Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-10-08

lam Veet Of Dixon, ILL.,; w. .. Crltten'
don of Dover and John Holm, farmer.
Winona, MINI, Oct. 6.-Seyen lives
crushed out, about a hundred persons
injured, some Of them fatally; half a
hundred store buildings and residences
destroyed or partially wrecked, caus-
ing a loss now estimated al 100000,
On which there was very little in
surance.
This, IN brief, is the terrible work
of a tornado which Saturday afternoon
struck st. Charles, a town twenty-five
miles west of Winona.
Two storm clouds net over the
southern limits Of the city and formed
one storm which, with a terrific roar,
swept through the center Of the town,
scattering death and
Destruction in Its Path.
Over fifty buildings were badly dam
aged. Those totally destroyed were:
Spencer's, Ebben's and Logan's sa.
looms, the Chicago Great Western
depot, Hendee & Siveley's wagon fac
tory, st. Charles Furniture house and
stock, l.. Sheridan's jewelry store,
Sorenson's store, Stevenson's elevator
and Smells elevator. Almost every
building on the main street had its
trout torn off and was partly of wholly
unloofed. Part of the high school was
torn away. The Congregational church
: md a hfo Iiuaru rtnh1n nrn ,RAr,~FAJ
and the opera house was badly dam
aged. The new flour mill was dam.
aged to the extent of $4,000.
1t being Saturday, the country PEG.
pie from the surrounding farms had
Gathered in Large Numbers
in the main street to do their GUS
tomary shopping.
At $3.50 the storm cloud was seen ap-
preaching from the southwest and
there was an immediate scramble for
places Of safety. The tornado struck
the town from the southwest quarter
and made a clean sweep through it,
following almost entirely the line of
the main street and devastating the
buildings on either side. Then the res
licences further back from the business
center were struck and many of them
blown completely away.
1t seems almost miraculous that
there was not a greater loss of life.
Four of those killed were In John
Eben's saloon when 1t collapsed and
they were buried
Beneath the Wreckaue.
Two others were in q dry goods store,
which was blown away, and they were
killed by the falling walls. Ed Peters
of Dover was killed in the wreck OF
the hotel.
A relief train was sent from Winona
as SOC as the news of the serious
nature of the storm was received
and physicians were soon busily en-.
gagged in caring for the injured and
and manned.
The storm came upon the town with
such ~suddenness that it was filing the
air with the debris Of demolished
buildings before the citizens fully real.
lied the nature of the calamity. Many
of those injured received their hurts
from flying missiles, while others were
caught beneath the wreckage of their
business houses or homes and re.
NAMED pinned down until rescued by
the relief party.
Other Places Catch Il.
The cyclone formed near Chatfeld
About five miles from st. Charles the
house and barn of John Patterson
were blown down and his son was
seriously injured and his daughter had
a leg broken. The storm then struck
st. Charles and continued northeast
passing through Bethany, Altura and
Oak Ridge. 1t then crossed the river
without dipping into the valley and
caught the farm houses on the ridge
near Fountain City, Wis. At Fountain
City the Reformed church building
was totally destroyed. 1t passed north
east of Arcadia and struck Independ
ence. 1t will be a week before the ex
tent of the damage through the coun
try a be learned.
The people of st. Charles are al
ready at work repairing the ruins lefi
by the cyclone. So far as can be-
learned the entire city will be re
built. The stricken city has received
offers OF assistance from surrounding
towns and individual losers are ad
vised by big houses in Chicago and tn,
Twin Cities that they will be giver
money and extension of credit. Tn,
city will be practically rebuilt befor,
snow flies.
Five Men Killed Near Sheridan.
Waupaca, Wis, Oct. 6. - The tor
nado which struck Blain and Almon,
Saturday night killed five persons nea,
Sheridan, and blew down twenty build
ings as near as AN be ascertainet
here. Other persons may have me
death.