Herman, Nebraska Tornado
June
13, 1899
TEN PERSONS KILLED AT HERMAN, NEB.
Not a Building in the Town Escaped Damage From
the Tornado.
INJURED NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE
Business Portion of the Place and Residences Are
Piled Up in a Heap of Debris.
Herman, Neb., June 14 --- Ten persons were
killed and about twenty-five injured in last
night's tornado here. Not a building in the town
escaped damage.
A partial list of the casualties follows:
KILLED
MISS HOPKINS, MR.
HAWKINS, W. S. RICHARDS, postmaster;
ANDERSON HOPKINS, father and mother;
a child of S. M. DAVIS.
INJURED
L. J. HIVES of Blair, dangerous
internal injuries; MRS.
W. A. ANDERSON, head bruised, arm
broken, will die; LOUIS
CLAUSEN, will die;
FRED PETERSEN,
hurt on head, slight;
MR. ALSON,
scalp wounds; child of
SAMUEL BEAVER, serious;
MRS. KLINE
of Blair, badly injured;
GEORGE COYLE, depot agent, head
gashed.
A new stand pipe weighing twenty tons was
carried a block and a half and a large iron safe
carried two blocks.
The main street of the town is a mass of
debris. The railroad tracks are blocked. A
relief train from Blair carried back to that
city ninety-five homeless citizens.
For some two hours before the storm took a
disastrous form, the clouds were of a
threatening color and the air was hot and
sultry. At 6 o'clock the storm seemed more
threatening and the people were on their guard.
At 6:15 it was observed that the wind was
blowing from the northwest and from the
southwest and with increasing violence.
At 6:30 it took the funnel shaped appearance
and bore down upon the town.
The first damage done was about four miles west
of Herman at the
HAWKINS farm. MR. HAWKINS is dead and
his barns and outbuildings are in a mass of
ruins. In the village of Herman there are but
few buildings left standing. The business
portion and residences are piled up in a heap.
That any escaped is miraculous.
The bank, owned and operated by
Representative J. H.
CHAMBERS, is in a mass of ruins. It
was a substantial brick. His home, and elegant
frame house, escaped.
Near the depot is a pile of rubbish containing
everything from a pair of boots to dead and
wounded horses, cattle, etc.
The relief party on the second train included
every physician in Blair. Arrived at Herman,
they were confronted by most disheartening
obstacles. The ruins of the little town were
enveloped in darkness. Occasionaly [sic] a rift
in the flying cloud rack allowed a bit of light
through, but it only served to bring out for a
few moments in shadowy perspective the ragged
outlines of the debris, which were regarded as
the tombs of those who were still reported
missing.
Brooklyn Eagle New York 1899-06-14
Submitted & transcribed by Stu
Beitler Thank you,
Stu!
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