The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-10-09
HAVOC OF TORNADO.
The Village of st. Charles Is Near
ly Wiped out of Existence
by Terrific Storm.
Seven People are Killed, Num-
Der Injured. The Proper
ty Loss Very Large.


result of a tornado which swept st.
Charles Saturday afternoon about 2:3e
o'clock
The dead are: John Ebens, Sr., VIM.
| Ebens, Jr. Will Adams, Oscar Critten-
den, George lessen, Ed Murphy and
Ed. Peters, Dover, MINI.
st. Charles is a village of 1850 in
habitants on the western boundary of
Winona county, and is one of the old
est settlements in the state.
The tornado was formed by the un-
ion of two storm clouds over the south
ern limits of the village and with an
awful roar swept down and through
the center of the town.
| In less than three minutes every
building in the center of the town
was either totally demolished or bad
ly damaged.
The entire main street of the town
WITS literally wiped out, hardly bus
mess place left standing.
The country people had gathered in
large numbers in the main street to do
their customary shopping. At gao the
storm cloud was seen approaching and
there was an immediate cramble for
places of safety.
The residences further back from
the business centre were struck and
many of them blown away.
Utter confusion reigned in the town.
The streets were filed with wreckage
of buildings, trees and farm buildings
which were blown through the air.
The horror of the affair completely
paralyzed action for a time on the part
of the citizens who stood about awe
stricken at the awful devas tation
caused by the elements
1t was some time before the crews
began to clear away the debris, which
was feared might cover many a sicken-
ing sight.
Word was at once sent to Winona
for doctors and nurses. The North
western furnished a special train and
dozen doctors and four trained
nurses departed for the scene.
Among the buildings wrecked were
the Central school building, the Chi
cago Great Western depot, the Catho-
lie church, PARROTS wagon works,
Spencer's, Ebben's and Logan's sa-
looms, Hendee & Sivley's wagon facto-
ry, st. Charles Furniture House and
stock, l.. Sheridan's jewelry store, So
renson's store, Stevenson's elevators
and SHELLS elevator.
Almost every building of the main
street had it's front torn off and was
partly or wholly unroofed. Part of
the high school was torn away, the
Congregational church and big livery
stable unroofed, opera house greatly
damaged, and the new flour mill dam
aged to the extent of $4,000.
There was not dollar of tornado
insurance on building destroyed.
The storm came upon the town with
such suddenness that it was filling the
air with the debris of demolished
buildings before the citizens fully real
lied the nature of the calamity.
| w. o. Crittenden, farmer, got in
his wagon to drive home. He had
pillow in the wagon. The wind lifted
the pillow and drove the share through
his neck, almost severing his head.
VIM. Mitchell had his hand on Critten-
| Qcu Wu6H Uuc ldGlST was
killed, but Mitchell escaped.
| Mr.. Crittenden was afflicted with
cancer of the stomach. He had just
consulted doctor and was told that
he could not live.
In Spencer's saloon, young Spencer
jumped under billiard table and was
unhurt, although the saloon was a to-
81 1al
from under the ruins unhurt.
Two miles northeast of st. Charles
the storm struck two farms owned by
johnson and Pike. Johnson's young
daughter was seriously crushed and
Pixies son was killed.
Many farm buildings were badly
damaged and all those owned by John
Simons at Altura were destroyed. The
total damage cannot be estimated.
The storm started at st. Charles,
from there proceeded through Bethan,
Altura. Rolling Stone and across the
river into Wisconsin. 1t died out af-
ter passing Independence.
When the big furniture store fell,
Mr.. Beckway, manager, struck fall
/
| he cannot live. The store, two-story
| building and basement, is a total loss
with the stock.
At the depot which was demolished
one freight car was destroyed and one
to N from the truck.
Mrs. C. Sorenson was in the build
ing when it collapsed. The front was
torn out and the building fell into the
street. She walked out on the street
unhurt. The same circumstances hap
pened to Mrs. l.. Sheridan when that
building collapsed.
Three teachers were in the school
building when part of it blew away.
| They escaped unhurt. Fortunately
| school was not in session.
George Jepson, farmer, was in the
city with his wife. He was on the
street and was struck with a brick.
| He was removed to his house where he
died an hour later. His wife and
| child escaped unhurt.
Judge Ned Gould, at ST. Charles, sus-
tanned broken legs and is in a critical
/ condition He was oauUht in tho col