Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-15


"Ihis was terrible night for New
Richmond, the village being almost
wiped out of existence by one of the
wors tornadoes that ever visited this
locality. 1t carried ruin and death in
its path and at this hour it is impos-
sible to give even partial list of those
seriously injured. It is thought many
are dead. The news was brought here
by J. A. Carroll, a travelling man from
Portage, Wis, who stopped at the
Nicollet house in New Richmond when
the tornado struck. He saw the fun /
nel-shaped cloud as it came up The
principal street and took refuge in the
basement of the hotel, which was COM
pletely wrecked, together with every
other business house in the city. In
the terrible sheets Of rain that fol-
lowed, Carroll and his comrades sue
ceeded in recovering the proprietor,
Charles McKennon, wire and one child
from the debris and they also removed
a laundry girl who was fatally injured.
They also removed two men named
Barrett and Newall, who were severely
injured. Carroll drove to Saltwater
by team for relief and a train with
doctors left here at 1915 a. m. Car
roll further says that fire followed the
storm and that what is left is being
destroyed by fire. Many people are
doubtless killed and the damage
amounts to hundreds of thousands of
dollars"
Succor for New Richmond.
Milwaukee, June ia message was
received at the Wisconsin Central Of
fees late last night from Stevens Point
from A. r. Horn, division superintend-
ent of the Wisconsin Central at that
place, as follows: 1T commenced to
rain on the st. Paul division at this
evening and the wires went down west
of Jewett Mills at 1880 p. m. At S:45
we got a message from Robertson on
the Omaha, via Marshall, that a cy
clone had struck New Richmond at
1880, killing and wounding from 250 to
500 people. We started a special train
out from Irvine, with surgeons and
nurses" A second message from Horn
reads: Party just came into Jewett
Mills and reports that DR.. Wade was
killed. and DR.. Eply had both legs
broken and they are much in need OF
DOCTORS"
Boardman Wiped Out.
North Wisconsin Junction, Wis,
June ia tornado and cyclone struck
Just east of here last evening, destroy
ing wires, unroofing barns, houses
outbuildings, hay stacks, ETC., all
along its path. 1t is reported that
Mrs. Dave Hefferon, living north, was
killed The extent of the storms dam
age will not be known before daylight
A courier from Boardman has just
come in and reports the whole town
wiped off the face of the earth, many
people injured and possibly some
killed.
There are repeated rumorS in Mime
apolis that the tornado at New Rich
mond, Wis, killed go people, The
10 OF &c i,,on
The storm split beyond the twin cities,
the dangerous part going north and
east over Hudson and New Richmond.
The other division Of the storm did a
little damage near Glencoe and points
southeast of there.
Hudson Has Narrow Escape.
Minneapolis, June 13-The Tribune 5
Hudson (Wis.) special says: ''One Of
the most terrible tornadoes ever wit
messed by the citizens of Hudson
passed through the country here last
evening. 1t formed in a water spout
four miles south Of Hudson on Lake
st. Croix. 1t was witnessed by hun
dreds of people, and seemed to follow
the lake and TO be making directly for
the city, but two miles south it veered
east and left the lake and crossed the
country. 1t was 20 rods wide and des-
troyed everything in its wake. The
first building struck was one on the
farm of F. c. Madison. 1t then struck
the Grudley farm. The family, seeing
it coming, fed to stone quarry near
the house and escaped. Half a mile
northeast the tornado struck the build
ings of H. S. Madison. Just before The
storm reached the place the family and
farm help fed to the cellar. The eel
lar door had just closed when the
crash came. This place was directly in
the line of the storm and the buildings.
machine sheds, buildings, trees and
fences were all destroyed. The people
in the cellar escaped unframed. Forty
cattle and 100 sheep cannot be found
at this hour. w. ]. Gilhin, who was
passing at the time 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