The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-06-17

Dehs hhJufeu-Inree hunufeu Oouinb
Ordered - Different Estimates of the
Killed and Injured-The Ruins of the
ill-Fated City Swept by Fire.
st. Paul, Mimi, June lS.-The ter
rlhc storm along the upper Mississippi
river and its tributaries in Wisconsin
and Minnesota have done enormous
damage The worst destruction ap-
pears to have been at New Richmond,
Wis, where frightful twister struck
just before six o'clock Monday night.
How great has been the loss of life it is
impossible as yet to tell, the storm
having effectually destroyed wire com
munication in the stricken region. Re-
ports that have come in state the total |
number of killed and injured will |
range between $50 and 500. The town |
at the time of the storm was crowded |
with people who had come from the
surrounding country to attend a circus
performance.
Next to Richmond the most severe
damage done by the storm was at Hud-
son, Wis, also at La Crosse, Wis In
the vicinity of the first named town a
tornado and cloudburst destroyed
wires, unroofed residences, barns and
outbuildings all along its path. At
La Crosse 1t was the worse storm
known in II years. Nearly five inches
of rain fell The river rose so rapidly
that 400 people living in the lower part
l nf thn nif l,t,vav, that,
homes. Over 100 head of live stock
were drowned. Nearly every bridge
in the La Crosse valley is gone.
At Mankato, Mimi, six inches of
rain fell. Winona, Mimi, Sparta, Wis,
and othes towns IN the adjoining ter
ritory are partly under water and
much damage done. Faribault, Elroy,
Viola Rocktown, Tomah also suffered
severely and have the same story to
tell of flooded cellars, heavy damage
to crops hundreds of heads of cattle
drowned, numerous washouts on the
railroads, bridges washed away and
wire communications paralyzed.
The Dreadful Calamity Confirmed.
81. Paul, Mimi, June 13.-A reporter
Of the Dispatch who went to New Rich
mond, Wis, Mondaynight on the first
relief train returned to-day and
fully confirms the reports of the dread
full calamity which visited that place
about six o'clock Monday night. The
pretty town is almost totally wiped off
the map and of its $500 inhabitants,
20o lie dead amongst the ruins of their
Z homes and about 1000 are injured, many
< fatally. Scarcely two score escaped
Z without injury of some nature. Great
( alarm prevailed shortly before the
8 storm broke and refuge was sought in
8 cellars, wells, caves or other under
< ground structures that promised
( safety. The wind began blowing witt
9 terrible force. Trees were broken of
short by the force of the gale which
y struck the town full in the center anG
in ten minutes awful havoc had beer
wrought. The largest brick blocks
40 crumbled like eggshells. The lighter
frame structures were whisked away
like so much straw and many houses
were carried for blocks and dashed tC
the earth. Five hundred buildings
the finest in the town, were wrecked
=. and when the storm had passed abou
the only structures of any note lef
standing were the Catholic and Baptis
EFT churches, Not residence was left un
. injured Lumber yards went up in tn
clouds, the huge planks being slicet
into shingles. A large iron bridge owe
Apple river was blown into fragment
're and the parts distributed along tn
banks half mile away.
Three Hundred Coiflns Ordered.
Minneapolis, MINI, June 18th
through Wisconsin Central train SUE
ceeded in reaching here this morning
having come through New Richmon
at an early hour. The tracks were a.
clear, save where the contents of a lum
ber yard were scattered over them
Conductor Gavin says he took l2 rel
ugees to st. Paul with him. When tn
ms train came through the air was so flu
~ Of smoke from burning buildings tina
IL was difficult to tell the extent of th
disaster. The central part of the towI
. however, was wrecked. A fire engine ha
arrived from a neighboring town an
was doing its best to check the fiame
e. He brought an order for 800 coffin
but this, Of course, was simply an est
mate Of the possible dead by the loci
relief committee.
Scores Buried Alive.
New Richmond, Wis, June lS.-Or
hundred and seventy-five killed and a
wounded is the estimate of casualti
in Monday nights storm. This is bas'
ON information received from Gener
Manager Scott, of the Omaha railwa
\ The relief train from st. Paul reach'
= New Richmond early to-day. Besid
y supplies of every kind, the ira
brought 20 nurses and IL doctors. Il
storm struck the Omaha at Boardm'
and followed the track to New Ric
mond. 1t passed through New Ric
mond from south TO north and level
the center of the city and the peoE
nenned in and scores buried alive.
the street from the depot starting wi
80 Henry Beal & Company's store, throuI
'e' TO the Hotel Nicolet, on both sides
the street every building was destroyt
. The Ruins swept by Fire.
Milwaukee, June 13.--Latest advit
received at the offices OF the VISIONS
! Central Railway company in this ci
. are to the effect that the list of
dead from the storm at New Richmor
Wis, now foots up 100 and that t
ruins of the ill-fated city are bel
!. swept by fire. Every effort is bel
!. made to stay the progress Of the nan
y and to rescue the dead and dying FRI
the ruins. -
,r Nineteen mild cases of smallpox ha
hsen discovered at Davenport, Ia, a