Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-06-15
Wonderful Western storm.

The business portion OF the to"h %
New Richmond. Wisconsin, covered
space Of four squares each way, ana
was built solidiy of brick and stone
This entire space was swept clear Oy
the storm Tuesday evening foundation
walls and IN some places masses OF de
bris alone marking where the business
places formerly stood Trees that had
lined the streets of the neighbor1ng res
idence district were broken clear on or
twisted and uprooted.
The tornado came up the river from
hudson. where the damage was com
paratively slight. Following the gener-
al course of the river and the branch OF
the Omaha road. the storm gained IN
intensity as itprogressed, and was at
its worst when it struck the business
centre Of New Richmond
There may have been cyclones winch
created greater devastation, some thaJ
have occasiousd greater loss OF life, out
il was only because there was more ma
teriaI for destruction in their path than
this small village could afford. In the
business portion or the town absolutely
not one building was left standing
above the cellar windows; everything
above a foundation wall was shaved as
clean az though it had been cut with a
plane
Enormous iron safes weIe blown into
the middle Of the street. and the largest
safe in the town was carried across one
street and half way over the square De
yond
The day had been warm and sultry,
and during the latter part OF the after
noon heavy banks of clouds had hung
upon the western and southwestern
horizon but nothing serious was antlcl-
uated until a few minutes before .
O'clock dark blue cloud, with edges OF
pale green. was seen rapidly approach
ing from the southwest.
In minute long funnel was seen
dropping toward the ground, and then,
with savage roar, the cloud swept
down upon the doomed town. circus
had been exhibiting during the after
noon and the streets were full OF strang-
ers. and as the awful cloud bore swiftly
down there was mad rush for cellars,
doorways or any place that promised
safety Some Of the crowd reached
refuge. and those who did not are among
the dead.
1t will be several days before the num-
Der OF dead IL New Richmond Is accu-
rately known, and it is doubtful II the
entire number Of fatalities will ever be
chronicled In the path Of the storm
both 70 the northeast and southwest OF
the city were scattered farm houses
and wherever they were struck by tnat
awfu! wind there was nothing left but
q nile of boards and twisted rafters.
How many were killed in these houses
will not be known for long time.
1t Il impossible 70 estimate the prop
fuf fal in
part Of the town, and to make the blow
the more severe, not one policy OF tor
nado insurance had been written for the
place. What il gone is gone without
repair. There is at present no destitu-
ton among those who have suffered by
the storm. St Paul, Minneapolis and
Chippewa Falls and other places have
sent in bountiful supplies and there Il
no suffering fOr food on necessities, but
the business Of the town is utterly wip-
ed out of existence, and not one man ia
the place viii be able to resume busl-
ness. The destruction is so complete
that there il absolutely nothing TO be
purchased in the town-not a box OF
sardines, a pound Of crackers or pair
Of shoes.
Almost every family has one or more
members among the dead, injured or
missing, and little groups are seen ey-
erywhere 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 was
conducted all day, and MP TO 8 o'clock
81 bodies had been found, although the
number Of dead certainly will reach 100
or more These have for the most part
been taken 70 the Catholic aud Congreg-
ational churches. which, although in
the very edge Of the storms path. mi
racnlousiy escaped its fury.
In these temporary morgues the sights
are such az TO touch the hardest heart,
as the grief-strIcken living recognize in
bodies horribly mangled and often dis
membered the remains Of missing dear
ones.
The wounded find temporary asylums
in the uninjured dwellings, on either
sinc or rIIe psrrrr uf devastation, Where
doctors and nurses from nearby cities
and towns are doing heroic work with
ont gleep or rest. AZ many as possible
of the injured. whose chances for recov
cry arc considered good, arc being sent
10 the hospitals ut ST. Paul and Mime
apolis, where they will have better care.
an who sought refuge in cellars es-
csued In some cases some houses over
them COLLAPSED and there they were en-
fornbed. 70 add to the horror Of the
situation fires were started here and
there by ogerturning stoves and many
wounded, unable 10 drag Themselves
oat Of danger. suffered death by burn
ing
Outlying residences in the path Of the
storm were stripped Of shingles and
boards Or sides were blown off, or, az
more frequently happened, were torn
asunder, and the fragments were scat
tered 10 the four winds Of heaven
Trees were uprooted and roadways
blocked, washed away or 50 overfiowed
% to be made entirely unrecognizable.
Along the broken fragments OF their
homes the people wander, helplessly,
striving somewhat aimlessly and hope
lessly to gather together what had been
left 10 them. On the east and west
limits af the city many houses were still
standing with little or no damage and
10 these BONES the occupants welcomed
their less fortunate neighbors ana
friends, giving them such MD as was
possible and the sympathy that is 80
much 10 stricken soulg
It IA 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
ruing. and there incinerated. One such
u G.. A. Nelson, who owned the Colum-
bian restaurant located on Main street
His estimate OF loss IL 400 dead. He
says when the rainstOrn, which preced
ed the cyclone, broke. not less than 20
persons rushed into his place for shelter
He il positive that not more than four
besides himself escaped. The building
was n substantial frame structure.
When he heard the roar he rushed for
the rear door, but could not open 1t. He
then threw himself fiat under n heavy
molding board aud showed it against
the side Of the bake oven. In an instant
the crash came The ruins tumbled
about his head aud left him just space
enough ~ crawl ont. In the shop was
Mrs Broadbank, who was killed. Mel
son found only four alive. HG could
hear screams and grOans. Since then
he has seen none Of the survivors.
Everyone was - excited, he says he
cannot remember the names Of those in
his sbop.
In tho Congregational church 10
bodies were laid ont Oh the seats and
through the aisle. and n throng search
ed in search OF their dead. The young