The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-19
NYE IN A CYCLONE.
What the Humorist Said About the
Clear Lake Storm.


Harold T. Cleveland. well known In st.
Paul newspaper circles. discussing cy-
clones. recalls the experience of Bill Nye
near Clear Lake, Wis, back in the SUs.
He says:
Fifteen years ago cyclone came out Of
the depths of st. Croix lake, swept over
New Richmond and Clear Lake, Wis. in
the bllstering heat of an afternoon, and
after 1T had passed the searchers found
Bill Nye in the windfall of pine forest
suffering from broken leg. He was con-
veyed to his home In Hudson. where his
humor served to tighten the weary hours
Of waiting for the leg to heal.
When the storm came Nye was driving
through the forest with his brother, a res
tdent of Clear Lake, and had a very mar
row escape from death. In path Of
some eighty miles in length, ending with
a cIoudburst that Hooded the towns of
Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, the cy-
clone sacrificed nearly 100 lives and re-
moved one village temporarily from the
face of the map. I found at Turtle Lake,
eleven miles from Clear Lake, a portion
of the church Of the latter town. Be
tween New Richmond and Clear Lake,
at a farmhouse in a pine clearing,
saw the body of a little girl through
which had been driven by electrical force
pine splinter as long as blade of grass
and as attenuated.
The first work that 1 did upon the storm
was to secure an interview from Nye,
and the extracts given herewith are what
he had to say of his experience. He sub
seQuently redresSed the interview and in
corporated 1t in his permanent work At
the time Of the cyclone it was copied far
and wide, and was regarded as one Of
the choice bits of humor Of the genial
wit.
Il never did anything" he said, ITO a
cyclone There is no reason why a cy-
clono should attack me. never said any
thing mean of cyclone, never criticised
any of it's relatives, never made fun of
its mcther-in-law; in fact, I always mind
ed my own business in regard to cyclones,
and was the victim of a base assault
why should a cyclone single me out?
Why should cyclone make me a target
for it's low wit? If I had ever given a
cyclone reason for it's attack there would
be some explanation for my present con-
dition, but am an innocent man. This
shows that the cyclone possesses many of
the characteristics Of an Indian. 1t is
not to be trusted. l wouldn't take the
word of cyclone after my recent expert
ence under any circumstances"
He said further:
Il have lost faith in cyclones. No man
can continue to believe in a cyclone after
he has been betrayed. Had the cyclone
given me proper warning. had it said that
at such ahG such a time it intended to
make visit to where 1 was inspecting
the luXuriant timber growth of beautiful
Wisconsin 1 would have known what to
do. l would have gone somewhere else
and engaged in other pursuits while the
VxyoS Oft
gagement. l am no rival of the cyclone
to be treated in this manner. I didn't
even bear it grudge. Nothing that
have done in my past life could be con-
strued as having warranted cyclone in
taking umbrage at my presence when il
came along. Had been consulted in the
matter might have been willing to even
have gone into business with the cyclone
anu given 1t pointers which would nave
been of advantage to both of us.
But he said. mo fairness was shown
me- l was struck from behind, malicious
ly approached, defenselessly hurled to the
ground. trod and spat upon, and left to
consider the futility of any effort on my
part to be upright and square in my deal
ings with cyclones
One of the last things Nye said OF he
storm was
IF l had wished 1 might have struck
back at the cyclone. might have made
myself disagreeable and caused a change
in its plans. But 1 refrained. l am not
of revengeful spirit, and then 1 know
when have had enough Of good thing.
wouldn't ride a free horse to death un-
der any circumstances. L just accepted
Things as they were and made I'D my
mind that hereafter the cyclone could not
travel in the same social set that 1 did
II 1T attempted to 1 intended to cut 1t
dead"
Bill Nye speedily recovered from his in
jury and in few years all traces of the
great Clear Lake storm were effaced, but
there are probably some old residents of
the region still living who will remember
the humor Of the man who refused to
take even his own narrow escape from
death seriously.