Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-06-23
IN MINNESOTA.
The Deadly Work OF a Tornado
There.
LARGE EXTENT OF COUNTRY SWEPT.


MANKATo, Mimi, June IA school
teacher and fifteen pupils dead near
Sherburne, a score or more Of persons
dead or dying at other points, and a
vast amount Of damage done through
out the region about this city tells in
brief the story of u tornado which swept
over this section yesterday afternoon.
Every report that comes in is worse
than the preceding one. The extent of
the country swept by this storm was
greater than ever before known in the
history OF the state
Starting near jackson, on the South
ern Minnesota road, funnel shaped
cloud swept eastward and passed four
miles south of Minnesota lake, then
took broad circuit TO the south
and passed away south Of Wells. Con-
siderable rain had followed during the
afternoon and about 5 o'clock the at
mosphcre became almost suffocating.
Curious shaped clouds began over the
southwest and people gazed In wonder
at the sight About $3.50 the wind
sprung up and off TO the west a rapidly
circling black cloud was seen rapidly
advancing and tearing asunder every
thing in It's course.
The tornado passed two miles north
west Of Sherburne and struck the dis
trict schoolhouse, in which were the
teacher and eighteen school children.
The building was demolished and the
teacher and fifteen scholars killed.
At Easton three buildings were do
stroyed and several people were injured.
Lindon was visited and many houses
were torn from their foundations. One
family, composed of a man, his wife and
child, were killed and others injured.
A large grove Of trees were completely
uprooted.
The storm passed on eastward, de
stroying farm houses, barns and In fact
everything in its path. At Wells side
walks were overturned, store fronts
blown in and other damage done. Sew
eral men were blown down by the force
of the wind.
-Four miles south OF Minnesota lake
five farm houses and their buildings
were caught In the storm and utterly
demolished and four people were killed.
The body of one of these-John Brown
was taken to Minnesota lake this
morning, His wife, hired man and q
school teacher were also injured. SEQ
ton men suffered severe injuries
Much damage was done south Of
Wells, and II is reported that forty to
fifty were killed south and west of that
village. As most of tho damage was
done in the country, reports are slow in
coming in, but what has been already
heard Is enough to insure belief that IL
was the worst storm ever reported in
southern Minnesota.
1t Is reported that later reports will
increase rather than diminish the ex-
tent of the damage done, as well as the
loss of life and personal injuries.
At Rochester at o'clock yesterday
afternoon terrific hail, rain and cleo
trio storm broke and continued for six
hours Rain fell in sheets and the sur
rounding country is inundated. The
Zumbro river is raging torrent full of
debris. Night trains on the Winona &
st. Peter road were suspended. The
track is washed out and water four
feet deep on the track in some places.
The trestle half a mile west of Roches-
ter was washed away and traffic is at a
standstill.
Ten are reported killed in the neigh
borhood of Mapleton, and twenty in
jured. The cyclone passed four miles
south of Mapleton, and that village suf-
fered little loss. The northwest corner
Of Freedom county was in the path of
the storm, and considerable damage to
property and crops was done there,
while several fatalities are reported
also.
Two inches of rain fell in Faribault
county within less than twentyiour
hours, and several bad washouts are re-
ported
Probably the worst damage in the
state by the storm outside the actual
cyclone district, was at Spring Valley,
where the rain caused bad flood.
The whole town was flooded.
Houses, bridges, sidewalks and
everything near the river were washed
away. The damage is estimated at
from S25, 1000 TO $4,000. Cummings q
Taylor, lumber dealers, are heavy
losers. Mrs. Taylor's millinery estab-
lishment suffered, as also did the resi-
dence Of Mr. Tomb, both buildings
being washed away. Considerable stock
was drowned.
About Durand, Wis, the severest rain
and hail storm known for years ragged.
The water poured down in torrents.
The inundation of the Chippewa low
lands threatens great damage.
At Austin, N. D., the rainfall was
fearful and many cattle and horses were
drowned and a number Of bridges
washed away. No lives are reported
lost, the people escaping in boats, that
now being their only means of trans
portation. Trains were delayed for
several hours.