River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-06-26
About Two Hundred Persons Are
Reported Killed and Many
Others Injured.
DAMAGE VERY HEAVY
With All Wire Communication Disrupt.
ed Throughout Stricken Area the
Meager Reports Agree on Ex-
tent of the Disaster.


Minneapolis, June ga Larson, q
real estate man of Fergus Falls,
reached Wendell, Mimi, 25 miles from
Fergus Falls, at 1870 a. m by motor
cycle with the first story of the dis
aster from an identified survivor, ac-
'cording to information received here
at a. m. He assisted in the rescue
work and then made his way across
country.
Larson said he assisted in removing
ten bodies from the Grand Central
hotel He said the hotel was wrecked
and 40 persons were buried in the
debris. The peaceful quiet was dis
rupted by terrific electric storm, he
said, accompanied by heavy rain.
Citizens were seeking shelter from
the rain when the cyclone struck.
The storm swept through the center
OF the business district along Union
avenue, the principal business street,
demolishing practically every building
for distance of three blocks and
scores of residences on adjacent
streets.
The state hospital and two private
hospitals, Wright and ST. Luke's, were
unharmed, he said. The Great North
ern depot was wrecked and score OF
persons killed or severely injured. He
estimated the number of buildings de-
stroyed in Fergus Falls at 100 but
said an estimate on the loss of life
was impossible.
Minneapolis, June 23.-More than
200 persons are believed to have been
killed in tornado which swept Fer
gus Falls and Western Minnesota.
Four hundred persons are said to have
been injured, and hundreds Of build
ings demolished, in Minnesota's great
est disaster since the forest fires which
swept the northern part of the state
last year.
With telegraph and telephone con-
nections disrupted throughout the en-
tire area over which the tornado pass
ed, and no telegraph line standing
nearer than IS miles to Fergus Falls,
reports from widely scattered locali-
ties agreed as to the number of dead
and injured.
Grand Central Hotel Wrecked.
In the havoc wrought by the wind
is the destruction Of the Grand Central
hotel in Fergus Falls, in the ruins OF
which Is persons are thought to be
buried; the demolishing of the Nor.
thern Pacific passenger and freight
station, and the overturning Of the
Great Northern Oriental Limited"
near Carlisle, where eight coaches fill
ed with passengers were blown into q
ditch.
Latest available reports said that
three blocks in the business section
of the city had been wiped out.
Relief agencies were at work with
in short time after news of the tor
nado was received in Minneapolis.
Governor Burnquist, Adjutant General
Rhinow, Major Bellows, and $50 mem
.bers OF the Fourth Minnesota infantry.
National guard, left the Great North
fern station in Minneapolis for Fergus
Falls. A corps of doctors, 80 nurses.
and residents Sof Fergus Falls were
also on the train.
AT the same time railroad wreck
Ing crew left from ST. Paul, a second
special relief train left for the scene
OF the disaster by way of Moorhead.
and throughout the western section Of
the state doctors and nurses and sup
plies were speeding toward Fergus
Falls early today.
Civilian agencies also were at work.