The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-16
IN RUIN AND DEATH
WESTERN TORNADO SWEEPS
ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA.
THREE TOWNS WIPED OUT.
BORUP, ELDORADO AND THOMPSON
GHOSTS OF THE PAST.

Tornado swept Across the Northeast
ern Portion of the State-Great
Loss of Life Is Thought to Have
Observation-Disclosures and Relief
Trains Sent Out to Relieve Distress
in stricken District-TwO storms
Aided Each other in the Deadly
Work-Dawn of New Day Expected
to Reveal Scene of Awful DesOIa-
ton.
St. Paul, July 16.-Tremendous dam
age. and it is thought great loss of
life. were caused by a tornado which
tonight swept in a southwesterly d.
rection from the boundary across the
northeastern portion of North Dakota.
Three towns, according to reports, were
totally wiped out. Railroad and tele-
graph lines are wrecked and there is
no communication with the section of
the state where the most serious de-
vastation is thought to have been
worked.
The little town Of Borup, on the st.
Vincent line of the Great Northern, is
an absolute wreck. The final report
was that the entire town was wiped
out and hardly . structure of any sort
left standing, The report from Berup
came in very soon after the storm
struck, and contained no information
as to the casualties.
EIdOrado's and ThOmpsOn's End.
With the report from the st. Vim
cent branch came reports that the
of oh
from Grand Forks, and Thompson,
between Grand Forks and Larimore,
had been destroyed. At Thompson the
Great Northern station lies a con-
fused mass of wreckage directly across
the main line Stores and residences
are in ruins and the main portion of
the town is wiped out The popula-
ton is about 200.
Mere fragments of information come
from Eldorado, but these indicate the
destruction of that town of about 25O
people, Neither of the reports from
Thompson or Ildorado speak of loss
of life. This is partially accounted
for by the fact that they were sent be-
fore news could have been received
from the outlying districts. The reports
indicate that the tornado developed
southwest of the Lake of the Woods
country and took a course down across
the northern portion of the state, trav
cling toward the southwest. Its path
Stems to have been unusually wide and
the effects of the storm outside it's
primary line unusually severe.
The Northern Pacific is unable to
gain the slightest information over its
wires from the storm district.
Relief Trains started.
Linemen and relief trains have been
started for the stricken district Early
this morning what is thought to have
been the edge of a tornado struck st.
Paul. Its onslaught was sudden and
fierce, high winds and brilliant cleo
trlcal display being prominent fea-
lures. No reports from Minnesota in
dicate any serious storm damage, the
destruction being apparently confined
to North Dakota.
The following storm specials have
been received by the Pioneer Press:
Twin storms at Grand Forks.
Grand Forks. N. D., July 15.-Grand
Forks was to-day between two storms,
both of which were of terrific violence
and the outer edges of both of which
passed over the city. The two storms
travelled in parallel directions and seem
to have been central about ten or fif-
teen miles apart. Their course
was southasterly. A heavy fall of
small hail stones came with the first.
and in the second the ground was COW
cred with stones measuring two inches
in diameter. Many crops are ruined
and immense damage has been done
by the wind. The depots at Emerald,
Thompson and McDonalds were blown
away. Thompson is badly wrecked
and numerous farm buildings destroy
ed. In Meckinock, Gilby, Inkster,
conway and other towns north and
west great damage was done.
Fargo Reports Loss of Life.
Fargo, N. D., July ia tornado
which is reported to have destroyed
thousands of acres of grain and to
nave done considerable damage to
property in Eastern North Dakota and
Western Minnesota.
In Minnesota the storm continued
south and east of Crookston and did
udHidSe along the w lHHlpeS llliC
VI the Northern Pacific. Ulen, recent
~ visited by a storm, was again a suf-
Ierer. At Borup several buildings were
managed and two miles from Lake
Fark on the main line of the Northern
racine east of Fargo, a caboose
IN which there were several
STOCK men was blown from
lhe tracks. The occupants were
not seriously hurt. Between Lake
fafk and Ulen a family was reported
10 have been killed Many farm build
ihgs IN the path of the storm were
GSeSroyed and some domestic stock
killed.
~, The grain fields have suffered badly.
me wheat was just heading and is SO
tuNurlant in growth that the plant is
pddly tangled, but it was estimated
Ilat much of it will straighten up.
bariey and early oats were almost
lpe and those crops will be total
i'ss Wherever the storm struck.