The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-07-08
A Destructive Whirlwind at Mendoza,
Minnesota.

An eyewitness of the recent destructive
whirlwind that visited the town Of Men
dota, Mimi, gives the following account
of the storm to the ST. Paul Pioneer
Press:
4 severe storm of rain, accompanied by
heavy lightning, commenced here about
one O'Clock p. m. yesterday, and con-
tinued until three O'Clock p. m, ac-
companied by some scattering hailstones.
At this time was attracted by noise like
a heavy train coming into the station.
Knowing that no regular train was due at
that hour l went to the door to ascertain
the cause Of the noise, when the first OBJ
ject that greeted my vision was the flying
trees coming over the bluff at the south of
the village. In moment l could see it
was whirlwind, but how wide it was or
where it would strike it was impossible to
tell. The air in that direction seemed to
be filed with trees which were whirling
around at fearful speed, accompanied by
heavy roaring sound like several heavily
loaded trains passing. 1t came tearing
down the bluff. tearing up trees as if they
were grass. The first house struck was
that of Patrick Tulley. In a moment ii
was leyeled to the ground and Mrs. Tul-
ley, he being absent, was carried along
with flying timbcrs distance of three or
four rods, striking on her head and shout
ders, severely cutting her head and bruis-
ing her shoulders. The next house struck
was that of J. VI. Warner, which was only
unroofed. Passing thence it struck the
barn of Lewis LeClaire, scattering
that in every direction. Turning
round then it unroofed the house
of Lewis RObinnett, then across the
railroad track, taking the telegraph
wire as it passed, it struck the house of
Mrs. Mcintyre. scattering it in every direc-
ton. even lifting the floor up and whirling
it away. Mrs Mcintyre was holding a
babe in her arms at the time, which was
taken up and carried into the street, while
she was thrown violently in another direc-
ton. Mrs. Mcintyre was not injured, but
llE tdDE was sEl 4pIH4N tHi dbpuA NIlG AGtttA
and one eye badly hurt Then it whirled
around, just taking the porch off the front
of Mrs. Trigg's house, then whirling
around to the barn of Samuel Scott. scat
tering that in every direction. thence 10
his house, taking off part Of the roof,
twisting off his shade trees. and also twist
ing off the shade trees of VI. Dupuis. on
the opposite side OF the street also slightly
injuring his house and shoe-shop.
The main body continued down the
street, striking the house of L. D. HounSe.
which was unoccupied, whirling it away
like chat, unroofng his barn and demol-
ishing the wagon ofsH. \. Wheeler, stand
ing near by. Then crossing the street it
struck the blacksmith shop of W. Nor
risey and the house of c. BubO: the
blacksmith shop was scattered around and
the house was turned around. Mrs. Bubo,
who is a pOrtly woman, was quite seriously
injured by falling into the cellar. These
were the last buildings struck.
The whirlwind then went over the bank
into the rIver, raising the water at least
twenty-five feet into the air. This seemed
to break its force, for it merely crossed to
the opposite shore and there stopped, when
the water fell back to the river.
Reports from the country locate the com
mcnccment of the storm about six miles
southwest and that the track is wider than
where it struck the town, though it will
not exceed POO feet anywhere ! can learn
of only two houses being injured, and no
persons were hurt. The loss of Edward
Para, farmer, is about 500. I cannot
learn the name of the owner of the other
farmhouse injured, or the loss. The loss
in the town of Mendoza will amount to
500 or $500 on buildings and the same
on contents. Most of the buildings were
one story, wooden, and quite old It did
not strike any of the best houses, missing
some by only few feet This loss, there
fore, falls on the ones who are least able to
bear it, as it took their all
The utmost confusion prevailed for scv-
eral hours after the storm ceased. and some
laughablc scenes occurred. J. ". War
ner was in Tullcy's house when the noise
startled him. He ran to pile of old rail-
road ties and crawlcd under, never heed
ing Mrs. Tullcy's cry for help The water
came pouring down the hill against the
ties and over him, covering him from head
to foot with sand to such an extent that the
wind failed to lift him up. One man
called his family in and babe them pre-
pare as the day of Judgment had come. but
his house entirely escaped 4 good many
people went down in the cellars, and some
stayed for an hour or more before coming
out.
watched the whirlwind tearing down
the bluff, coming directly toward nv
house, and thought it could not possibly
escape, but fortunately for me and my
family it made a detour to the west of
about twenty rods. Although it covered
my house with mud and broken branches
Of trees, you can judge the feeling eype-
rienccd when saw it strike the river and
die away. This is an experience that once
in lifetime will do.
| have just learned of the destruction of
Peter Berkes' house in the country. No
one was hurt. This makes three farmers
houses destroyed. There NAV be others.
but think no lives were lost, and it
seems almost a miracle that there were no
fatal casualties. | saw pieces of lumber
and trees carried at least 200 feet up in the
air. Pieces of boards were driven two
and three feet into the ground, so that no
one man could pull them out. An oak
tree ten inches in diameter was left stand
ing up as if growing beside the railroad
track, the roots and branches all COM
plete. | could not find where it came
from. The force of the wind seems al
most incredible. forgot to mention that
DIR. Hagar, of Fort Smelling, on learning
of the disaster came over and attended to
the injured
a volume could be written upon the
curious freaks of this erratic whirlwind, |
for almost every yard of the space trav-
ersed furnishes more or less striking ex-
hibition of its prodigious power
About five miles south of Mendoza a
grove of about an acre and half of tim
Der, some of the trees being foot in di-
ameter, was taken up and deposited in
lake about $50 feet distant. Some of the |
trees were taken out by the roots and set
down straight, while the rest were blown |
down, dashed to pieces and the fragments |
dropped into the lake.
In some places where no trees were in |
he way the grouhd itself was torn up,