Tornado at St. Cloud, Minnesofa — Ha/I. 157 



terrific rate in a course that was somewhat zigzag. It dropped down to the 

 ground, and I saw the entire work of ruin. The course of the tornado after 

 crossing the river was rather sinuous, though hardly as much so as before. 

 It swept across the coiuitry, and in five minutes from the time of reaching 

 Sauk Rapids tlie work of destruction was done. There were two clouds at 

 tirst that came together directly over the lake, and then turned on end and 

 swept onward." 



Other observers have told the story of this tornado. Their 

 accounts, while differing slightly in one or two statements of fact 

 touching the place of origin and the movements of the storm, all 

 agree in describing this as one of the most destructive storms that 

 has ever visited the northern states. One of the keenest of these 

 observers was Rev. E. V. Campbell, of Saint Cloud: he, too, was 

 one of the most assiduous in relieving the suffering caused and in- 

 dustrious in gathering the w4iole story of the storm. Chiefly 

 from him in personal conversation, and in perusing the columns of 

 the Northwestern Presbyterian of three days ago the writer has 

 gathered the following data: 



During nearly all of Wednesday the weather was chopped in- 

 to little bits — rain, puffs of wind, sunshine and one brief hail- 

 storm.* The atmosphere was peculiar; one tired easily; he was 

 restless; the air was oppressive, almost muggy; storms threatened 

 and would pass away, when the sun would shine out bright and 

 beautiful. About three o'clock clouds again rose in the south and 

 it seemed certain to rain. In half an hour the thought of a fire 

 was suggested by a horrible, black object, a mile away to the west 

 of the Campbell parsonage. It was not a fire; the object moved. 

 Then was noticed the terrible grinding, crunching, low agonizing 

 wail, once heard never to be forgotten. The writhing, whirling 

 monster was steadily crossing the city. It had taken in its em- 

 brace a frightful, funnel-shaped, coal-smoke colored body from 

 above, and on it moved. Its body seemed to carry hundreds of 

 pieces of paper: now it is known that these were broken boards and 

 timbers and shingles. Hundreds of feet up in air, how it tossed 

 and toyed with these things as if they were only feathers, some- 

 times carrying them around in graceful curves, then, swift as 

 lightning, shooting them sideways or downward out of sight. 



*At ^Minneapolis between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, a 

 terrific hailstorm took place, covering the ground with liailstones, some of 

 them as lariie as small hens' egus. 



