The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-13
HUNDREDS DIE IN STORM.

Laundry girl, employed at Nicholas
hotel, fatally injured.
At Hudson, Wis: - VolIman, leg
broken.
DESCRIBED BY AN EYE WITNESS.
st. Paul, Mimi, June 13.-J- A. Car
roll who arrived at Saltwater late last
night was in New Richmond, Wis, when
the cyclone struck. He says hundreds
of people were killed. The ruins of the
town are burning, cutting off all hopes
of escape for those in the wreckage.
Carroll was in the hotel just before .
o'clock. 1t had been sitting hot and
the air was breathless. A dull rumble
broke the stiffness, increasing to a roar.
I ran to the door of the hotel, he
said, "and there was the funnel shaped
cloud bearing down on us. The noise
of the roaring was frightful. The black
ness of the sky was indescribable.
shouted that a cyclone was upon US
and ran for the basement 1t was
hardly an instant before the building
was lifted from it's foundation, twisted
into fragments and dashed to splinters.
McKennOn, the proprietor, was in the
basement with me. 1 helped to take
him out with terrible injuries. We
saved his wife also, and one of the chill
dren, both injured We could hear his
other child crying under the wreck, but
were not able to get to it. One of the
laundry girls was taken from the ruins.
suppose she was fatally hurt. Not
building is left standing in the main
street, which was well built of brick.
L
half a mile wide. The storm struck
US from the southwest and its onrush-
ing was like a tidal wave. Nothing
could Withstand it. There is not a
main part of the village. Most of them
are twisted to shreds.
FIRE BREAKS OUT.
E'To add to the horror, fire in the ruins
followed the storm. 1t was night and
there were no lights. There were no
means left for fighting the fire. The
only thing we could do was to battle
for the lives we might reach before the
ed two hours in the debris. 1 do not
know how many we saved. A train was
got together to- come to Saltwater for
help, and l came with it,
NARROW ESCAPE.
Minneapolis, June 13.-While its is now
regarded as probable that the loss of
life at New Richmond will not come up
to the original estimate, it is believed
that the property loss will be greater.
Fire has broken out in the wreckage,
which is little more than kindling wood
and burns easily. AT o'clock a relief
train left Minneapolis for New Rich
mond bearing telegraph operators, line
men. physicians, nurses and CORE
spondents. 1t is just dawning on the
twin cities that they narrowly escaped
ar awful disaster and they are ready to
render such aid as may be needed.
From the lurid sky and torrents of
rain here yesterday afternoon it was
evident that a great disturbance was
near by. Hundreds of families spent
the late afternoon in their cellars. 1t
was with little surprise that they learn
ed of the Wisconsin disaster and every
fragment of news is being breathlessly
awaited. Newspaper bulletins are
eagerly watched and extras are snap
ped up within a block of the"newspaper
offices. Some action by the mayor ex-
tending the municipal aid Minneapolis
can afford is expected to be taken at
an early hour.
THE NEWS AT ST. PAUL.
St Paul, Mimi. June 13.-After wit
Messing the terrific war of the elements
which struck this city about o'clock
last night the people of St. Paul were
prepared for the reports of disasters in
outlying districts. The New Richmond
cyclone horror was not generally known
in this city until the reports in the
morning papers reached the people
early this morning. causing much ex-
citement. The Omaha railroad started
a relief train from here last night with
physicians and nurses in charge of DR.
Knox Bacon, the general surgeon of the
road, and another train left early this
morning with additional physicians, tel
spOndents on board. Measures for inn
mediate relief will be taken by the mu-
nicipal government, Chamber of Com
snerce and similar bodies.
News from the scene of the disaster
is fragmentary and only obtainable by
messengers sent to adjoining towns
but the Associated Press correspondent
is expected to reach New Richmond by
$50 o'clock and will endeavor to effect
direct communication at once.
DEATH LIST 16O.
Milwaukee Wis, June 13.-Latest ad-
vices received at the offices of the Wis
consin Railway company in this city
are to the effect that the list of dead
from the storm at New Richmond, Wis,
now foots up to 100 and the ruins of the
Inflated city are being swept by fire.
Every effort is being made to stay the
progress of the flames and to rescue
the dead and dying from the ruins. Re-
lief trains were sent from Chippewa
Falls and Stevens Point late last night.
COMMUNICATION CUT OFF.
Chicago. June 13-The Northwestern
railroad officials reported this morning
that they are unable to reach any place
north Of Elroy, Wis, by train. Tracks
are washed out, bridges swept away
and other damage done. The company
has sent all available wrecking trains
to the scene, but it will not be known
until night when traffic through the
storm swept district can be resumed.
The Northwestern company telegraph
line is working only as far north as
Sparta Wis, and the only information
the officials have was contained in the
mea ger telegamS from Sparta and
points south. Several kilograms receiV-
ed this morning indicated heavy loss of
Nlife, but no attempt at estimates or lists
made by the company's agents.
FEW ESCAPED UNHURT.
St Paul, Mimi, June ia Dispatch
reporter just returned from New Rich
mond, Wis, places the number of dead
at goo and the injured at about 1000.
He says that of the entire population of
$500 only a few can be found unhurt.