The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-10


In the meantime the thirty odd ply
sicians and nurses at New Richmond
rendered yeoman service.
Two-thirds OF the town was totally
wiped out. AT the time no one knew
whether 100 were dead or whether 300 had
perished. A circus had been in town
during the afternoon. and after the per
formance many people &ere seen on the
streets just before the storm. Wild esti-
mates of an even greater loss of life
were circulated, and as the people came
In from the country during the day addi-
tional fatalities were reported from
neighbortng townships. Boardman, Erin
Prairie, and several other towns suffered
severely, but any of the country people
who lost their lives In the storm were
killed while waiting for the storm to
pass after the circus at New Richmond
Rev. William E. Degnan, priest at the
Catholic church, was one of the hero's
Of those days. Through all the ordeal
he was as collected as if he was about
the ordinary duties of his pastorate. Inc
correspondents all went to him for AID
in getting Information. He was always
ready to lend assistance, and knew every
man, woman and child in the town he
knew just where they belonged, and
could tell almost to al certainty even the
first day whether they had perished or
had safely escaped. The records or the
church were brought into use, and
large number accounted for in that way.
A temporary relief committee, organ
lied the first day, was reinforced the fol-
lowing day, and by nightfull OF Nednes-
day subcommittee had been appointed
to check up the people who were in need,
and guard the great quantity of proVlS-
ions that was sent in from many quar-
ters. This was appreciated as most
important task as the town after the
disaster was an objective point of crooks
and tramps. Before adequate police reg
ulations were adopted and assistance
given by the Twin Cities in policing the
burned and destroyed district, ghOuls
were caught, under cover Of the night,
robbipg the dead
Very promptly the police departments
of st. Paul and Minneapolis responded to
the call for assistance and detailed sew
eral squads Of policemen. Together with
volunteers from the survivors, a patrol
limit was established and strict guard
maintained around the lines. No one ex-
cept those having written passes sign
ed by the chairman of the relief commit
tee was allowed to pass inside the linn
its Of the ruined district. Visitors were
kept out, and the second day Wiscon-
sin national guard company arrived and
relieved part Of the Twin City policemen.
Large crews of men were shipped in
for several days from neighboring towns
volunteers, as 1t were, to assist in search
ing the ruins for the dead. Frequently
during the first two days Of the search
a group of workers would be seen to
stop work. They had found another body
The undertaker's wagon. bearing plain
pine box, would hasten to the spot. The
remains, often charred, and always bruis-
ed and mutIlated, would be lifted to the
only hearse and borne to the Catholic
church. If friends were able to purchase
a better coffin one was provided, If not,
the interment was in the plain pine box.
Then, again, only parts Of bodies were
found. Little Willie Hughes, the writer
recalls, was found every day for three
days An arm here, and another portion
of his body there, was found from day
to day. One week after the cyclone the
search for dead was practically abandon
ed, as workmen had handled over several
times nearly every pile of stones, NOR
tar, bricks ard rubbish, and nearly every
one was accounted for.
The Red Cross. charitable organiza-
tion5 and commercial clubs rendered SER
vices that can only be praised adequately
by those who know best Of the work
that they undertook and accomplished.
The relief committees were obliged to
feed, and, in many cases, house, the suf-
ferers for several days after the storm.
Coffee was made In great quantities.
clothing was issued by local people acr
quainted with the needs Of every one.
In few days q half dozen refreshment
booths were erected for the accommoda-
ton of the curious crowds that tockeG
to the scene from neighboring towns.
and the proceeds devoted to the work of
relief. Car load after. car load of pro.
visions and clothing came from the Twin
Cities, neighboring towns, Milwaukee and
Chicago, and even points far more dis
tant o. w Mosher, a prominent citizen
of New Richmond, was selected chair
man of the relief committee, and every
one identified with the work labored with
equal zeal. The second day following
the storm, the balance OF the wounded
were brought to st. Paul, leaving only
the slightly injured ones to be provided
for at New Richmond. The school house
was fitted up as hospital, where people
would come every day for treatment.
Those who were so fortunate as to have
homes opened them to their less fortunate
neighbors.
The crowds that focked to New Rich
mond every day for week or ten days
following the storm marveled at some
of the freaks Of the storm. StraWs were
driven into trees chickens were plucked
of their feathers, the huge iron bridge
was crushed as strawberry box. Near
Iy all the buildings, on the principal
streets were either brick or stone, and
not brick or stone was left standing on
another The lumber yard on the west
side of town almost entirely disappeared;
that is, the lumber. Telegraph wires and
poles were blown into nearly every con-
ceivable shape. ,
Relief funds were started Immediately
after the storm in many towns. Some
time after the storm, the Bank of Hud-
son was designated as treasurer of the
fund In less than a week S80,0eO had
been collected, of which St Paul and
Minneapolis contributed very largely.
Lumber was shipped in from the Twin
Cities and Wisconsin points. Temporary
structures were Immediately put up. and
In less than week the city, what there
was of it, resembled typical mushroom
town Of the West. The town was rapid
ly rebuilt, under the direction of state
relief committee, which apportioned the
fund and donations that all might re-
ceive equal benefit.
Today New Richmond is again thriv-
ing town, forty miles from st. Paul, and
a casual observer would never dream of
the disaster which claimed many fathers
and mothers and robbed it's citizens of
their worldly goods. But it has not
passed from the minds Of the people who
live there now. They go about their
daily work, and through their thrift have
built up a second city, with a rosy hope
for the future. but the disaster of one
year ago will be handed down to poster
ity and it awful sequence remembered,
as nearly every heaTthstone numbered its
members among the dead or wounded.
Gray w. Richardson.