Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-16

Destrssctt0s and Deatb-A Man Kelled
WSth q Baby In Hts Arnss -BMtldtp0s
Bl0sCn about liEe Feathers.

the GLOBE:
The most terrible and terrific tornado
that ever visited Minnesota occurred in
this section on Monday Ievening July IL,
between 6 and 10 o'clock. twas remark
ed by many that storm was passing
north of this place on s9fonday evening,
but none had the remotest idea of the
frightful calamity that has befallen the
unfortunate settlers along its track. The
cyclone seemed to have commenced in
Dakota, southwest of Odessa, and passed
in southwesterly direction with the We
losity of electricity, accompanied by
black cloud with heavy rain and wind
and incessant lightning. The storm was
not a mile wide, but it traversed dis
lance of thirty five to forty miles, occa-
sionally rising above the earth for dis
lance and then a5
3@ SWEEPING DOWN AGAIN
with redoubled fury, leaving nothing in
its track. The first damage we heard of
was at Odessa, where four buildings
were blown down, one of which was the
commOdious residence of A. l., Beardsley,
which is a total loss. The next point to
attract the fury of the storm demon was
the residence Of George Cunningham,
situated midway between Appleton and
OrtOnville. NOIone was at home at the
time except f 1kess 81
TWO CHILDREN,
and they becoming frightened at the ap-
proach of the storm ran into the cellar
This was fortunate, for in an instant the
house was gathered up like feather and
scattered in every direction, not vestige
remaining; but the children escaped in
jury. The farming implements about
the place were strewn in all directions
and destroyed. A pump standing in a
well thirty feet deep was jerked out and
CARRIED OFF BODILY;
but, strange as it may seem, the water
stood nine feet deep in the well, and
every drop Of it was scooped up. From
here The storm seemed to raise and did
not strike the earth again till it had trav-
ersed distance of ten miles and within
two miles of Fairfield, small hamlet ten
miles north of Appleton. Here two far
mers, Messrs. ROsecranz and Comstock,
were sufferers, both of their houses being
unroofed and wrecked and all kinds Of
farming implements scattered over the
prairie and destroyed. A pillow and pieces
of wagon were carried over a mile.
Within the next mile Mr.. Havner's place,
situated on the west bank of the Pomme
de Terre river, came in ii5
sil THE TRACK OF THE STORM
Although sheltered by bluffs and timber
it was of no avail. The house was built
of logs, but they were picked up as If
light rs straws, and no two were dropped
in the same place. Mrs. Havner was
struck on the head by log and severely
injured. Her daughter was blown eighty
rods and would have fallen into the river
but saved herself by catching hold of
guide post that stood on the river banks.
Mr.. Havner was uninjured, but two of
his horses were blown into the river and
drowned. Two cows were also killed.
One was tied to large oak tree which
the wind gathered up and tore out by the
roots The cow fell into the pit and
was
COMPLETELY BURIED.
The heavy bridge one hundred feet long,
which spans the river at this point, was
carried bodily up the stream several rods
and many of the planks were strewn for
over mile From the bridge the storm
pursued It's course across the river to the
little village of Fairfield, which consists
of a postoffice, store, blacksmith shop,
church, school house, and number of
residences, every one OF which, without a
Fsingle exception, were destroyed. Geo.
Keptner, who lived in log house and
had frame house hear by nearly compile
ted, was heavy lOoser, as both houses
were entirely wrecked, Six persons were
in the house who
MIRACULOUsLY Escaped
with their lives by crawling under an old
fashioned loom which kept the timbers
from crushing them. Mrs. X. was
slightly hurt, and $S5 in money is miss
ing, together with household goods which
were blown away. A milk house which
stood within twenty feet Of the house,
shows no sign of the storm. The black
smith shop and also the residence of Mr..
Ferguson were taken up and torn all to
pieces, not even a board remaining to
show where the building stood. His
family, consisting of his wife and four
children, were in the house at the time.
Two children escaped unhlrt, but he
was badly bruised himself, and his wife
dangerously injured about the head:
Their little girl was nearly scalped and
otherwise hurt, and will probably
die Their little boy,
-four years old, was blown out in
to wheatfield and was found the next
morning in an insensible condition,
WITH HIS BACK BROKE.
The United Brethren church, just built,
was entirely swept away and nothing but
the stone foundation remains to show
that such structure ever existed. Truen
and Boyles's store was completely crushed
to the ground, and the stock is almost a
total loss. Mrs. Truen and two children
were injured in a shocking manner by
the falling tlmbers. The log school
house was picked up and carried off, but
the floor with the desks standing on it
were undistnrbed, and just as the. chill
dren left them. B. Miller, who lives half
a mile east of Fairfield, had the upper
part of his two story log house carried
away. His sister
WAS BADLY HURT,
and for some time unconscious. Follow
ing in the same direction for a mile and
a half the house of Chas. Holen was
reached, which was unroofed and badly
wrecked. Mrs. Holen and child were
also severely hurt Half mile further
on Adolph Adler's house was rolled over
many times and the outbuildings blown
to atoms The family escaped by going
into the cellar About mile still fur
ther east, at the place of Chas Wrege,
horrible scene was enacted. There were
seven persons in the house at the time
Mrs Wrege took two children and ran
down cellar. Mr.. Wrege picked up the
baby and hired man took another child
and started for the cellar, but before they
could reach it the house was
wH1sKED FROM ITS FOUNDATION
and sent into flying fragments. The
young man was knocked insensible and
horribly bruised. and the child also badly