The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-16
THE S1ORMSNEP[ WEST
Fearful Work of the
Tornado.
SEVERAL TOWNS DESTROYED
New Richmond. Wis, and Herman,
Neb.. Waited by Terrible Z Wind
aTe-Entire Towns observation-disclosures
and Whole Blocks Dashed TO Atoms.
Hundreds of People Killed and In,
iured.

and Whole Blocks Dashed TO Atoms.
Hundreds of People Killed and In,
jured.
New Richmond, Wis, June BIN
describably sad are the scenes Of desc
lation wrought by last nights tornado,
that has practically swept out Of exis-
tence the prosperous little city of New
Richmond. Out of 500 houses and store
buildings comprising the town, fully
300 were wrecked by the storm, or de-
stroyed by fire. Almost every family
has one or more members 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
frantic energy the search has been
conducted all day and up to 9 o'clock
fifty-four bodies had been found, al
though the number Of dead certainly
will reach 100 or more. These have,
for the most part, been taken to the
Catholic and Congregational churches,
which, although in the very storms
path, miraculously escaped it's fury.
The wounded 4pd temporary asyIums
in the uninjure6 dwellings on either
side of the path, where doctors and
nurses from nearby cities and towns
are doing heroic work without sleep or
rest. AS many as possible of the in
jured whose chances for recovery are
considered good, are being sent to the
hospitals at st. Paul and Minneapolis,
where they will have better care.
The BUSINESS portion of the city COW
cred a space of four squares each way
and was built solidly Of brick and stone.
This entire space was swept clear,
foundation walls and in some places
masses of debris marking where the
business places formerly stood.
The tornado came up the river from
Hudson, where the damage was COM
paratively light. Following the gener-
al 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
centre of New Richmond. Outlying
residences in the path of the storm
were stripped of shingles and boards
or sides were blown off, or as more
frequently happened, were torn u
der and the fragments were scattered
to the four winds of heaven. Trees
were uprooted and roadways blocked,
washed away or so Overflowed as to
be made entirely unrecognizable.
The desolate view of the New Rich
mond of today is not one soon to be
forgotten. Along the broken fragments
of their homes the people wander,
helpless1y striving somewhat aimlessly
and hopelessly to gather together what
had been left to them. On the east and
west limits of the city many houses
were still standing with little or no
damage and to these homes the Occu-
pants welcomed their less fortunate
neighbors and friends, giving them
such aid as was possible, and the SYM
patty that is so much to stricken
souls.
The property loss cannot be estimat-
ed at this time and may never be &C
curately known. 1t was almost total,
for the insurance agents report that
no tornado insurance was carried In
the town and only a small number OF
places where fire joined in the destruc-
ton of property, will the business men
be at all reimbursed for their losses.
ANOTHER TORNADO.
Omaha, Neb., June 13.-The tornado
that struck the village of Herman this
evening wrought fearful destruction.
A conductor on the evening train from
Sioux City passed through the place
not long after the storm and he says
not a building is left standing in town.
He counted twelve dead bodies lying
in the streets.
The fatalities will undoubtedly run
up to 100 if not higher. A special train
has left Blair, the county seat, ten miles
distant, for the scene of the disaster,
carrying surgeons and all needed sup
plies. Wires are all down north of
Herman, and it is not known o much
further north the storm went, but re-
ports are coming in to the effect that
a large portion of country north OF
Herman is laid waste.
The entire eastern portion Of Nebras-
ka is being swept by a terrific wind and
electrical storm tonight. The streets
of Omaha are flooded and the play OF
the lightning is fearful.
St. Paul, Mimi, June ia report
er of The Dispatch, who went to New
Richmond last night says: The storm
struck the town full in the centre and
in ten minutes awful destruction had
been wrought. The largest brick blocks
crumbled like eggshells. The lighter
frame structures were whisked away
like so much straw, and many houses
we're carried for blocks and dashed to
the earth. Five hundred buildings,
the finest in the town, were demolished
and when the storm had passed about
the only structures Of any. note left
standing were the Catholic and Bap-
fist churches. Not a residence was left
untouched and few people escaped with
out injuries. Lumber yards went into
the clouds, the huge p1anks being sit
into shingles. The large iron bridge
over Apple river was blown into frag-
ments and the parts distributed along
the banks a half mile away. Two large
iron safes were caught up and carried