Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-11-17

DEATH AND DEVASTATION LEFT
IN COUNTRY NEAR JAMES
VILE BY TWiSTER.
LOSS NEAR MILLION kARK
Storm Originates Near Orfordvlle
and Travels Northeast to Milton
GAINESVILLE Narrowly Missed-One
Family Residing Near Hanover Ami
hilated-Drop of 65 Degrees in
Temperature Causes Suffering.

Evansville Splintered timbers,
broken furniture, crumbled rock and
plaster scattered, farm produce and
dead farm animals littering the
ground over an area a quarter mile
in width and twenty miles in length,
indicate the tremendous force with
which southern Wisconsin's worst cy-
clone cut a swath through Rock
county, killing nine persons, injuring
many more, and doing damage to the
extent of nearly s1,000,000.
The Dead
Anton Schmidt, SIS years old: Han
over; blown from barn and killed in
stantly.
Alice Schmidt, Is years old, daugh-
ter OF Anton Schmidt; blown across
the road and found nearly buried in
a field.
Reggie Schmidt, IA years old, Sis
ter of Alice Schmidt; found dead
near her sisters body
Albert Schmidt, IA years old; son
of Anton Schmidt.
Helen Austin, years old; Milton;
instantly killed
Mrs. John CroWder, 80 years old;
between Brodhead and Orfordville.
Mrs. Elizabeth Proedee, between
Brodhead and Orfordville
Leo Lentz, 16 years old; Hanover;
blown from barn and instantly
killed.
Pensyl Korbin, years old; 2 miles
north of GAINESVILLE; Instantly
killed when house was demolished.
The Injured
Wenzel Kerban; condition reported
serious.
Florence Austin, years old, Mil
ton; collarbone broken.
Mrs. Alfred Austin; Milton; cut
about face, chest and side; may re-
cover
Mrs. Caroline Schaffner, "a years
old; Hanover; face bruised and back
hurt; condition serious.
Miss Gusta Schaffner; cut about
the face; condition not serious.
Mrs. Louis Lehman, &c years old;
injured internally.
Ralph Lehman, 3 years old face
cut and bruised.
The cyclone was of the 'twister'
variety. 1t originated in the vicin-
ity of OrfOrdville, twelve miles south
west of GAINESVILLE, travelled northeast
for several miles and then turned to
the east, missing this city by mar
row margin. Its force was spent
near Milton. The greatest damage
was done near the point of origin
and at Milton.
The cyclone was accompanied by
a driving rain. There had been
high wind all day and this continued
throughout the night. The cyclone
lasted only few minutes Although
it occurred at about 2:30 the
afternoon it was as dark as night.
The binding downpour made search
for the dead and dying a terrible
task.
Wire service was demoralized, and
it was not until the following day
that narrowing details of the terrible
catastrophe were obtainable With
from 70 degrees above to nearly
zero, and it was a fearful night, for
the grief stricken survivors, many
left without a roof to cover their
heads.
Entire Family Wiped Out
The Anton Schmidt family, three
quarters of a mile east of Hanover.
was annihilated. The father and
two daughters We're instantly killed
and the son, Albert, aged IA, has
succumbed to injuries
Alice Schmidt, who kept house for
her father, and her younger sister
were in the house when the cyclone
struck. Their bodies were blown
across the road, the house being de-
molished over their heads. Their
necks were broken, skulls fractured,
and it required two men to pull the
half buried bodies from the ground.
Anton Schmidt, the father, the boy
Albert and a tramp were in the barn.
The tramp, who was not injured.
says Mr.. Schmidt was blown from
the barn door His body was found
in the hog yard
Mrs. Elizabeth Proedee, a bride of
a few months living near Orfordville,
was instantly killed Her husband
stood in the barn door, saw the house
carried away and discovered the
body Of his bride after the cyclone
passed.
Leo LentZ, 16 years old, was blown
from new barn which he was help
ing erect for James Little, six miles
northeast of Hanover His father,
Theodore Lentz, who was also work
ing on the barn, was uninjured.
Near Milton there was one death,
that of Helen Austin, years old,
daughter Of Alfred Austin, rich
farmer. Three others were in the
house when the cyclone struck it,
but Helen was the only one killed.
Mrs. Austin was seriously injured
and it was thought for a time she
would die. Her sister, Miss Eliza
beth Hume, was also badly hurt, but
will recover. Helen's sister Florence