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The New Richmond Tornado was an unprecedented disaster in the northern Great Plains. It nearly destroyed the village of New Richmond, Wisconsin on June 12, 1899, killing 117 and injuring around 200 people. More than $600,000 ($13 million 2005 USD) in damage was reported.
Timeline
June 12 was a very warm, sunny day for most of the afternoon. The Gollmar Brothers Circus was in town that day, drawing hundreds of fun-seekers in addition to the bustling village's 2500 inhabitants. Around 3 pm, clouds began to build, and the sky became quite dark. As the circus ended for the day around 4:30, a heavy rain, will some hail, began to fall. The rain let up around 5:00, and people began to head home for the day. By 6:00, the streets of New Richmond were full of tourists, travellers, and residents alike. Within a few minutes, they would be fighting for their lives.
The tornado began as a waterspout on Lake St. Croix, about 15 miles southwest of New Richmond, at around 5:30. Eyewitness accounts describe a boiling cloud, which seemed to skirt the hills to the east of Lake St. Croix, and then head straight for the New Richmond. Passing over mostly open country, it destroyed several farm buildings as it travelled northeast, killing three people.
According to eyewitnesses, there was little or no warning. Within minutes, homes and businesses were splintered and torn from their foundations, flying debris filled the air, and people were swept to their deaths. The tornado was completely illuminated by lightning, so everyone in town saw the vortex approach. Some barely had time to scramble for shelter in storm cellars, some did not. And some who did take refuge found it was not enough. Many people caught in the street ran into the O.J. Williams dry goods store, which turned out to be a death trap. The store was swept away, and the people taking shelter in the cellar were pelted to death by flying bricks and timbers.
People who could not find shelter were doomed. Debris of all sorts flew through the air at tremendous speeds. A 3000 pound save was flung a block from its original location. Eyewitnesses described trees and timbers hurled "like javelins" through the air, and people swept up and thrown against walls or the ground.
After the tornado left town, another storm with strong winds swept through, sending people back into their shelters. It is likely that some died while potential help was hiding from the possibility of another tornado.
Aftermath
The entire town, save the extreme west end, was totally destroyed. According to the Milwaukee Journal, more than 500 structures were destroyed, and the only significant surviving structures were the Catholic and Baptist churches. The town's electrical plant and water facilities were destroyed, so fires ran rampant through the scattered debris. Many bodies found in the aftermath were burnt beyond recognition—it was impossible to tell if they died from the tornado or from being trapped and burned alive.
Twenty-six families experienced multiple deaths, and six reported 4 or more deaths in the family. After order was restored, authorities determined that a total of 117 people had been killed (114 in the village) and more than 200 injured. This was the 8th highest death toll for any single tornado in American history.
The damage wrought by the tornado was so complete, the town had to be essentially rebuilt. Damage claims exceeded $600,000 (more than $13 million in 2005 USD), however, it is believed that many people did not want to file claims, or there was no one left alive to file them.
External links
"New Richmond Tornado"