The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-14


100 corpses, twice as many mangled
people, forty acres Of piles of bricks,
shivered planks, scattered heaps OF
household goods, dead horses through
which the wind had driven sharp spIlh-
ters of boards, smouldering fires Where
houses stood but yesterday, ana, IN
the midst of it all. shivered trees as
bare of leaves as ever they were in the
middle of winter, and almost stripped
bare of bark until they resembled the
ghosts of what they had been twenty
four hours ago-this is what the storm
yesterday wrought in the space of three
minutes upon the town of New Rlch-
mond.
There may have been cyclones which
created greater devastation, some that
have inflicted larger loss of life, but 1t
was only because there was more ma
terial for destruction. There never was
a cyclone that made Il cleaner sweep
of what lay in its path than the one
of last evening. In the business portion
of the town absolutely not one building
was left standing above the cellar WIN
dows; everything above a foundation
wall was shaved as clean as though II
had been cut with a plane. Enormous
safes were blown into the middle of the
street and half way over the square
beyond.
The day had been warm and sultry,
anu uuIlHS lut ldNltI PAL VI Llt 81 VI
noon heavy banks of clouds had hung
upon the western and southwestern
horizon, but nothing serious was an
ticipated until a few minutes before
O'Clock, when a dark blue cloud with
edges of a. pale green was seen rapidly
approaching from the southwest.
Comes With a Savage Roar.
In a minute long funnel was seen
dropping toward the ground. and then,
with a savage roar. the cloud swept
down upon the doomed town. A circus
had been exhibiting during the after
noon and the streets were full of
strangers and as the awful cloud bore
swiftly down there was a mad rush for
cellars, doorways or any place that
promised safety. Some of the crowd
reached a refuge. and those who did
not are among the dead.
1t viii be several days before the
number Of dead in New Richmond is
accurately known, and it is doubtful if
the entire number of fatalities will ever
be chronicled. In the path of the storm,
both to the northeast and southwest of
the city. We're scattered farm houses,
and wherever they were struck by that
awful wind there was nothing left but
a pile of boards and twisted rafters.
How many were killed in these houses
viii not be known for a long time.
II is impossible TO estimate the prop
erty loss. but ii is total in the best part
of the town, and, to make the blow
more severe, not one policy of tornado
insurance had been gritten for the
place. What is gone is gone beyond
repair.
There is at present no destitution
among those who have suffered by the
storm. st. Paul and Minneapolis, Chip
pewa Falls and other places have sent
i'll bountiful supplies. and there is no
suffering for food or necessities. bat
the business of the town is utterly
wiped out of existence, and not one
mar in the place viii be able to re-
sumo business. The destruction is so
complete that there is absolutely moth
ing to be purchased in the town-not a
box Of sardines. a pound of crackers or
a pair of shoes.
Recovering the Bodies.
As they were recovered. the bodies
were brought to the school house or TO
The Catholic or Congregational church.
Thence they are to be taken TO the
cemetery. except in a few cases, where
homes still stand on which the re-
mains can be kept for a few hours
during which the final tribute of love
can be rendered by the bereaved fam
lilies. The bodies were prepared for
burial by local and visiting undertake
ers, and as soon as identified were
marked and disposed of as friends re-
ques1ed.
The Catholic priest, who had spent a.
sleepless night and dav in looking after
the bodies and souls of his parishion-
ers, was one of the coolest and best
workers among the many who volun-
teered their aid. Nurses and physi-
clans from st. Paul, who had come
down by special train on the Omaha
road as soon as news of the disaster
great help all night and day, and when
the day closed all the seriously injured
We're believed to have been cared for.
Those whose injuries were serious,
but whose chances for recovery were
believed to De good. We're quickly sent
10 the hospitals of st. Paul and Min
neapolis. where better care can be
given them. The slightly injured and
those whose cases seem hopeless We're
kept here and were given the best at
tention possible
The list of dead gradually increased
during the day, and tonight it seemed
that 100 might be the minimum esti-
mate of the dead, while the list of the
injured will reach and probably ex-
ceed 200.
A Clergyman's Story.
It is difficult to get a concise account
of the fearful catastrophe. The Rev.
ulate Conception, tells the best story
He says:
Il was standing on the porch of my
house, which is some three blocks west
of the Omaha station, with my little
nephew. Pointing to the threatening
clouds. / said to him this cloud is cy-
clonic.' This was about $50. Then |
heard a fearful sound It was like the
painting Of fifty locomotives on the up
grade. l said TO the boy there is a
cyclone.
In the southwest there was great
whisking black cloud, cone-shaped, the
apex on the earth, the funnel in the
sky Already far ahead of the center,
the air was full of flying debris, splin-
ters. boards, feathers, bedding and
everything. I told the boy to run and
warn the people in the houses between
us and the track.
From all sides the people came run
ming, begging for assistance. l took
them and some people from the parish
school and hurried them into the Gel
lar Of my house. 1 ran out and was