The Van Buren press., 1899-06-17
ANOTHER RUINED CITY.
The Terrible Tornado Continues to
Add to the List of Its
Victims.
HERMAN NEBRASKA, IS THE LATEST.
Ten Persons Killed and Over n Score
Injured-The Little Town That
Was Is Now Only a Mass of
Ruins. Not n Building Being Left
Whole,


Ruins. Not a Building Being Left
Whole.
Omaha, Neb., June ia special To
the Bee from Blair, Neb., says:
One of the worst storms in the his
tory of eastern Nebraska visited Her
man. Neb., Tuesday evening. about
63O. The storm took the form of Il
tornado about two miles west of Her
man, and after travelling west short
distance, turned back, taking a due
east course until within half nile OF
the town. 1t took a southeasterly
course, covering a strip about 20 rods
wide, but wide enough to clean out
the entire town of Herman.
Almost n Clean sweep.
Two or three residences sIill re
main on the outskirts of the town.
though in a much damaged condition.
The Methodist church and the school
building are the only other buildings
left The Methodist church is being
used as a hospital for the wounded
and a place for the dead. The town
proper it totally destroyed.
Train Crew Did Good Work.
The train crew on No. .. on TIE
Omaha road, did some heroic work.
They pulled into Herman Just after
the storm, and began the work of res
cue. Nearly 100 were brought back
to Blair, where the train remained
until morning, when it left on schcd-
lle time. taking relief and assistance
to the homeless people, many of whom
had been out in the rain all night.
Freaks of the storm.
The home of Hon. j. II. Chambers
escaped with but little harm, but his
brick bank is one mass of ruins. \
large boiler that required two cars
to transport it to Herman was carried
over block and deposited in the henrt
of the city.
There was but one tornado insurance
policy in the town, that was fer but a
trifing amount. The balance is a to-
tai loss. The heavy rain that fol
lowed the storm practically ruined
what had not been destroyed by the
storm.
The Storm Came slowly.
The storm came on very slowly, Civ
ing most people ample tine to reach
their cellars. Instead of taking a
straight course, the storm seemed to
zigzag back and forth. a delegation
of Blair firemen are now on the ground
doing patrol duty.
Ten persons were killed, and up
wards of 90 seriously injured, some
| fatally, and many others received mi
| nor hurts.
1t is reported that the tornado which
| struck the village wrecked several
| were killed and ten are reported Sc
verely injured.
A Graphic Description.
Blair, Neb., June 15.-One of the
best descriptions of the storm was re-
ceived from j. A. Kelly, Council
| Bluffs travelling man.
with number of other guests
was dining in the hotel" he said
"when suddenly the wind began to
rise and grow very violent. ! hastened
to the window and looked to tho
north. | could see two immense clouds
separated by quite a bit of sky, swirl
ing and churning wrathfully. We at
once felt that a tornado was at hand
Our suspicious were confirmed when
we saw that the two divisions of clouds
were rapidly converging into the ira
ditonal funnel shape.
An Errntic Cloud.
"But while we looked i. seemed to us
that the cloud would sweep to the
west and avoid the town. When il
reached a point to the northwest W,
were terrified to see n suddenly
change its course and make direct y
for the town. We hurried into the
cellar. and saw no more of the tor
nado. but we knew by the frightfu
din that il was working havoc in tn,
town. When il had passed we emerged
from the cellar and found that tn,
hotel had been wrecked, and that
every building in town had beer
blown down, with the exception of al
isolated few on the outskirts.
The sweep of the Tornado.
"The tornado had swept right dow :
the main street, crushing the buildings
as though they were egg shells. The
only brick building of Importance ii
the town was the bank. After tn,
storm | do not recall seeing it. and
presume that it, too. was destroyed
The town was a pile of debris. soak
ing with water. In front of us W,
could see horses, pigs and frame build
ings all heaped together. | could no
say how many persons were killed oi
how many We're injured. ! saw severa
dead and many wounded. OF cours,
there were many still alive after th'
storm, and they did all they could Il
assist in the work of rescue. Wher
the first train left l came to Blair"
Victims of lightning.
Monument, Col, June 15.-Aubre'
pring. son of John Pring, of Colorado