The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-13
4 WISCONSIN TORNADO.
It Carries Death and Destruction in
Its Narrow Path,
ONE TOWN REpoRTEDw WIPED OUT.

New Richmond Said to Have Been An
initiated, and the Loss Of Life May
Prove to BE AppallinG-Homes and
Farm Implements Blown to splinters
Minneapolis, June ia special
from Hudson says: One of the most
terrible tornados ever witnessed by the
citizens Of Hudson passed through the
country here last night. It formed
In waterspout four miles south OF
Hudson, on Lake st. Croix. It was
witnessed b. hundreds OF people, and
seemed to follow the lake and to be
making directly for the city, but about
two miles south 1t veered to the east
and left the lake and crossed the
country. 1t was about 20 rods wide
and destroyed everything in Its track.
The first building struck was over on
the farm Off. G. Madison. One edge
of the storm struck his building, twist
ing his barn out Of shape and throw
ing his windmill some rods. It then
struck the Gridley farm. The family,
seeing 1t coming, fed for q large stone
quarry about 20 rods from the house,
where they remained safely until 1t
passed. The house is q small brick
one and held to the foundation, but
the angles were torn from the roof.
The cyclone veered to the north, leav-
ing the farm buildings unframed, but
tearing up large oak trees, three feet in
diameter, by the roots and twisting
them into every conceivable shape.
About one half mile northeast from
there It struck the building of H. S.
Mattison. Just before the storm
reached the place the family fed to
the cellar. The cellar door had Just
closed when the crash came. This
place was directly In the line Of the
storm, and not building, tree, wagon
or piece Of machinery Is left whole
The house was completely swept from
its foundation, and nothing remained
but the floor which covered the people
In the cellar. Not one of them was
harmed. Every piece of furniture was
carried for rods and literally torn into
shreds. Beside the house there were
two large barns, machine sheds and
outbuildings, and all were destroyed.
Forty cattle and about 100 sheep can
not be found. w. J. Gilpin, who was
passing at the time, drove in there for
shelter but was unable to reach the
cellar. He says 1t was not over two
seconds after the cyclone struck that 1t
was all over and that he found him
self under a part Of lumber wagon,
with timbers, horses and machinery
everywhere about him. He was unhurt,
but was badly shaken up.
The storm passed on to the north
east, destroying everything in It's wake,
and was followed by rain In torrents
and terrible lightning. The Gridley
barn, which was left standing, was
struck by lightning by the later storm
and burned Telegraph and telephone
wires are all blown down and ad-
Joining towns cannot be heard from.
A Winona, Mimi, special says last
nights storm was the most severe ever
known there. Dams and bridges were
swept awAy on all the water courses,
including stone arch bridge built to
protect South Winona The entire
South Side Is under water and many
families have been carried out on RATS.
A large steel bridge over Gilmore
creek was carried away. Every street
In the city was flooded above the curb
ing, and many families were driven
out. The Mississippi has raised foot
and half since Sunday, and all wires
are down. It is reported that the c.
M. and st. P. steel bridge at Mime
sofa City has gone down and great
damage done at Fountain City Fruit
and crops on all lowlands are a total
loss. Several horses and cattle were
drowned and the railroads report
many washouts.
Sixteen hours Of rain at Black River
Falls, Wis, caused much damage. On
the Milwaukee railroad all passenger
trains were transferred over the Omaha
road on account of the washouts.
Crops are washed out in many places
and highways and bridges are in a
condition.
At Gainesville a 20 hours rain dam
aged crops and carried away bridges.
Washouts on railroads are also re-
ported. Mill dams are expected to go
out. The water is so high in many
places that people are moving to higher
ground
At Lacrosse, Wis, the worst rain
storm in II years was experienced Sun
lay night and yesterday. Nearly five
inches of rain fell. 1t came down in
sheets, doing reat damage to railroad
property. All railway communication
except one, the c. B. and ~, from
South Dubuque, and the Southern
Minnesota division Of the Milwaukee
inc, is cut off. Fifty families in North
Lacrosse were compelled to desert
heir homes in boats, and the water
s still rising. Much live stock was
drowned. Nearly every bridge in thu
Lacrosse River valley Is gone. No
nail trains on the Milwaukee. Chicago
md Northwestern or Burlington roads
reached Lacrosse yesterday.
Most alarming reports came from
New Richmond, Wis. One report places
he number of dead at that place at 200
Wires are down from here and 1t is
nfsriaO h-SsaG 4theggn-soditions emf
1ifiicult to verify any of the reports.
The operator at Burkhardt Station,
near New Richmond, reports: Many
people killed and injured at New
A special from Saltwater, Mimi,
says: Last night was terrible night
'or New Richmond, the village being
almost wiped out of existence by one
If the most severe cyclones that ever
visited that locality. 1t carried ruin
and death in its path and at this hour
I is impossible to give an even par
ial list of those who are seriously In
ured. 1t is thought many are dead.
The news of the disaster was brought
here by ]. A. Carroll, a travelling man
rom Portage. Wis, who was stopping
It the Nicollet house in New Richmond
when the cyclone struck. He saw the
unnel shaped cloud as II came up the
principal street and took refuge In the
basement of the hotel, which was COM
oetely wrecked, together with every
other business house in the city. In
terrible sheets of rain following the
.Nnlnnn Mn 90. ,<ll L. l.. LIZ.