The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-07-24
ALMOST 4 TORNADO!
HEAVY WIND AND
RAIN STORM.

nEa a.,n ~. ern2.! I'D
Considerable Loss Of Life
and Property.
On Monday afternoon last the usually
fortunate country through which the
Worthingtom and Sioux Falls road
passes was visited by heavy storm of
wind, rain and hail. All the conditions
for a tornado, or as it is usually called,
= cyclone, were supplied, save the
meeting Of counter storms which are
said to form tle terrible aerial mael-
strom which dasles everything to
atoms which it touches.
The afternoon here at Worthington
was sultry and ominous. looking clouds
gathered all around the sky. About 8
O'Clock we looked out of the windows
and noticed that there was 4 dead calm.
Not leaf could be seen stirring, and
we remarked to our foreman that it
was about time to run up and have the
building insured against cyclone.
Suddenly, there was 4 sharp clap of
thunder and the lightning seemed to
have actually darted under our win
dow. Word came afterwards that the
lightning rod on E. G. Crandall' g house
had been struck, and that Mrs. Gran
dali, while taking clothes from wire
line, had been knocked down and stun
ned but not seriously hurt. =.
The army of clouds off in the west
began to move and it was evident that
they were moving upon Worthington
rapidly. Just before the first gust
struck the town, the whole west took
on the ominous green color which dis
tinguishes the tornado or violent wind
storm. A minute more and the storm
was upon US, but it was apparent that
there was only one storm moving in
one direction and an absence of the
peculiar roar or below Of the cyclonic
monster. The wind and rain, with
some hail, were violent for a few min
utes, followed Ivy high wind and a
daslling rain for half IN hour. Then
people issued out to gather up the
fragments. Worthington had escaped.
Shade trees were injured son,o, but not
a sign was blown down. Sheet iron
cl,imneys suffered somewhat and few
small outAouses had gone careering
over the town and lay like hu &c stereo.
scopes in the streets or on vacant lots.
IN TIE COUNTRY.
Outside of Worttlington, however,
there were number of barns and
houses destroyed and some loss Of life.
The saddest calamity of all was to
Commissioner Emil Graf WHO was in
Worthington attending \ meeting of
the Board. Toward evening he receiv-
ed telegram from Adrian to come at
once as there had been 4 serious acct
dent at his home in Will,nont. lie
caught u wrecking train going out to
Beaver Creek and started Tor home.
The report came afterwards that his
barn had been blown down and that
one of his daughters, fourteen years of
age, had been struck by one of the tim
bers aud killed.
D. l.. Ufford, who lives near Adrian.
is reported as having been seriously
hurt. He was in Larkin township
visiting his son-in.law. James Barry.
family took refuge in the cellar and
Mr.. Ufford was in the act Of descend
ing when the house was carried of
bodily. Mr.. u. was afterwards found
about eighty rods distant in an uncon-
scious state with six Of his ribs broken
Mr.. Barry and family were unhurt
The house was carried nearly half q
mile and demolished.
Other damage in the west end is re-
ported rs follows:
Mr.. We]sh's barn was blown to pieces
and his granary was carried twenty.
four feet and turned completely around
A school house in LismOre township
was moved from the foundation ant
turned around. There were twenty
four scholars in the house at the time
but no one was hnrt.
Several houses are reported blown
down in the new colony in Larkir
township.
Paul Voight1ander's barn in West
side is reported destroyed.
In the vicinity of Worthington, VI
hear Of the following:
Mr.. Ryan's barn a few miles west o.
town was blown down.
The barn on WIN. Findlay's DewalC
farm was blown to pieces and the house
moved from the foundation. The barr
on the Elk farm was moved on thu
foundation.
ELSEWHERE.
At Sioux Falls, the damage is esti
mated at $4,000 to 5000. The Phil
lips House and Masonic Temple were
partly unroofed. stables and barns wer,
blown down and houses were damaged
in various ways.
At Dell Rapids, the damage was con
siderable. Several stores were wrecked
the school house and Congregations
| church. were demolished. the spire O.
the Presbyterian church blown off, tw,
warehouses were destroyed, and almos
every west window III the town wa
| broken.
At Valley Springs, = tow.mill wa
blown down, 4 saloon building wa
destroyed. Peavey's grain Office wa
scattered, the school house was partl,
unroofed. and nearly every house j,
the town was damaged. No one re
ported hurt. A freight train wa
blown over.
At Beaver Creek, warehouses, barns