Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-10-07
HAVOC OF TORNADO.
The Village Of St. Charles Is Near
ly Wiped out of Existence
by Terrific Storm.
Seven People are Killed, a Num-
Der Injured. The Proper
ty Loss Very Large. "

Winona, Mimi, Oct. 5.-Seven peo-
pie dead and ltwenty-three injured,
over fifty buildings in ruins and a
property loss of at least $500, 900 is the
result of a tornado which swept st.
Charles Saturday afternoon about $3.50
o'clock.
The dead are: John Ebens, ST., VIM.
Ebens, Jr. VIII Adams, Oscar Critten-
den, George lessen, Ed. Murphy and
Ed. Peters, Dover, MINI.
St. Charles is village of 1900 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. ..- g.,
The country people had gathered in
large numbers in the main street to do
their customary shopping. At $3.50 the
storm cloud was seen approaching and
there was an immediate scramble for
places Of safety. i
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 time on the part
of tho 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
I was feared might cover many a sicken-
I ing sight.
Word was at once sent to Winona
for doctors and nurses. The North
western furnished a special train and
q 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
1 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 -four mill dam
aged to the extent Of $4,000.
There was not a 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, a farmer, got in
his wagon to drive home. He had a
plow in the wagon. The wind lifted
the plow and drove the share through
his neck, almost severing his head
VIM. Mitchell had his hand on Critten-
denis shoulder when the latter was
killed, but Mitchell escaped.
Mr.. Crittenden was afflicted with
cancer of the stomach. He had lust
consulted doctor and was told that
he could not live.
In Spencer's saloon, young Spencer
jumped under a billiard table and was
unhurt. although the saloon was a to-