Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1890 — STRUCK BY A CYCLONE. [ARTICLE]

STRUCK BY A CYCLONE.

FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, LAID WASTE BY THE WIND. Havoc Wrought by a Fierce Storm—Several Lives Lost—Many Buildings Laid In Ruins. St Paul dispatch: A reporCMs current here that the town of Fargo, N. D., was completely swept away by a cyclone this morning, and that Moorhead, which lies in Minnesota, across the Red river from Fargo, was also slightly damaged. Of eourse, if the report is true, there must have been great loss of life at Fargo, and all indications tend to confirm the reports. A railroad man who arrived from that vicinity this morning says a terrific windstorm prevailed there this morning, and that several trains were blown from the tracks. All wires to Fargo are down, and the Western Union officials report that about two miles of telegraph wires near Fargo have blown down. West of Fargo they sav worse conditions exist, aud that miles and miles of wires aud poles are down.

The last reports received by the signal service from Fargo were at 7 p. m. Sunday, and they show a low barometer, temperature of 80 degrees, and a wind volocity of six miles per hour, good condition for a storm. From Mapleton in the west, Buttvilie in the south, Muskoda in the east, and Villernon in the north, the country has been swept by a terrible tornado. Fargo was the center of the storm. The stifling, ominous calm of midnight gave warning of the approach of the storm, and the city was awake and as well prepared as possible for the worst. The storm came just alter 2 o’clock and lasted for thirty-five minutes, during which time nearly every large building in the city was unroofed or otherwise damaged. The heavens seemed one mass of flame, and the thunder was appalling. The wind came first in heavy gusts, every one of which seemed to carry off a roof, finally settling into a steady sweep that grew fiercer as the time went by. In tbe Intervals between the thunder bursts could be beard on every side tbe crash of falling buildings, flying roofs and the smashing of glass In windows. Great chimneys were torn from, brick buildings and burled in every direction. There was not a building in Fargo but lost glass, from the heaviest plate down. Women and children shrieked as they ran about in the darkness, and men stood helplessly about with blanched faces, unable to move hand or foot to protect their property. For thirty minutes t ic stoma raged, then slowly passed’ off toward the northwest. Half an hour later daylight dawned and soon the entire scene of devastation was brought to view. As if in mockery, the only tall building left standing was that devoted to the signal service, where a wind gauge showed the velocity of the storm to hs-ve been eighty-two miles. The scene about the city was terrible. The streets were choked up with debris of all kinds. The wife of Captain J. W. McCarthy and her seven children were caught and crushed in a cellar. When the storm approached Mrs. McCarthy gathered the children and took them into the cellar for safety. A moment later the house was lifted up and dashed down upon the devoted band. The seven children were crushed out of all semblance of humanity. For three hours the mother was pinned down with broken limbs and crushed body, but help came too late to save her. These alone were the deaths, though there were several injured. Milwaukee (Wis.) dispatch: Advices received at the Chicago, Milwaukee & St, Paul offices from their agent at Fargo are to the effect that the town is pretty well wiped out. Several people were killed aud a number injured. A Northern Pacific train was blown from the track

A St. Paul (Minn.) dispatch says: The Western Union office in this city has been unable to get Fargo or Moorhead, Minn., which is located across the Red river from there. Their wires are down for some distance in all directions from Fargo, and nothing definite can be learned from them at the present time. It is probable that a special train will start soon for the scene of the disaster, but it could not reach there before midnight at the earliest. The condition of the wires would also greatly delay the speedy receipt of definite news. General Passenger Agent C. S. Fee, of the Northern Pacific, has the following telegram from Jamestown, N. D.: “About 2 a. m. a severe storm struck the Dakota division. No. 1 was blown from the track at the Fargo shops. The roof was blown of! the depot at Mapleton. One of the elevators at Dalrymple moved off its foundation, The elevator at Edmunds on the Jamestown & Northern was struck by lightning and burned. Cars were blown out on the main track at Buttsville on the Fargo & Southwestern branch. “No. 1 has not been abandoned west of Fargo. No. 7 and No. 4 are being held by No. 1. Have sent tyocKing outfit to Fargo. Will take six lvgurs to make track passable there. -Stain lin* is clear'aside from this. Will gibe you particulars later, as wires are all down.’*’ Mr. Fee says that if any one on the. train had been killed or injured It would certainly have been mentioned.