The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-29
A Minnesota Tornado.

terrific tornado, whirlwind or water
spout, passed over the ancient town of Mendo-
ia, six miles from St. Paul, OH the afternoon
OF June 25th.
A visitor to the locality says, upon reaching
the town he soon had ocular demonstration of
the visitation in the flattened buildings, and in
the large amount of debris, consisting of lum-
Der that before formed portions of buildings,
household furniture, etc. etc, that strewed the
ground i'll the track of the storm.
Fortunately but a small portion OF Mendoza
was in the track Of the wind, it striking the
town near the upper end, and only a short
distance from the river bank. More fortunate
still, the storm had evidently spent its force
before striking the town, and hence the de-
struction is much less than it would have
been. -
THE STORM
came from the southwest, moving northeast,
until it struck the high timbered ridge running
little south of east from near the river bank
that forms the southwestern boundary of the
town. Passing over this ridge, it turned al
most due north. In its track over this ridge
the destruction OF trees was nothing Ike SO
great as farther to the southwest, a fact that is
mentioned here to show that the force of the
storm had been spent before it reached the
town. The
FIRST INDICATION
had by the citizens OF the approaching storm
was conveyed by roaring sound some ten min
utes before its appearance. AS MIR. Michael
Lynch expressed it: 81 with a number of
others was sitting in my store when my atten-
ton was attracted by a terrible roaring. My
first thought was that it was an approaching
freight train, and said s'that must be heavy
train and running for all in sight" The roar
ing continuing, MIR. Lynch stepped to the
door, which fronts nearly SOUTH At once,
having passed through hurricane in Louisi-
ance of the sky and the humidity of the at
mosphere. Still watching the indication to
the southwest, he saw what appeared to he a
GREAT TREE
hurled throug h the all. apparently fifty feet
high. Then he knew that's tornado was upon
them, and he Immediately turned his attention
towards closing the doors and windows Of his
store and residence. This, though done in a
shorter time than it takes to tell it, had not
been completed before the storm passed over
the ridge before mentioned, and struck the
town. At this time the width OF the tornado
was not more than hundred fest.
THE FIRST HOUSE
in it's track vas located on the northeastern
slope OF the ridge, some ten rods south of the
track 0: the St. Paul and Sioux City railroad.
The house was small frame, usually denom-
mated shanty, the property OF Patrick FULLY,
and was entirely demolished. Mrs. Tully was
the only occupant at the time. She
| received quite asevere cut on the temple, and
'ome severe bruises on the right shoulder.
| that she escaped more severe injuries is a
! wonder The next house was the property Of
Ar:, John Shields, occupied by J. NJ. Warner
and situated some IL rods to the northeast OF
| the first. J his was a one story frame with
kitchen: The latter part was entirely demol-
lshed, the roof taken off the main building
and the inside partitions torn out. Mrs: War.
her and her child were in the building at
the time, but what appears almost q miracle,
neither suffered any bodily injury Mr.. War
rn7er,.w mad just stepped outside; of the
house, seeing the STORM coming, took refuge
under pile Of piles, and to this he ascribes
the fact that he is alive to-day.
Still further to the northeast some. four rods
was the house of Louis LeClaire,, from which
the chimney was knocked off. and thirty two
panes of glass broken. On the back OF this
last was a small barn, which was entirely de-
stroyed. '''''
| The next house struck on this side of the
| railroad was that of Louis Robinette, situated