Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-06-17
TORNADO SWEEPS
PATH FROM BLUNT
TO Rec HEIGHTS.
South Dakota Storm Results
In the Serious Injury of !,
Three and Extensive
Property Loss.
BLUNT is CHIEF SUFFERER
Twister Narrowly Misses High
more-Many Farm Buildings
Wrecked-Crops Hit By
Heavy Hail.

Blunt. S. d., June 16.-This town APP
parently received the principal force of
tornado which yesterday afternoon
swept stretch OF country about one
half mile in width by 40 miles in
length. extending from Blunt TO Rec
Heights. Two women and one man
were seriously injured. scores OF per-
sons received minor injuries and the
property damage, including less OF
crops. will be more than s2O0,0o0
Those seriously injured are:
Mrs. Yulia Owen, SO years OF age.
Blunt
l.. II. Trask, lumberman, Blunt.
Miss Clara Wright. cousin of Orville
Wright. aviator. one and one half
miles southwest of Highmore.
Mrs. M. G. Calhoon. who was i'll in one
of the houses destroyed at Blunt. is in
dangerous condition from the shock.
Apparently there were two separate
twisters. The first one headed for
Blunt. destroying dozen homes, many
small buildings, and injuring Mrs.
Owens, MIR. Trask and four others. The
second one started west of Highmore
and just missed the south side OF that
city, destroying many farm houses and
barns in a strip extending To Zee
Heights. nearly 40 miles.
The first relief car out of Highmore
was drived by Attorney Noel and con-
tanned Congressman Royal G. Johnson.
Editor Frank Glassner. former secre-
tary of state. and j. Buchanan. Mem
bers of this party gave first aid 10 a
number of persons with minor injuries.
AS the pathway Of the tornado was
quite we'll defined it is not believed
there We're extensive losses in the
country districts outside OF the desig-
mated area. The country around here
IS quite thinly settled however. and
1t may be several days before the full
extent OF the damage can be realized.
1t is known that eight farm houses
north Of Blunt were destroyed, and that
large DtiiMhers of cat tle..Sg h0rseas and
hogs were Killed. From Blunt the
storm passed north of the railroad
track toward Harold. going within a
few rods OF that town.
The tornado broke up four times in
its course from Blunt TO Highmore,
reforming again in it's progress and
leaving some OF the buildings un-
touched. After skirting the town of
Holabird, the storm reformed mile
west of IIighmore remaining almost
stationary for il minutes, while the
residents watched it in fear. The fun
mel was very threatening. being doubt
less the largest tornado that has ever
reached this section Of the state. the
last in this vicinity being on July Is
1885. The roar of the storm was heard
plainly at Highmore when more than
a mile away.
Just west of Highmore the storm
crossed the railroad tracks to the south
| roofing up telegraph and telephone
poles. Ii passed through the corpora
lion limits OF Highmore. less than two
rods south of the city standpipe.
Ii tore the south end out of barn
belonging 10 Joseph Wiley and then
passed over the cemetery. blowing the
tombstones to the ground and uproot-
ing fences and decorations. From the
cemetery. the tornado passed to the
farm of T.. w. Lowe. a half mile south
and one west of Highmore. All the
buildings We're utterly demolished and
Miss Clara Wright was fatally injured
A number of cattle were killed on
the Lowe farm and a pet driving horse
belonging to Miss Wright was trans
| cidentally the cause of her fatal in
| jury The Loves and Miss Wright had
| taken shelter in the cellar when the
storm approached. but Miss Wright
becoming alarmed for the safety of her
| horse, which had been in the family
| Tor more than 20 years, broke away
| from the restraining hands of Mr.. and
Mrs. Lowe, and ventured forth to try
| to lead the horse to place OF safety
in the cellar. The instant she emerged
| from the protection of the house she
was struck by a flying board and her
skull was crushed in.
| From the Robinson farm the storm
passed over the Joe Forrest and Henri
| Lozon farms south of Rec Heights
wiping them completely out of exist
ence. No fatalities occurred at these
| places. Highrnore relief party followed
| up the track of the storm until 1t was
evident it had broken up for good. when