Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-06-16

800 Out OF 800 Buildings Destroyed
Including All Those In the Business
Centre---Fire Broke Out In the Ruins
---StOry of an Eye witness.
Seventy-si persons were killed and 1921
injured by the tornado which destroyed
the larger part of the village of New Rich
mond Wis, Monday night. Three hun
bred of the 500 buildings in the place were
blown into splinters or burned to ashes by
the fire which followed the storm. Citi-
zens who escaped death or injury were left
without food, and a majority are penniless.
When the news of the destruction
wrought by the storm reached st. Paul,
MINI, the Jobber's union of that city
quickly started a relief movement which
resulted in two carloads of blankets, cloth
ing and food being sent there by st. Paul
citizens by noon.
Three hospital trains were put into SER
vice early Tuesday morning, and a large
number of the more seriously injured were
removed to ST. Luke's, st. Joseph's, Beth
esda and the city hospital, in St. Paul.
Three of the injured died on the trains.
When the tornado struck the village
there were more than $500 persons in New
Richmond, for about 1900 farmers and res
idents of neighboring towns had come in
to see Gallum Brothers circus.
The storm swept in from the south west
and cleared everything before it in path
800 feet wide. 1t did no damage to the
Catholic church standing on the Willow
river, but cleared out almost everything
else between that point aud the Congrega-
tional church, on the other side of the
town. The cyclone was central in the bust
ness portion of the town, and blew down
every business building from the Omaha
railway station on one side to the Wiscon-
sin Central station on the other.
Loss of life was heaviest in the region of
the Nicollett House, a five-story building in
Main street. This was completely RACED.
Many who sought refuge in cellars es-
capped. In some cases houses over them
collapsed, and there they were entombed.
To add to the horror of the situation fires
were started here and there by overturn-
ing stoves, and many wounded, unable to
drag themselves out of danger, suffered
death by burning.
j. A. Carroll of Saltwater, Mimi, one of
the survivors, says; at had been sitting
hot, and the air was breathless. A dull
rumble broke the stiffness, increasing to a
roar.
ran W Jue uOOT Vi JHe uOJel, ne says,
"and there was the funnel shaped cloud
bearing down upon u.s. The noise of its
roaring was frightful. The blackness of
the sky was indescribable. | shouted that
a cyclone was upon us, and ran for the
basement. 1t was hardly an instant be-
fore the building was lifted from its foun-
dalton, twisted into fragments and dashed
into splinters.
rL fha
i'll the basement with me. | helped take
him out with terrible injuries. We saved
his wife and also one of his children, both
injured
eve could hear his other child crying
under the wreck, but were not able to get
to it, One of the laundry girls was taken
from the ruins. l suppose she was fatally
hurt. Not a building is left standing in
the Main street, which was well built of
brick
''The track of the storm seemed to be
half mile wide. How far it extended |
cant tell. The storm struck us from the
southwest, and its onrushing was like tidal
wave-nothing could withstand it. There
is not building left on its foundation in
the main part of the village. Most of
them are twisted and beaten to shreds.
TO add to the horror, fire in the ruins
followed the storm Ii was night, and
there were no lights. There was no means
left for fighting the fire. The only thing
we could do was to battle for the lives we
might reach before the fire cut off escape.
New Richmond is on the Wisconsin Cen
trial line and on the Duluth Superiorlbranc
of the Omaha road.
1t is SO miles east of st. Paul and in the
heart of the rich farming section of St.
Croix county. 1t is near Willow river, on
which are several large saw and grist mills.
Its population was about 2300.
1t is one of the oldest towns in western
Wisconsin and had many handsome resi-
dences. There were two principal streets
crossing each other at right angles, the
more important one running east and
west. 1t was through this street the storm
passed. The thoroughfare was three miles
long, lined with trees, and made a fine
driveway.
Damage to railroads, telegraph and tele
phone lines and crops is widespread.
Hudson and La Crosse.
Next to New Richmond the most severe
damage done by the storm was at Hudson.
Wis, and also at La Crosse, Wis. Near
Hudson tornado and cloudburst DESTROY
ed wires, haystacks, unroofed residences,
barns and outbuildings all along its path.
At La Crosse it was the worst storm
known in II years. Nearly five inches of
rain fell, The river rose so rapidly that
400 people living in the lower portion of
the city were driven from their homes.
Over 100 head of live stock were drowned.
Nearly every bridge in the La Crosse valley
is gone.
Several Towns Submerged.
At Mankato, Mimi, six inches of rain
fell Winona, Mimi. ; Sparta, Wis, and
other towns in the adjoining territory are
partly under water and much damage done.
Fairbault, Mimi, El Roy, Viola, Rock
ton, Iomah, also suffered severely, and
have the same story to tell of flooded eel.
ars and streets; heavy damage to crops,
of head of cattle drowned, nu-
nerous washouts on the railroads, bridges
washed away and wire communication par
alyzed.