The daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami Co., Minn.) 1903-1904, 1903-10-06
DEATH TRAIL
O.. TORNADO
ST. CHARLES, MIMI, is ALMOST
WIPED OUT OF EXISTENCE
BY A STORM.
SEVEN KILLED, A HUNDRED HURT
PROPERTY LOSS is ESTIMATED
AT ssoo,ooo WITH LITTLE.
INSURANCE.
FINDS VICTIMS IN OTHER PLACES
FARMERS SUFFER HEAVY LOSS
TO GRAIN AND FARM
BUILDINGS.

BUILDINGS.
The -Dead-John Ebben, Will Ebben,
Edward Murphy. George lesson, Will
lam Vest Of Dixon, ILL.,; w. 0. Gritten-
don of Dover and John Holm, farmer.
Winona, MINI, Oct 6-Seyen lives
crushed out, about hundred persons
injured, some of them fatally; half a
hundred store buildings and residences
destroyed or partially wrecked caus-
ing a loss nov estimated at 100000.
IN which there Vas very little in
This, in brief, is the terri5e work
Of tornado which satul lay afternoon
struck st. Charles. a town twenty five
miles west OF Winona
Two storm clouds met over the
southern limits OF the city and formed
one storm which, with 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 We're:
SpenceF,s, El,o bens ard Logans -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 SHELLS elevator. Almost every
building on the main street had its
front torn off and was partly Of wholly
unroofed. Part of the high school was
torn away. The Congres ational church
and a big livery stable We're unroofed
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 peo-
Pile 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 1t,
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
cfr nd nf thor
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 it collapsed and
they were buried
Beneath the Wreckage-
Two others were in a dry goods store,
which was blown away, and they we're
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 soon as the news of the serious
nature of the storm was received
and physicians We're soon busily en-
gaged in caring for the injured and
and manned.
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. 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 1t.
The cyclone formed near Chatfleld
About five miles from ST. Charles the
house and barn of John Patterson
were blown down and his son was
seriously injured ard his daughter had
leg broken. The storm then struck
ST. Charles and continued northeast
passing through Bethany Atura ant
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 week before the ex
| tent. of the damage through the coun
/ try can be learned
Rebuilding the Town.
The people-of- Charles are al
ready at work repairing the ruins lief
by the cyclone. So far as can b.
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 thu
Twin Cities that they will be givel
money and extension of credit. Thu
| city will be practically rebuilt befor'
snow flies.
Five Men Killed Near Sheridan.
Waupaca, Wis, Oct. 6. = The tor
nado which struck Blain and Almont