St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-15
A Church Blown Into a Mass
of Ruins and WorShipers
Caught.
Miraeulously, Only One Per-
son Was Killed, but Ruin
Is General.
The Death List at Chicago
SWelled by Returns After
the Storm.


this (KnoX) county about 8 o'clock yes
terday evening most destructive tor
nado, and ruin was left all along its
path. 1t seems to have first made its
appearance northwest of Galva. About
7:3b o'clock two black, threatening
clouds were noticed IN the west ap-
preaching one another, and the tornado
is thought to have resulted from their
junction. Its course was south and east
through that city, and the main body of
the storm passed along the main busi-
ness street of the city.
1t came with such suddenness that the
citizens had no time in which to fly to
places of safety. In the Free Methodist
church there was assembled cOngrega-
ton. In the rink there was gathering
committee to arrange for Fourth of
July celebration. The church was
quickly mass of ruins and the congre-
CATION was imprisoned. A number were
injured, one dangerously. The rink
also was blown down, but those inside
managed to escape without injury. Had
the storm come a few moments later
many would have been in this building
and loss of life would surely have re-
suited. The
Roar of tIRe Storm
is described as terrible. 1t was accom-
panied by midnight darkness aud an
awful sweep of wind that carried every
thing before it. Nearly every business
house along the principal street
was unrOofed, and the stocks Of
goods were badly damaged by
the floods of water following
the tornado. The Chicago, Burlington
d Quincy rOundhOuse was totally
wrecked. The q. w. Barnett elevator
near by was unroofed and 10000 BUSH
els of grain deluged with water. The
Rock Island & Peoria elevator and
part of the depot went next. The tall
steeple of the Baptist church was cut
Off as clean as if by a knife, and was
hurled into the street. The Congrega-
tional church was also badly injured.
The saddest feature occurred at Au-
gust Olson's house. There were in the
house at the time Mr.. and Mrs. Olson,
Charles Olson and four others. The
residence suddenly collapsed, killing
caped by a miracle. The place to-
day was in a state of decentralization.
Business was completely suspended. .and
the streets were filed with debris OF
every description. The stores were
more or less i'll ruins. Hardly resi-
dence but what will need repairs. The
damage is estimated at 100000. Con-
Sidering the number of buildings
wrecked, it is surprising that there was
not greater loss of life. Mr.. Olson was
the only one killed.
Injury and Destruction.
Among the badly injured we're:
George Erickson, hip injured and arm
broken; Mrs. Albert Erickson, hurt in
ternally; Mrs. John Erickson, hurt in
back and head: Mrs. Herman Ander-
son. hurt internally; Mr.. and Mrs.
Noah Yarger, slightly injured; 0. NJ.
Hampstead, hurt about head; Ernest
Dickerson, leg broken; Albert Erick-
son, hurt internally; Huldah Carlson,
leg broken; Nellie Moline, hurt in
ternally.
The damage done to principal build
ingS outside those mentioned was as
follows: Johnson d Bros carriage
warehouse. unroofed; Buffers &
Ober. building unroofed; Hayes pump
and planter factory, damaged $4,000,
and store destroyed: G. II. Brook,
dwelling house one mile west of Galea
struck by lightning and burned: city
hall and / irst National bank unroofed.
This enumeration does not include the
damage to private property.
The trees in Washington and Central
park were broken and uprooted, and
the parks were ruined beyond redemp-
ton. The velocity of the wind was eX-
traordinary; cars were blown from the
tracks. The top of freight car was
blown off. A car of stock was pushed
along the track and off the switch.
Windows all over town were blown i'll.
stopped a Train.
A Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
freight train was halted on Neponset
hill, and the engineer describes the
storm as the worst that he ever en-
countered. South of Galva large tree
was plucked up by the roots and carried
sixty feet. The southeastern part of
GaIva suffered most severely.
After leaving Galva the tornado went
in southeasterly direction, following
Walnut creek, and from all accounts it
must have been three or four miles in
width. The farms all along its path
suffered most severely. 1t passed three
and a half miles from Altoona. The
large brick house of Mrs. Jones was
crumbied to pieces. Washington Dun
bars large barn was blown over and
Number of head of fine stock were
killed. He estimates his damage at
$4,000.
At Altoona the roar of the storm could |
be. plainly heard, and was frightful.
North and east of there barns were
blown down and lighter dwellings |
forced from their foundations, fences
blown away, orchards prostrated and |
ruined, and crops leveled. Lord Peter
sons house was blown away. e. A. |
Coles barn was torn to pieces. When |
the wind struck ClaIs Peters0n'S resi- |
dence it performed curious operation,
cutting it in two.
Caught i'm Church.
The storm in the vicinity of Lafayette |
is said to have been severe. But the |
damage was less than farther north. 1t |
was in the Free Methodist church in |
Gaiya that most of those injured were |
hurt This old building is in the south |
eastpart of the town. A large congre-
CATION was assembled, but on seeing and |
hearing the storm started to run out. |
Nearly all escaped.
Nellie Moline. Mrs. John Erickson, |
Mr.. and Mrs. Albert Erickson. George |
Huldah Carlson, Mr.. and Mrs. |
Oscar Erickson and Mrs. Herman An
derson were not quick enough, and |
were either buried in the debris or
stricken by flying timbers. Albert
Erickson, although injured, returned |
to the church and rescued his |
brother George, who was buried |
under mass Of rubbish and would ]