New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-07-14
Storm SaVeDt.

Storm .SaUe2)t.
The most destructive wind, hail and
rain storm of the season swept over this
section last Thursday night. 1t COM
menced to rain about 9 clock, but the
storm cloud had come up SO slowly and
the rain drops commenced falling so
gradually that the people retired with
out any forebodings that destructive
storm was brewing. During the first
three hours the rain fell evenly and
without the accompaniment of any
destructive elements. But shortly after
~ o'clock the rain began to fall in
torrents, the air became heavily charged
with electricity and the northwest wind
gained in velocity until it blew at the
rate of about 60 miles an hour. The
trunks of large trees were snapped off
as if mere plpestems. Chimney toppled
over, small outhouses were moved from
off their foundations and sent spinning
into some neighbours yard. Fences
were blown down and the debris scat
tered in all directions. Everybody was
astir and many people sought safety in
their cellars. Lightning struck the
chimneys on Mrs. Montgomery's and
Mr.. Westphaps residences, but aside
from denlolishing the chimneys and
knocking off some plastering no damage
was done, The barn of Carl Bleck was
torn to pieces and scattered to the four
winds. A large pane of glass in the
front of Mrs. Bergmann's brick block
was shattered. as also were a number
of windows in the brick blocksoccupied
by Frank Behnke. The heaviest loser,
however. was Mr.. Aufderheide, who
had nearly 100000 brick destroyed by
water. A large shed of Senator Peter
son sheltering nine horses was demolish-
ed, but, strange to say, not an animal
was even scratched. The large 60 bar
rel water tank at the camp grounds was
lifted up bodily and carried 12O feet
The storm came from such direction
that, had it occurred during encampment
week, many casualties must have
occurred. as the camp would have been
literally torn to pieces by the boards
from the sheds in rear OF the camp.
At Sleepy Eye the storm was even
more destructive than here. The Herald
says, that in the station yard fifty-three
cars were blown from the track; some
of them were loaded with stone. The
roof of the round house was blown off
and scattered to pieces. About fifty
feet Of platform at the depot was served
the same way. In the woods all the
large trees all the way from the cream
cry to Gress' residence have been blown
down. This includes the best part of
the city park. In Mr.. Eaton's yard q
clump of mammoth Eastwood trees were
torn up by the roots leaving an excava-
ton five or six feet deep where they
stood. The tin roof was blown off Eos
ter's hotel. Hanson's lumber was pref
ty well scattered over an adjoining lot
and much of it badly splintered. His
large storage shed is also badly twisted.
A. F. Gauerke's new house, partly erect
ed, was blown to pieces. Timm's sa-
loon near the brewery is wreck. Har-
mony hall is in bad shape. The doors
and windows We're blown in and the en-
tire building is SO badly wrenched and
twisted that it is practically ruin.
The front of Liesenfeld's livery stable
was blown away. Several barns were
wrecked, among them being Frank
Green's and A. Slocum's. A horse
belonging to Mr.. Gould was killed in
Green's stable. Mr.. Slocum's buggy
was smashed by a big oak tree which
fell on it.
A gentleman coming down from Fair
fax on Friday informs us that the storm
was especially severe in the vicinity Of
Fort Ridgely, injuring stock, blowing
down buildings and demolishing crops
in its path. The log house Of Mr.. Ores
ser was blown down, the family saving
their lives by taking refuge in the cellar.
His crops were partially destroyed by
hail. l. P. Lindstorm's new barn was
blown off its foundation. The crops
Of Z. Hillgard and Clark are reported
totally demolished. A few head of
stock belonging to E. NJ. Kennedy and
Mr.. Brooks we're blown into the wire
fence and badly cut up. One side Of
the roof belonging to the house Of. Mr..
Prellem was blown off. His wheat crop
Of 200 acres was almost completely de-
stroyed.