The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-06-24
Between Fifty and Sixty Lives
Believed Lost When Tornado
Hits Town.
DAMAGE IS s3,OOO,O00
Wind hurls Houses Into Lake and
Ravaees Business Center When
Storms Meet-Many Bodies
Recovered-9S Injured.

Minneapolis, June 24.-Between so
and 60 lives are believed to have been
lost in Fergus Falls when the
northwestern section OF the town was
laid waste by a terrific storm. Wire
communication into the town was inn
possible for nearly "a hours, and ru-
mors told of 200 to 1000 lives lost.
News received from authentic sources
gave the casualties as follows:
Identified dead, 3S.
Unidentified dead, 5.
Missing, 81.
Injured seriously, SO.
Another storm which swept a path
near Dumont, more than 40 miles
south of Fergus Falls, is known to
have cost one life.
Property loss in Fergus Falls Is esti-
mated at $2,000,O00 TO $4,000, 900.
Most of the loss of life was In the
Grand hotel. which had SO guests, and
was laid completely In ruins, which
are still being searched for the miss
ing.
so Homes Demolished.
More than so private homes were
demolished entirely, and rs or 80
others badly wrecked Some bodies
may yet be found In ruins of the
homes.
Relief parties from nearby cities
reached the town quickly, and a spe-
cial train from the twin cities few
hours later. The injured are cared for
In three local hospitals.
The storm struck the city with lit
tie warning at 5:45 p. m. Accounts
are conflicting, but show that the wind
was cyclonic, blowing in different di-
rections in different parts of the city.
The main storm apparently came
from the northwest, and some observ-
ers say that 1t met another coming
from the south or southwest. The
main business section was damaged
but not razed by the wind, and the
worst destruction was in six blocks.
including the Grand hotel, the court
house, three of the leading churches.
the wooden mills, the sash and door
factory and one grade school build
ing, besides many private homes.
Houses Blown Into Lake.
Passengers and crew of the Oriental
Limited train on the Great Northern
road miraculously escaped death when
the force of the wind blew the train
off the track. 1t happened to plunge
into deep ditch. which prevented the
cars from overturning, and few re-
ceived anything more than shaking
up Traffic on the road was not inn
peded by the wreck.
The power dam In the Red river at
Fergus Falls was blown out and
wrecked by the storm. The Northern
Pacific depot was demolished, hut was
closed at the time and there was no
loss of life there.
Two small houses on the shore of
Lake Alice. on the north side of town,
were blown into the lake with their
occupants, three in one and four in
the other. The occupants of the
houses are missing. and are believed
to have been drowned in the lake.
Debris Hurled Through Windows.
Debris from the wrecked buildings
was hurled for blocks and some of It
went thru windows in the business
district. partially wrecking many
buildings.
The path of the main storm was
about five miles wide and fifteen miles
long. but the total destruction was In
a small area.
The state insane hospital, near the
town. was not seriously damaged !;
same of the injured were taken to its
hospital ward for care.
Adjutant General w. F. Rhinow, who
Is In command of the troops doing re.
lief work, sent word to his Office that
he does not expect the death list to
exceed SO.
Residences Suffer Most.
Except for the destruction of the
Grand hotel, in which many lives were
lost, the business section was not dam
aged as heavily as the residence dis
tricts," said General Rhinow. Many
homes were leveled to the ground and
others partially wrecked"
General Rhinow said good order Is
being maintained without establishing
military law or quarantine regulations
Organization OF relief work Is pro
crossing satisfactorily, and immediate
needs are being supplied without great
difiiculty..
Calls for two st. Paul companies ol
the Sixth Infantry. Minnesota National
guard. were issued by General Rhin0w
and forwarded to Lieutenant Colone
E.G- atnlz. The general added that y