The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-06-30
Four Redwood Falls Residents Injured
in Circus Tent in Tuesday
Evenings Storm
Property Loss Heavy With Little
Tornado Insurance; Farmers Suffer
From Hail In Some Sections
Several Drowned on Twin City Lakes;
lie Sueur Boy Killed by Contact
With Live Wire


The first tornado-like storm from
which Redwood Falls has suffered this
season, struck the city about nine
o'clock last Tuesday evening, and sue
ceeded in giving the residents Sc
we're fright, slightly injuring few
of them and doing considerable DAM
age to shade trees and buildings.
The evening performance OF the
Sparks Circus was being given at
the time and the storm struck the
tent without warning, swapping the
poles and letting the canvas down
on performers and audience. All es-
capped fatal injury although several
were badly hurt, chiefly by being
struck by the falling poles; there was
very little panic and no trampllng.
Although six horses were loose IN the
rings at the time the first crash came,
they went out of the tent without
adding to the confusion in anyway.
The people who received injuries were
Mrs. Vern Johnson, Miss Amy Bar
mes. F. L. Carpenter, Mr.. Rosendahl,
and Lloyd Spang. All are entirely or
nearly recovered from the Injuries
sustained.
Breaks Glass Fronts
The other damage done by the
winds wild rampage was not OF
serious nature Many windows were
broken and the glass fronts in the
new Gold Cooper building and the
furniture store of O. w. Grapp were
completely demolished. Many trees
were broken down or uprooted and
will probably be replaced by those
of sturdier growth,
The storm which visited this sec
ton apparently had it's origin in the
central part of South Dakota, swept
across Minnesota and well into Wis
consin. WATERFOWL sustained $780,
900 property loss and had several
badly injured victims.
For such a severe storm and one
covering such wide territory the few
deaths is very remarkable. Several
Young people met death by drowning
in the Twin City lakes, where they
were canoeing when the storm broke.
Horace Dressed, young man of Lee
Sueur was killed by coming in con-
tact with live wire. Others reported
dead in first reports are found to
have been only injured.
Large Property Losses
While reports from Wisconsin have
been meagre, it is estimated that
property losses in the localities OF
Sparta and Maiden Rock will aggre-
gate many thousands of dollars.
In some sections of the storm
swept section hail accompanied the
high wind and completely ruined small
grains and corn. Practically no hail
or tornado insurance was carried IN
the devastated regions and the loss
is complete.
The St. Paul Dispatch of last Thurs
day had the following authorized ac-
count of the storm results at Water
town.
"Coddington county commissioners
in special session today appropriated
$1,000 toward relief of those left
homeless by the tornado which struck
Watertown Tuesday evening. The
chairman of the relief committee at
noon today reported subscriptions to-
falling SS,7SS.
revised list of wrecked houses
and barns shows total of 215, with
the damage estimated at S2Uo,ou.
Work of repair is progressing rapid
lv. Most of the demolished houses
will be rebuilt at once.
No deaths have occurred among
the seriously injured. James Hagen,
blind. the most seriously hurt. is gain
ing strength, but has not yet recov-
cred complete consciousness. His most
serious injury is fracture OF the
skull.
The sstwister's picked up a hayrack,
loaded with tree branches, also the
team and the driver, and carried them
through the air for 1000 feet. One
horse was cut about the head, but
the driver was unhurt and the rig
practically intact when set down.
The catalogue of well-known mail
order house was blown in from the
Mclaughlin dwelling, which was
wrecked, into house in the next
block and deposited on dining table.
practically uninjured."