The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-06-15
Scenes Of Death and
DesoIation at New
Richmond.
Work Of Recoverlnq
the Bodies Still in
Progress.
No Cyclone Has Ever
Made a Cleaner
Sweep.
BY Wire From New Richmond, June IA

BY Wire From New Richmond, j une IA
AS if to make the picture Of desolation
complete, drizzling, soggy raincloud hung
yesterday over the smoking ruins and the
shattered homes, which but "a hours pre-
vious constituted one of the most beautiful
cities of Wisconsin.
Each drop of rain seemed to drive deeper
into the consciousness of the unfortunate
victims the wrath of the storm king and
the dreary fact of their homeless condi-
tion-homeless they might be, but not
friendless. Evidence of this appeared with
each arriving train, loaded with supplies of
every description calculated to relieve the
wants of the citizens of the stricken city,
who had miraculously, as it seemed escaped
the dreadful visitation of the elements.
Most generously and heartily those who
could opened their homes to those less for
tnnate and in brotherly spirit the stricken
people slept last night.
The future seems dark to the homeless,
but hope has not deserted their hearts. AL
ready the energetic citizens are counting
upon the future and planning the recon-
struction of the city
THE NUMBER KILLED.
1t Is more difficult to estimate correctly
the number who lost their lives in Mon
days cyclone. Opinions vary greatly and
guesses range from rs to 400. w. H. Mosher,
who is very active in the work of relief,
asks that coffns be furnished for about 60.
This is for New Richmond alone and is
very conservative, inasmuch as the tenn
porary morgues have already received and
cared for more than SO.
Indeed it would seem, from evidence at
hand, that the death loss in the city would
be not less than IS and possibly much
greater. To this must be added those who
will died of their injuries and the num-
Der will also be swelled to an unknown
quantity, when the returns are all received
from the surrounding country.
Enough is now known to guarantee the
statement that the loss of life was practi-
caly as heavy outside in the city, many
farmers coming to this city and reporting
the deaths of friends and neighbors
One instance of this kind is James Sheedy.
farmer residing five miles south of the
city. His wife and three children were
killed. His story is most pathetic He was
attending to his duties at the stable, when
he heard the storm coming and made a rush
to the house, in the doorway of which his
wife and children stood. Just before he
reached them, the wind swept in between
hurlip- him backwards and dashing his
loved ones to death before his eyes. This
is but one of many instances equally sad.
STUNNED BY DISASTER.
Survivors relate their stories to inquisi-
tive listeners without betraying an atom
of emotion, and it would seem that the ter
rble experience of those few awful min
utes had left them entirely devoid of feel
ing. 1t is reasonable to suppose that their
sufferngs have been so great that it is i'm
possible for them to yet fully realize the
depth of their sorrow or the extent of their
loss.
1t is a singular fact that while there are
many buildings in New Richmond which
were not touched by the storm, all the bus
mess houses of the city have been complete
ly wiped out. Not one remains. To make
matters worse, total destruction overlook
the electric light and waterworks and the
city is left in darkness and without water
This adds to the difficulty of prosecuting
the work of recovering the remains from the
ruins The city also suffered financial
loss by the destruction of the Main street
bridge across Willow river.
The principal business houses DESTROYED
covered a distance of three blocks along
both sides of Main street, and they were
generally built of brick, but the force of
the tornado was so great that they were
crushed as easily as egg shells. The bricks
were torn one from another and scattered
everywhere. Heavy street posts were
thrown far out in the street and the walls
of all the buildings were leveled to their
foundations. 1t was in the ruins of these
brick buildings that majority of the dead
met their fate.
There was a circus in the city, and a
large number of people were in from the
country when the storm first showed signs
of approaching. Hundreds of the visitors
sought shelter in the stores, many thinking
testimony that the stores were crowded
able that many Of them perished, with their
fate only to be guessed at.
The fire originated in the ruins Of the
Patten 4 Hughes hardware store and spread
rapidly until the flames had devoured every
thing on the west side of Main street from
Ward & Williams clothing store to the
Nicollet hotel distance of two blocks
Several bodies have been recovered from
these ruins, but nearly all have been so bad
ly charred as to be unrecognizable.
RECOVERING THE BODIES.
All day long willing and eager workers
prosecuted the search for bodies and many
were recovered. The body of William
Bixby was taken from the basement of what
was once his furniture store at about 2
o'clock in the afternoon. The body was
badly burned, but not beyond recognition.
At about the same time the body Of an un-
known man was taken from the ruins OF
Iells meat market. yhils 1gat across Tho