are the scenes of desc
| Iation wrought by last nights tornado
that has practically swept ont of eXis-
tence the prosperous little city of New
| Richmond Ont of 800 houses and store
buildings. comprising the town. fully 800
were wrecked by the storm, or de-
stroyed by fire. Almost every family
has one or more members dead. injured
or missing. little groups are seen every
where searching. by the light of IAN
| tern or torch. for loved ones who may
be buried in the piles OF debris on
every hand. With frantic energy the
search has been conducted all day and
ND to 8 o'clock ffty-four bodies had been
| found, although the number OF dead
certainly Will reach 100 or more. These
! nave. lot IUe Hi'tSt part. DcfIl ldhtI W
| the Catholic and Congregationalchur
which although in the very path of the
storm. miraculouSly escaped It's fury.
| In these temporary mOrgues, the
| sights are such as TO touch the hardest
| heart, as the grief-Stricken living recOg-
nize the bodies. horribly manged and
often diSmembercd remains of missing
| dear ones.
The wounded find temporary asylums
| in the uninjured dwellings ON either side
of the rath. where doctors ana 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 Mt
| St. Paul and Minneapolis, where they
will have better care.
The business portion of the city GOV
cred space of four squares each way.
and was built solidly of brick ana
| stone. This entire space was swept
| clear. foundation walls and in some
| places masses of debris alone marking
where the business places formerly
stood. Trees that had lined the streets
| Of the neighb0ring residence district
were broken clear off or twisted ana
uproCted. The tornado came up the
river from Hudson. where the damage
was comparatively hight. Following the
| general course of the river and the
| branch of the Omaha road, the storm
| gained in intensity as it progressed and
was at It's worst when it struck the
| business center of New Richmond. Out
| lying residences in path of the
storm were stripped Of shingles and
boards or sides were blown off, or, as
more frequently happened, were rorn
asunder ard the fragments were scat
tered to the four winds of heaven.
Trees were uprooted and roadways
| blocked, washed away or so overflowed
as % be made entirely unrecognizable.
| The desolate view of the New Rich
mond of today is not one soon to be
| forgotten Among the broken fragments
of their homes the people wander help
essly, striving somewhat aimlessiy and
| hopelessly to gather together what had
| been left to them. On the east ana west
| limits Of the city many houses are still
| standing with little or no damage, and
| to these homes the occupants welcomed
| their less fortunate neignr0rs and
| friends, giving them such aid as was
possible. and the sympathy that is so
much to stricken souls. The property
| loss cannot he estimated at this time
| and may never be accurately known. 1t