The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-07-03
TORNADO STRIKES
clinton, MINN.
THE RESIDENCE PORTION OF
THE VILLAGE COMPLETE
LY WIPED OUT.
Without Warning Seven Persons Are
Instantly Killed and More Than
Score Injured. Tornado Came
From Northwest.

Clinton, Mimi, June 29.-Seven
dead, twenty-five injured, thirty
houses and buildings destroyed with
crops and live stock damage is the
toll levied on this little town in the
heart of Big Stone county, by dew
astating tornado which passed through,
this region shortly before six o'clock
Saturday night.
The dead are:
Rebecca Vandermark.
Mrs. Olaf Nicolson and baby daugh-
ter.
Mr.. Stuckberry.
Miss Kate Mills.
Thomas Rothwell.
Missing:
Mrs. J. G. Johnson.
Among the injured:
Frank Higgins.
Rachel Higgins.
James Morrow.
Matte Rothweu.
Bert Rothwell.
@. G. Johnson.
Mrs. F. w. Watkins and baby.
Mrs. John Hagaman.
Mrs. Theodore Condit.
Mrs. @. Anderson.
Frank Oestrich.
Mrs. Swanson.
Mrs. George Phelan, and little baby,
seriously.
F. d. Cowles of Minneapolis.
Twenty homes in the residence dis
trict are in ruins.
Methodist Episcopal church de-
stroyed.
The Norwegian Lutheran church
wrecked.
Total damage will reach 100000.
Combination train of II cars with
coach attached on Milwaukee road
blown off the track and II persons in
jured.
The Advocate printing office and
creamery were demolished, but other
buildings in the business section all
withstood the winds fury.
The first five of the list were quite
seriously injured, while the others
sustained painful bruises and frac-
lures.
1t was six o'clock when the storm
was seen gathering about three miles
to the northwest. Suddenly with ire
menduous force it swooped down
about the struggling borders of the
village and apparently it seemed it
would spare the more thickly set
tied portion of Clinton.
Through some caprice of the ele-
ments the storm seemed to hesitate a
moment, and, then, as though dissat-
isfied with its work, it turned back,
with redoubled fury, and swept
through the village from the south
east, hitting one last staggering blow
at the already stricken town.
Through some strange force the
storm at first detoured around the
village, first striking the Finkler farm
where a large barn was leveled, and
then plunging on, the whirling mass
encountered the Higgins homestead
where seven people were huddled
in the frail protection of the farm
house.
Although the buildings were liter
ally reduced to kindling wood, no one
was killed, but Mr.. Higgins and Ra-
chel Higgins were badly injured.
A short distance away, in the path
of the storm, stood the home Of
Thomas Rothwell, and it was at this
point that the first fatalities occurred.
Mr.. Rothwell himself was instantly
killed, while his wife's mother, Mrs.
P. B. Vandermark, as well as Miss
Kate Mills, a young school teacher,
also lost their lives. The Rothwell
home was literally torn to pieces by
the violence of the twisting winds,
nothing remaining save a splintered
mass of ruins.
Fortunately one telephone wire to
the outside world was spared and
communication with nearby towns
was Immediately established. Within
an hour the first relief train arrived
in the city bearing doctors, nurses
and medical supplies, as we'll as a
hastily gathered commissary to meet
the needs of some of the homeless.
This aid was Immediately supple
mented by special trains from various
nearby towns, including Wheaton,
Ortonville, Graceville, Milbank, S. D.,
and Wahpeton, N. D.
All the southwest corner of the
town is absolutely cleaned out. Thir.
ty-three houses were completely de.
stroyed and 25 ruined.
Congressman Dies.
i 4 q