The Red Cloud chief., 1899-06-16
The Work of the Tornado in New
Richmond, Wisconsin
STORM FOLLOWED BY FIRE.
Many Who Fled to the Cellars Were
Imprisoned by wreckage aud Burned
1t Was Circus Day and
village was Crowded with
Visitors From the
Vicinity.

NEW RICHMOND, Wis, June IA
tornado struck this town of 1000 in
habitants at 6 o'clock last night and
from fifty to IT'S persons are estimated
to have been killed and 400 others
injured.
1t was circus day and New Rich
mond was crowded with visitors from
surrounding cottages and farms. Just
before six o'clock the sky ~blackened
and next came the roaring, swaying
funnel shaped cloud. Many who saw
the approaching tornado ran to their
cellars, barely reaching them before
the houses were swept away from
over them.
For hours the town was cut off from
the outside and the news Of the storm
was carried only by messengers or
terrified fugitives. The whole sur.
rounding country was in the storm
territory and telegraph wires were
blown down and railway tracks
washed away. The first relief train
reached town to-day, more than twelve
hours after the storm.
FIRE AFTER THE STORM.
The estimate of l75 killed is made
by the railway companies and physi-
clans. There may be many more, but
the correct number cannot be ascer-
tanned for several days, II ever. Many
are missing.
Hardly had the storm done it's work
when fire broke out IN different parts
of the ruined district and soon flames
were seen in a dozen places. Many
houses that had escaped the wind
were burned, and many OF the bodies
found show marks Of the fire.
The relief train from st. Paul
reached New Richmond early to-day.
Besides supplies Of every kind it
brought twenty nurses and twelve
doctors.
The storm struck the Chicago, st.
Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railway
at Boardman and followed the track
to New Richmond. 1t passed through
New Richmond from south to north
and leveled the center Of the town. The
people seemed hemmed in and large
numbers were buried alive. On both
sides OF the main street every build
ing was destroyed.
New Richmond is on the Wisconsin
Central and the Duluth-Surerior
branch of the Omaha road. 1t is
thirty six miles east of st. Paul, and
in the heart of the rich farming Sec
ton of st. Croix country. 1t is near
Willow river, where there are several
la rrn q N IN, md vr;et ,.tll. a-I &. .,,;..
n business center. 1t is one OF the old
est towns Of Western Wiscon sin and
had many han dsome residences.
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.
HE SAW THE TORNADO COMING.
j. A. Carroll, a travelling man from
Portage, Wis, who was here when
the storm struck, says he saw the fun
nel-shaped cloud as IL came up the
principal street and took refuge in the
basement of the Hotel Nicollet. The
hotel was wrecked, together with
every other busine IS house in the city.
Carroll drove to Saltwater by team
for relief and q train with doc tors
started from there at 1915 this morn.
ing. Carroll says the burning Of the
ruins cut off all hope of escape for
many pinned in the wreckage.
Carroll vas in the hotel ust before
8 o'clock. 1t had been sitting hot
and the air was breath.ess. A dull
rumble broke the stiffness, increasing
to a roar.
DASHED INTO S~PLINTERS.
II ran to the door Of the hotel,' he
said, and there was the funnel
shaped cloud bearing down upon us.
The noise and roaring was frightful
The blackness of the sky was indie
scribable. / shouted that a cyclone
was upon us aud ran for the basement.
1t was hardly an instant before the
building was lifted from its founda.
ton, twisted into fragments and
dashed into sp.inters.
Charles McKennon, the proprietor,
was in the basement with me. |
hcipSu W tdhc nun OuL WITH Terrible
injuries We saved his wife, also one
of his children, both injured. We
could hear his other child crying un-
der the wreck, but were not able to
get to 1t. One Of the laundry girls
was taken from the ruins
mot u building is left standing in
the main street, which was well built
of brick.
The track of the storm seemed to
be half a mile wide, How far it e.-
tendei i can't tell. The storm struck
us from the southwest. There is not
a building left on its foundation in
the main part of the village. Most OF
them are twisted and beaten 70
shreds.
ITO add to the horror, fire in the
ruins followed the storm. 1t was
night and there were no lights.
There was no means left for fighting