The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-17
A MINNESOTA HORROR

A MINNESOTA HORROR
Many Persons Killed by Tornado That
Swept Over Four Counties.
ST. PAUL, June 16-A storm of wind and
rain, which in some sections developed in
to O veritable tornado, passed over the CEN
trail portion of this State late yesterday.
and 1t will be some days before the full ex-
has been loss of life is beyond question. but
time alone can tell how many lives went
out in the unnatural darkness of that terri
bio day. jackson, Martin, Farlbault, Free
born and Blue Earth counties seem to have
been the scene of the storm. although 1t
was storming at the time pretty much all
over the State. But these counties suffered
SO much more than the other sections that
the latter have been given little thought to-
day.
The tornado began to form near Jackson,
in jackson county, and after sweeping
across Martin and Faribault counties. scat
tered near Wells, close to the boundary of
Freeborn county. Its course was to the
northeast Mt first but it later took o sud
den sweep TO the south, disappearing below
Wells, which Is almost directly east of
jackson.
Fortunately the storms worst fury was
displayed in the moro sparsely settled farm
ing regions. and the loss of life was conse-
quently not so great as 1t would have otn-
erwise been. AS it is, the loss will be very
large, and estimates run as high as one hum
dred, although that is the extreme figure.
1t seems more probable that forty or fifty
lives have been destroyed by the fury of
this storm. but tho exact figures cannot be
given tonight.
Every thing in the path of the storm was
swept from the face OF the earth, houses
and barns being splintered and trees and
telegraph poles snapped off like pipe-stems.
A heavy rain-stOrm broke at half past
o'clock, and before that had passed away
the clouds began to gather in all their
terrify ing bIackness. The terrible looking
cone put in it's appearance. and as 1t
whirled across the country it took up
houses barns, trees, crops and people
everything that came in it's path. Many
houses that were but partially destroyed
IoA Inc ha 90
occupants and owners of the farm.
HOUSE DROPPED ON A RAILWAY TRACK.
Debris was strewn along the railroad
tracks so that where traffic was not inter
fered with by washouts IL was blocked by
the wrecks of the buildings and trees, and
tracks. Nearly all the trains throughout
the southern portion of the State were de-
layed, and In many cases the delay was
more due to the wrecks than to the floods.
Last night one of the freight trans which
pulled out of Mankato, after running few
miles from that city, discovered huge OBJ
struction across the track. 1t proved to
be house that had been blown across the
track. and the engine was almost touching
it when it stopped. flash of light
ming having revealed its presence
just in time to save another wreck. The
train hands, with lanterns proceeded to
examine the wrecked building, hearing
means of distress and suffering in the
ruins. Within the building were q half
dozen people lying among the broken tim
bers all seriously and some probably fatal
ly hurt. The injured persons were taken
to the nearest house, and cared for as we'll
as circumstances would permit. The tor
pado had taken the building from It's
foundation some distance OF. and drag
ging the wreck along had left it upon the
track al found.
Along the Milwaukee road from jackson
to Minnesota lake the scene is one of dew
astation. Not every house was wrecked,
but so many are destroyed that the scene
is pitiful This section Is one Of the rich
est In the State. and one of the most
thickly 81 tiled of the agricultural sections.
Wrecks If houses and barns and torn-up
for ts line the road where yesterday were
happy homes and the pleasant shade of for
est trees. The people who were then happy
IN the consciousness of an assured crop
and a united family circle aro to-
day mourning not only for the loss of
their crops but also over the death or eeri-
Gus injury of their loved ones. The day
was nearing its close and the farmers were
closing the days labors when the clouds
began TO gather. First there were show
ers, then heavy rams: Then, after q
the renl storm broke in all its fury. Moth
ing could withstand it, strongly built
barns, immense trees, even the ground
itself. was rent by the power of the storm.
Crops that had been growing thriftily
were scooped out and flung to the winds,
but worst of all was the wreck of homea
TEACHERS AND SCHOLARS MANGLED.
Near Sherbourne O teacher and seventeen
scholars were kept in by the afternoon
rains. When the tornado struck the school
house the building was wrecked and three
scholars killed and thirteen severely
injured. A man, with his wife and
child. were killed at Linden and others in.