The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-10-09
HAVOC OF TORNADO.
The Village Of St. Charles is Near.
" 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 tw%enty-three injured,
over fifty buildings in ruins and 9
property loss of at least $500, 900 is the
result of a tornado which swept St
Charles Saturday afternoon about ESQ
o'clock.
The dead are: John Ebens, Sir, VIM.
Ebens, Jr. viii Adams. Oscar Critten-
den, George Jessen, Ed. Murphy and
Ed. Peters, Dover, MINI.
St. Charles is a village Of 1,500 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.
err 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 a bus
mess place left standing.
The country people had gathered in
large numbers in the main street to dc
their customary shopping. At $3.50 the
storm cloud was seen approaching and
there was an immediate scramble 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 We're blown through the air
The horror OF the affair completely
paralyzed action for a time oil 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
a 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, Parrott's 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, S%tevenson's elevators
and SHELLS elevator.
Almost every building Of the main
street had its front tori 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 $40, 900.
There was not a dollar Of tornado
insurance on a building destroyed.
The storm came upon the town with
air with the debris of demolished
buildings before the citizens fully real
lied the nature of the calamity.
w. O. Gsittenden, 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-
den's shoulder when the latter was
killed, but Mitchell escaped.
Mr.. C~rittenden was afflicted with
cancer of the stomach. He had Just
consulted a doctor and was told that
he could not live.
In S~pencer's saloon, young Spencer
jumped under a billiard table and was
unhurt, although the saloon was a to-
tai wreck. Negro Cal crawied out
from under the ruins unhurt.
Two miles northeast of st. Charles
the storm struck two farms. owned by
johnson and Pike. Johnsop'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 q fall
ing wall. His skull was crushed and
he cannot live. The store. two-story
building and basement, is a total loss