The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-14
:
WRECK S lOWN IN 8 MINUTES
Afte' -, Storm Came Fire to
6 =,
g.dd to the Horror.
C0RPSES SM0ULDERING IN RUINS
Enormous Iron Safes Were Handled
Like Splinters by the Cyclone.
Every Family Sustained at
Least the Loss of One.

Minneapolis, june 13.-The Times tomor
row will say: There are well up to 100 dead
at New Richmond. OF these ouly about 90
in Richmond VIII be recognized for the rea-
son that the fire has srred their remains.
New Richmond, Wis, June 13.-Fully 100
corpses, twice as many mangled people,
forty acres of piles of bricks, shivered
planks, scattered heaps of HOUSEHOLD goods,
dead horses, horses through which the
wind had driven sharp splinters of boards,
and in the midst of all shiyered trees as
bare of leaves as ever they were in the
middle of winter. and for the most part
stripped bare of bark until they resembled
the ghosts of what they had been twenty
four hours ago. This is what the storm
of yesterday did in three minutes to the
town of New Richmond
There may have been cyclones which
created greater devastation, some that
have resulted in greater loss of life, but
none was more destructive than this one.
There never was a cyclone that made
cleaner sweep of that which lay in its
path than the one of last evening. In the
business portion of town absolutely not
one building was left standing above the
cellar windows, everything above the
ground wall was shaved as clean as though
it had been cut with plane
Heavy Safes Moved by the Wind
Enormous iron safes were blown into the
middle of the street and tn largest safe in
the town was carried across the street and
half way over the square beyond 1t. The
day had been warm and sultry during the
latter part of the afternoon, heavy banks
of clouds had hung upon the western and
southwestern horizon, but nothing serious
was anticipated until a few minutes be-
fore o'clock when a dark blue cloud
wedgen in with pale green was seen rap
idly approaching from the southwest In a
minute a long funnel was seen dropping to-
ward the ground and then with q savage
roar the clouds swept down upon the DOOM
ed town. The streets were full of strang-
ers, and as the awful cloud bore swiftly
down there was a rush for cellars, door
ways or any place that promised safety.
Some of this crowd reached a refuge. and
those who did not are among the dead. 1t
will be several days before the exact num-
Der of dead in Richmond Is known, and 1t
is doubtful if the entire number of fatali-
ties will ever be chroniced. In the path of
the storm both the northeast and southwest
of the city were scattered farm houses
and wherever they were struck by the aw-
full wind there was nothing left but a pile
of boards and twisted rafters. How many
We're killed in these houses will not be
known for a long time.
The Property Loss
1t is impossible to estimate the property
loss, but 1t is total In the town, and to
make the blow more severe not one policy
Of tornado insurance has been written for
the public. What is gone is gone beyond
repair. There is at present no destitution
among those who have suffered by the
storm. St. Paul and Minneapolis Chippewa
Falls and other places have sent in bountl-
full supplies, and there Is no suffering for
food or necessities, but the business OF the
town is utterly wiped out of existence and
not one man in the place will be able to re-
sumo business. The destruction is so COM
plete that there is absolutely nothing to
be purchased In the town-not a box of
sardines, pound of crackers or a pair of
Shoes The work OF searching for the dead
was carried on during the night well as
it could be done in a driZzling rain and
with the aid of a few lanterns. 1t was
slow work, and after dark the result of the
work amounted practically to nothing
The police of st. Paul. under the leader
ship of Chief Goss, who had guarded the
ruins and preserved order during the night.
Tenth Wisconsin battalion from Chippewa
Falls, under the command of Captain Hart
we'll For the balance OF the time the mill
tia will be in control.
Preacher Describes the Scene
Rev. DR.. Degman, of the Church of the
Immaculate Conception, tells a graphic
story of the cyclones destructive and fatal
work at New Richmond
II was standing on the porch of my
house, which is some three blocks west of
the station" says DR.. Degman, with my
little nephew. Pointing to the threatening
clouds I said to him, those clouds are cy-
clonic.' This was about 6:90. Then heard
a fearful sound 1t was like the painting of
fifty locomotives on an up grade. l said to
the boy there is the cyclone In the so=tH-
west was a great whlsking black cloud.
cone-shaped the apex on the earth, the
funnel in the sky. Already far ahead of the
center the air was full of flying debris,
splinters boards, feathers and everything.
/ told the boy to run and warn the people
in the house between us and the track.
From all sides the people came running
asking for assistance. / took them and
some people from the parish school house
and hurried them into the cellar of my
house They begged for absolution and
. IN EVan