The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-30
Meeting of Fair Promoters Broken Up
When Bank Building Crumbled
BUSINESS SECTION WAS WIPED OUT
More Than Hundred Persons Reported Injured;
Storm Beat Down On Town About Ten
O'clock At Night
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.l

Tyler, Mimi, August 22.-There are
thirty known dead, twenty five OF
them identified, and about 125 in
jured, many seriously, by tornado
which wrecked Tyler at ten O'Clock
last night. The storm destroyed
every building in the business district
except a motion picture theatre with
210 persons inside. A freak of the
storm caused the tornado to miss the
playhouse.
Forty residences, the light plant
waterworks, hospital and stores were
destroyed. The city was plunged in
darkness when the storm struck and
terrific rain afterward held up the
rescue work several hours.
In the hospital were eight persons,
including five patients. Four were
killed, including the headnurse, Rose
Nelson, who gave up her life to save
a patient.
The home guards from Pipstone are
here assisting in relief. The state is
sending other guards and relief.
The property loss is at least one
million dollars.
Freaks of The Cyclone.
The tornado came from the east
and swept down the main street. In
quick succession it crumpled the post
office, drug store, bank, two restaur-
ants, general store,1 electric light plant
and two pool halls. When it missed
the theatre, it whirled roof on top
of that building and some of the au-
dience came to the door. but seeing
a heavy lain stayed in ignorance of
the destruction.
The storm then jumped to the resi-
dence district
T. j. Christensen, secretary of the
County Fair association, was holding
a conference at a bank The bank
was wrecked, he was killed.
r. r. Dalgan, Mankato contractor
was in the home of Mrs. Hans M.
Hanson, discussing the remodeling
of her house. The home was destroy
ed and he and Mrs. Hanson and her
daughter and Hans Larson. a friend,
were killed.
Pipestone guardsmen arrived this
morning and are searching the
wreckage.
The weather is fair, there is plenty
food and the injured are being cared
for, but it is believed there may be
a few more victims in the wreckage.
A dispatch from Ivanhoe, several
miles distant from Tyler, states that
ten blocks in the residential district
of the village, were swept away.
All the two story buildings in the
village were demolished.
Tyler, August 22-The tornado
missed the Northwestern station but
destroyed the roundhouse nearby.
Came en- Town Suddenly.
UNITED Press Dispatch
Florence, August 22.-Practically
the entire business section of Tyler
was wiped out last night by severe
cyclone which swept across that sec
ton of the country. The storm struck
the village between nine and ten
o'clock last night and all communi-
cation lines have been down since
that time, the telephone exchange hav
ing been completely wiped out by the
storm.
A. e. Anderson. resident of that
village, drove to Florence this morn
ing after working all night in the
ruins He estimates the number of
dead at somewhere over fifty. Ander-
son states that he assisted in taking
twenty-fiI dead bodies to places of
safety Brick and stone buildings,
forming some of the finest business
sections of the town were blown down
to the very foundations.
Hospital Was Blown.
The hospital of the village, located
ysover a bank building was blown down
and seven of the occupants were kill
ed. One of the heaviest losses of life
occurred in the Citizens National
bank building where the directors and
business men were holding meeting
to plan for the Lincoln county fair.
Five of the men were killed and a
score of others injured, more or less
severely. Among those killed were E.
E. Chrsitianson and Ed Nelson.
Three bodies were found crushed
on the steps of the Catholic church.
The persons had been picked up by
the wind three blocks away and were
hurled with terrific force against the
steps to die. M. N. Snele was pick
ed up on the main street and thrown
into the bank ruins with sufficient
force to cause instant death. A young
lady, MISS sETlCkSOu, ny name, WAS
killed. on the streets as she was re-
turning home from her work, as clerk
in downtown store.
Injured Total Several Hundred.
AT an early hour this morning it
was thought that the number of in
jured would total several hundred
Stores, two bank buildings, the vii
lage firemen's hall and numerous 9TH
er business buildings, with a part of
the residence section of the village was
completely wiped out. 1t was reported
that passenger train was struck
Just out of the city and derailed. Five
are said to have been killed when a
coach was overturned. This report
is unconfirmed.
Relief trains are being poured into
the city as rapidly as possible Farm
ers from the surrounding country have
responded readily and assistance to
the suffering is being hurried forward
through every possible channel.
Thirty One Bodies Recovered.
Florence. August 22.-Thirty- one