The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-14
ANOTHER TOWN DESTROYED
HARDLY OWE OF the 300 HOUSES or
HERMAN, NEB., LEFT

nahO Last Ntght-Latcst Estimates OF the |
Number Killed by Mondays Tornado ut |
New Richmond, Wis, Put 1t mt IOO-The |
Wounded There Probably Number 800. |
BLAIR, Neb.. juno l3--A gigantic twister |
passed through this section OF Nebraska at y |
O'Clock this evening. Narrowly missing Blair
II passed northward five miles and wiped from
the earth the town of Herman. Two train
loads Of dead injured and homeless people
have already been brought to Blair
The town had 800 people and 200 houses.
Not house was left standing, and it Is esti-
mated that twenty persons are killed and
forty or fifty badly hurt. The operator
at Herman. though badly hurt. managed
to patch up his wires long enough to
tell the story OF the disaster in few
words. and in a few moments an engine and
coach hurried to the scene with physicians.
Herman was found one mass Of ruins. and the
few people able to search the debris for the
screaming and dying victims seemed bereft
Of their reason Men, women aud children
with arms, legs and heads horribly cut
filed the streets screaming for relief
The wrecked town was visited by a water
spout Immediately following tho tornado and
many are believed to- have been drowned In
their wrecked homes. The tornado passed
back and forth through the town twice. ac-
coriinE to eyewitnesscs. The first train to
return to Blair from the scene of the disaster
| brought ninety five dead, injured and home
| less people from the wrecked town.
The news OF the disaster reached Blair short
| ly before O'Clock The officials Of the Omaha
| road Immediately got In readiness a special
| train and took on board six physicians and
medical supplies. When they reached
| Herman picture Of desolaton pre-
| scented itself. What had oncc been a
| thriving country town OF 800 inhabitants.
with goody sprnkling OF stores and houses.
| was now a succession of rubbish piles scat
| tered over the prairie The darkness soon
| came down and added to the horror OF the sit
! uation. Among the first bodies recovered from
| the ruins was that Of Postmaster Richards. who
| had been crushed to death In his office. No
extended search was at that time made for the
| dead. 1t was the living that required succorand
| the wounded who could be safely removed from
| the scene were placed on the train. which did
| not remain long on this trip.
| As soon as the injured and homeless had
| pretty well packed the train it was started
back for this place, 1t was met at the depot
| here by vast thronG Some Of the sufferers
were taken to the hospitals and many others
to the homes Of private families. Another train
was prepared and it left for the scene OF the
| disaster at 8 o'clock.
| Ono OF the best descriptions OF the storm was
received from ]. A. Kelley Of Council Bluffs,
representative OF the Mccormick Harvesting
Company.
with number Of other guests was dining
in the hotel" he said. when suddenly the
wind began to rise and grow very violent. I
fastened to the window and looked to the
north. could see two immense clouds. sepa-
rated by quite q bit ~ space. swrling and
churnng wrathfuy. We at once felt that Il
cyclone was at hand.
| Our suspicious were confirmed when we saw
that the two divisions OF clouds were rapidly
converging into the traditional funnel. But
while we looked ii seemed TO us that the cloud
would sweep to the west and around the town.
When It reached a point TO the northwest we
were terrified TO SEQ 1t suddenly change its
course and make directly for the town.
Eve all hurried into the cellar and saw no
moro OF the cyclone. but we knew by the
frightful din that 1t was working havoc In tho
town.
when II had passed we emerged from the
cellar and found that tho hotel had been
wrecked and that every building in town had
been blown down with the exception Of an
isolated few on the outskirts.
The cyclone had swept right down the main
street. crushing the buildings as though they
were eggshcs. The only brick building OF
| importance In the town was the bank. After
the storm do not recall seeing it. and l pre-
sumo that 1t, too. was destroyed. The town
was pile OF debris. soaking with water
e" In front of us we could see horses pigs and
frame buildings all hcaped together Some OF
the animals were dead. and some were still
alive and crying out ! could not say how
many persons were killed or how many were
injured Isaw several dead and many wounded
OF course, there were many still uninjured
after the storm, and they did all they could to
assist In the work Of rescue. When tho first
, train left | came on to Blair"
Mr.. Kelley and several others referred to one
queer freak OF the wind which they had OBJ
served. At a point two blocks northwest OF
the Burdick Hotel workmen had nearly com
pleted a huge tank, which WAS to supply the
city with water. This tank weighed in the
, neighborhood Of twenty tons When the storm
had passed the tank was found close TO the
Burdick Hotel practically uninjured.
The work OF taking the dead and wounded
out OF the debris continues and Is likely &c
prove a long and difficult task.
100 KILLED BY THE WISCONSIN TORNADO.
New RICHMOND. Wis. June 13.-The situa.
ton at New Richmond as the result OF last
nights tornado is dincult to describe. Those
who have worked all day and evening in the
ruins estimate the loss OF life at more
/ than 100 Nearly 200 buildings were
destroyed. entallng a loss Of over half
million dollars No account of the storm wa
| cAdRBetultAl y SIdNc ~ lfdSl nun u Illllt
square. the entire business part Of the city. Is
, wrecked completely. The horrors OF the tor,
nado were increased by the fires which fol
lowed it. Many persons were burned to death
The fire is stll burning in the debris late to-
night. and the one fire engine from st. Paul IL
; unable to Quench the flames,
, large force OF men is at work clearing
away the remnants Of buildings and bringing
out tho bodies. 1t will take at least an,
, other day to complete the list OF The
killed and injured. 1t is difficult tc
: make some identiratons. Many OF the
houses which remain standing in the
district. north and south OF the tornado's path
! are badly injured. On some. shingles are tori
of. windows are broken in. porches are lifted
and additions have bccnlcarred distances o
from ten to fifty feet.
The railroads promptly furnished supple,
: and brought in nurses and physicians
| After the relief trains arrived from
St. Paul and saltwater tho doctor,