The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-11-16
CYCLONE KILLS 8
IN ROCK COUNTY
DEATH AND DEVASTATION Left
IN COUNTRY NEAR JAMES,
VILE BY TWISTER.
Storm Originates Near Orfordvlle
and Travels Northeast to Milton
GAINESVILLE Narrowly Mssed-One
Family Residing Near Hanover Ami
hated-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 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, 55 years old: Han
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 Janesville; instantly
killed when house was demolished.
The Injured:
Wenzel Kerban condition reported
serious.
Florence Austin, 6 years old, Nil
ton; collarbone broken.
Mrs. Alfred Austin Milton; cut
about face, chest and side; may re-
cover
Mrs. Caroline Schaffner. 81 years
old; Hanover; face bruised and back
hurt; condition serious.
Miss Gusta Schaffner; cut about
;he face; condition not serious.
Mrs. Louis Lehman, 90 years old;
injured Internally.
Ralph Lehman, 3 years old; face
cut and bruised
The cyclone was OF the 'twister"
variety. II originated in the yicin-
ity Of Orfordyille, twelve miles south
west of GAINESVILLE, travelled northeasc
for SnVpral Hoe and tbnp tt1rpol IN
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
driving rain. There had been
high wind all day and this continued
throughout the night. The cyclone
lasted only few minutes. Although
ii occurred al 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
il was not until the following day
that narrowing details Of the terrible
catastrophe were obtainable. With
in few hours the mercury dropped
from rs degrees above to nearly
zero, and it was a fearful night, for
the grief stricken survivors, many
left without roof to cover their
heads
OF the Schmidt family, three. quar-
tiers OF a mile east OF Hanover. there
is only one survivor He is Albert
Schmidt, the 14year- old boy Ply
sicians say he cannot recover. He
lies on cot and means, little sus-
pecting that father and sisters are
dead
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 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
few months living near Orfordyille.
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 Lent, IL years Old was blown
from a new barn which he was help
ing erect for James Little, six miles
northeast of Hanover. Ills rather
Theodore Lent, who was also work.
ing on the barn, was uniuiured
Near Milton there was one death
that OF iielen Austin, years. old
daughter OF Alfred Austin, rich
farmer Three others were IN The
house when the cyclone struck f.
but Helen was the only one Killed
Mrs AugtiG was seriously injured
and II was thought for time she
would die Her sister. Miss Eliza.
beth Hume, was also badly hurt. but
will recover. Helens sister Florence