The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-09-02
His Mothers Home Was Swept
Off Face of the Earth.
Many Dwellings There Ruined
and People Homeless.
1t Is Surprising That More Peo-
pie Were Not Killed.
From Fridays Daily.

From Fridays Daily.
John R. Thomas returned early this |
morning from Waconia, the home of his
mother, Mrs. Mary A. Thomas, who had
a terrible experience and lost large
part of her belongings in the recent cy-
clone at that village. When the storm
struck the settlement, about eight
o'clock in the evening, Mrs. Thomas was
downstairs in one of the two frame dwell
ings, that she owns, standing side by
side Upstairs in the same house lived
an old couple, who were renting the up
per story. In the other house nobody
happened to be at that time The lat
ter dwelling was absolutely torn to
pieces and so scattered that its debris
can never be found. Mrs. Thomas heard
her other house crash above her head.
The upper story and floor flew into bits.
The occupants of the upper floor fell to
the ground. The lower story likewise
was soon demolished and Mrs. Thomas
was knocked down. She retained pos
session of her senses, however, and re-
members feeling the drenching rain pour
ing down upon her. She crawled to a
neighboring house and knocked for adj
mission. 1t was pitch dark. The water,
and occasionally some hail, were show
cred down upon her unprotected head.
Debris was scattered all around, and
a huge mass was wedged against the
door of this house in such way that
it could not be opened. For two hours,
the aged woman was exposed to the
elements before she finally obtained ad
mission of neighbor, whence she was
removed to the convent. Though sew
enty-seven years old, and thoroughly ex-
hausted, she was not injured, and was
able on the following morning to rise
from her bed. Neither of the aged cou-
pie, who rented from her, was seriously
hurt.
When Mr. Thomas looked over the de-
vastation wrought by the storm, he Won
dered that there were not more fatali-
ties. Fully three-fourths Of the build
ings of the village were wrecked, and
most of them mingled in the huge and
shapeless heaps of debris. Yet there
were only four people killed outright,
one fatally injured and another seriously
and perhaps fatally hurt.
Of all the buildings that were de-
molished, none one had its loss covered
by cyclone insurance. Two property own
ers did indeed receive $85 and $25 for
small injury to their buildings, but be-
You'd that the whole wreckage is a to-
tai loss. The mayor has been asking for
aid from surrounding villages, such as
Norwood and Young America and these
have responded literally. Yet the small
means of these villagers are by no means
adequate to go any great way towards
repairing the damage done. Mr.. Thomas
urged the mayor to appeal to the COVER
nor, and thought he succeeded in per-
suading that officiol to do so.
Of course the storm left great num-
bers of people homeless and those whose
homes were spared have generously
thrown them wide open. All the avail
able buildings in the village are crowded.
Mattresses are spread on the floors and
people sleep, scores together in one
house.
There were many very strange freaks
of the storm. Some of the telephone
poles were removed from the ground as
if pulled up by some gigantic hand.
Others are twisted round and round
and splinteded
There is great scramble for the loose
lumber lying all around and seeming to !
belong to nobody. The confusion of the |
debris is so great, that few lay claim
to anything.
Labor is in great demand. Workmen |
are getting two dollars per day. -
One very curious circumstance was |
the demolition of the railroad depot in |
which a dozen people were eating ice |
cream. The roof and walls were torn |
away and carried off, but no one in
dividual in the depot was hurt. The |
rain came pouring down and they rush |
ed to find shelter A moment later the |
floor was lifted up and demolished.
The unfortunate Moy family all hap |
pened to be in the very corner of the |
house which was torn away. Three of |
that family were killed.
The correct way of pronouncing APP /
pendicitis is by accenting the fourth /