Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-07-20
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
Dealt Out by Cyclones and Fioode
on the Just and Unjust!

Dealt Out by cyo,ones and Fioods
on the Just and Unjust!
Minnesota and Iowa Soenes OF Dire
Desolation and Horrible
Caiamities
Since our last issue We have received
reports of unprecedented stor ms of ram,
wind aud hail in differ ent parts OF Mime
sofa and Iowa. The latest and NEST
fearful storm was a perfect cyclone last
Friday afternoon at
NEW ULM.
The cyclone swept across the country
leaving tract Of devastation mile IN
width. 1t left nothing standing IN its
path. Crops were destroyed, houses torn
down ard blown away, utterly demol-
ished. Trees were uprooted and carried,
no one knows where. Before such a
blast OF death nothing could stand a mo-
ment. Cattle were killed, people hurled
through the air, stripped oftheir clothing,
and killed and wounded. At last &C
counts thirteen bodies had been recovered.
and fifty wounded and cared for. One
young lady was found on the prairie de-
capitated; an entire family was killed,
except baby, and its arm and leg
were broken. Many families, In less than
half an hour, saw themselves stripped Of
the accumulations Of years, and they
sought in vain for enc piece of their own
homes for a memento. Several small
towns were struck, but none 50 severely
as New Ulm. This place is on the Min
nesota river, thirty.fve miles above Man.
kato, and has been steadily improving for
years. Now 1t has no church building
to mark its situation. Only . part Of its
public school house is left. Nearly three
hundred buildings we're either entirely
demolished or unroofed. The citizens
were left without shelter or food. Appli-
cation was Immediately made to the
Governor fer aid. st. Paul, Winona,
Msnka,o, and other cities promised help,
and the plucky citizens will rebuild at
once. An eye witness describes the scene
both during the storm and afterward as
one Of awful grandeur and terror. In
deed, it must have been frightful; for at
Austin the same evening the sky was
fearful to behold and more than one
went trembling to bed. Fortunately,
nothing more than shower was our
portion.
WINNEBAGO CITY
also suffered quite severely from storm
about the same time. Many buildings
were injured and crops destroyed. New
ertheless, the storm at this place was
slight compared to that at New Ulm.
The damage at either place can not we'll
be estimated. 1t is believed that the
damage at and near New Ulm will
amount to $250,000.
SWIFT COUNTY
has not escaped the bowling demon.
Monday about . O'Clock p. m. terrific
tornado from the north. west visited the
township Of Meyer. The dwelling Of
Wesley Havener was torn 10 pieces and
himself and family flung cut into drench-
ing rain. -Four of his horses were killed.
The storm was Of short duration, yet long
enough to destroy number Of other
buildings and two lives. The damage to
crops and buildings is estimated at IS, 900.
wINONA
also suffered severely in q heavy cyclone
which passed over the city July II. The
Car shops of the Winona & st. Peter rail.
road were totally demolished. No lives
were lost, as the men crawled under the
cars and avoided the flying boards and
timbers. Two men In boat we're not 50
lucky. They we're capsized and one was
drowned. A heavy fall Of hail stones,
some OF which were as large as hens eggs,
shattered the glass Of many public build.
ings and dwellings.
Iowa, too, has felt the force of the ele-
ments. There tornadoes have not left
belts of devastation and ruin, but heavy
rains aud water spouts have flooded Sec
t,ons of the state in the vicinity Of W ater-
loo, Marshalltown, and Des Moines.
Saturday aud Sunday, July 9 and 10, the
rain fell in torrents at
DIES MONIES,
washing out culverts and sewers, and
damaging the railroad tracks and bridges.
The wires were down and trains stopped.
At Grinnell the washouts were 50 extern
sive that no trains moved for several days
and even then passengers were obliged to
walk across dangerous places and take
ether trains cent out to meet them.
At MARsHAtLTOWN
there were drenching rains, and more,
q regular aoater spout. Four teet Of
water stood in the streets, and covered the
tracks and fiat cars. Bridges were car.
ried away, grading washed down, and ell
trains stopped for week. w. T. wilkins
and wife were detained there several days
on account of the impossibility of cross.
ing streams. Mr.. Wilkins reports the
damage a. great. The North. Western
road had just repaired Its tracks, and now
they are IN worse condition than ever
before. Several ether towns were also
under water. The CROPS IN those sections
must be the worse for the drenching.
Nevertheless Iowa with ito floods is more
fortunate than Minnesota with lis cy.
clones.
1881 was long ago predicted 10 be one
Of storms and death. and thus far the pre-.
diction has proved too true. We can not
recall year noted for such fierce blizz.
ards, deep SHOWS, sweeping floods, lurid
lightning, and terrific winds and cyclones