New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-05-17
CYCLONE CAUSES
Woe IN OKLAHOMA
THE LITTLE TOWN OF SNYDER rs
ALMOST TOTALLY DE-
MOLISHED.
The Loss of Life Is Placed at 125,
While from IS to 40 More Were
Killed in the Surrounding Country
Stricken Town Appeals for Aid.

Snyder, Okla, May 13.-All esti-
mates of the number killed by
Wednesday nights tornado in and
south of Snyder make the total at
least 125. The tornado travelled
distance of 35 miles, cutting path
from a quarter to half mile wide.
The farm houses in this path were de-
molished and the occupants killed or
injured. All the men available are
needed here to clear away debris, bury
the dead and care for the sick, and the
fate of the farmers struck by the
storm has not been fully Investigated.
Estimates of the number killed out
side Af Snyder range from 25 to 40.
More than 100 laborers brought here
by the Frisco railroad company, to-
gether with a big force Of volunteers,
began moving and burning debris Fri
day. Two men dead and another barely
alive were found in a heap Of rubbish
piled up against railroad freight cars
near the station Friday morning. They
had been there since last Wednesday
night at SIS o'clock, at which time
every clock in town stopped. State
ments that 400 persons were injured
are correct, but most of these suffered
only slight bruises. Forty-five persons
are receiving hospital treatment. On
account of lack of accommodations
| here, the wounded are being taken to
| larger towns.
| Fire Completes Havoc.
To add to the general confusion and
| distress, after the tornado had passed
| fire broke out and burned UP all that
remained of the buildings on one Of
! the business blocks. So far, it has
not been possible to find out whether
or not any bodies were cremated, but
it is highly possible that such is the
| case.
The havoc wrought by the tornado is
| complete. Out of a town Of 900 peO-
pie, not more than a score of houses
are intact, while two-thirds of the
| buildings are totally wrecked. The
| storm formed south of Olustee, neal
! the Texas line, and took northeast
| erly course through well-settled sec
ton At eight o'clock it was observed
by the people of Snyder, but the usua
funnel-shaped formation was lacking
although the roar was plainly hearC
for some time before the storm broke
Many were of the opinion that it was
hail storm. Within few minute
the sky became suddenly dark, and {
terrific downpour of rain began, last
ng for several minutes, when it stop
ped almost as suddenly as it had com
nenced A few moments after an ON
nous calm followed, and then the tor
nado struck, tearing buildings t,
pieces as though they were made o
paper.
A Call for Aid
A relief committee. headed by E. Dow
den, chairman, has been formed and tn
following appeal for outside aid ha
been issued:
To the People of the United States
This place was almost totally obliter
! ated by cyclone on the evening of Ma,
1 TO- The people here are dividing thei
| all, but have not enough to relieve tn
| pressing necessity Neighboring town
| are strenuously supplying us with hos
| pital supplies and food. Fully 800 fam
lilies have been ruined by the storm
) 1900 people are more or less dependen
on the good will of the generously in
: clined to tide them over the present dis
sress. Money is urgently needed. Prop
erty loss including crops, stock, home
and other property will reach S5OO,00(
with a portion of the stricken distrie
yet to be heard from. Almost continu
Gus rains since the cyclone have ren
dered many of the roads almost impassi
BILE. The stricken people have helpe
the less fortunate to the extent of $50
in cash, besides dividing food, prov
sions and clothing with those who los
their all. In view of these circun
stances, we ask assistance from th
3 American people