The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-06-11
PHONE LINES RAzED
Wind Put Talking Devices
Out of Bust ness
LIGHTS KILLED
Storm Tore Lose In the Night
And Created Scare; DAM
age Results

While last nights downpour Of rain
in this vicinity was of >incalcuable
value to the growing crops, which
had keen parching in the sweltering
heat of the past few days, the wind
accompanying the visit of J. Pluvius.
caused great deal of damage in the
form of putting telephone and cleo
trio lines out of commission. This
morning, according to the statement
OF Manager P. M. Ferguson of the
Citizens telephone company, there
were over 500 phones out of order,
and not toll line leading out of Man
kato was working up unit nearly
non today Mr. Ferguson was of the
opinion that the complete repairs could
not be made until about the last OF
the week. The falling of trees "a
cross the high tension wires between
here and Rapidan dam, caused the
electric current from that source to
Mankato to be cut off from 1920 to
two o'clock this morning. Meantime,
however. steam was raised in the To-
cal emergency steam plant at this
city and light for some OF the city was
| furnished. After two o'clock the
break was repaired and all streets
from two o'clock on to daylight were
turned on.
Stars Shining at Winnebago
III. M. Hoffman, local superinten-
dent Of the Northern States Power
companys, says that while talking
with the company's operator at
Winnebago during the height of the
storm at midnight, that gentleman
notified him that everything was all
right, and the stars had been shining
/ all night with no signs of storm
The mercury which had been how
Iering around eighty seven above,
suddenly dropped about ten o'clock
| and the wind began to blow from -she
south west, while threatening clouds
quickly formed. A short time later
the wind and rain swept over the
city toward the east, and lasted per-
haps two hours and half. A num-
ler of small trees were blown down,
and limbs from trees were torn off by
| the force of the wind.
With the toll lines leading out of
Mankato out of order. as near as can
be determined the storm swept east
from here toward Faribault. where the
tween there and Waterville up to
ting Faribault off from the Cannon
Falls power plant. Power from the
Rapidan plant was still being fur
nished to Faribault and towns be-
tween there and waterville up to
nearly noon today. Not being able to
reach their station foreman by tele-
phone, the Northern States Power
company was forced to make use of
the telegraph to reach it's men.
Otto Lamm, drove in from his sum-
er by the force of the impact, and
morning. He says that the wind was
very strong last night at the lake.
but no damage to amount to any thing
took place. Some boys from this
city who were camping in grove near
the lake shore under pup tents were
badly frightened, and took refuge in
the nearby cottages.
Collided With Car
Just about the time that the storm
broke here, Roman Singer of this
city with a party of friends consist
ing of his brother Otto, Walter Har-
Ian, and Clare Miller of this city COL
lided with a car driven by Arthur
Johnson of Kasota just south of that
village. The machines came together
head on In the storm, and the front
wheel of the Johnson car was broken
off. The Singer car was turned ov-
er by the force of the impact, and
Walter Harlan was Severely cut a.
tout the hands and arms with flying
glass. Glare Miller received severe
bruises about the hips and knee, and
was otherwise bruised about the bo-
dy. The two Singer brothers escaped
with minor injuries. After righting
the car Mr.. Singer was able to run it
into the city on its own power.
What would indicate that the wind
was severe around st. Clair Is the fact
that large new barn was completes
lily demolished by the force Of the wind.
Death In Path
Gray Eagle, Mimi, June 1.-TWO
persons met death and fifteen others
were injured when a cyclone last
night swept the summer colony at
Birch Lake, just south of here.
Striking unexpectedly at 7:20 d. m.
the storm beat back and forth
through the summer cottages like
a giant fail, leveling twenty five of
the thirty homes along the lake.
Mrs. R. A. Wilke. sixty zone years
old, was caught beneath the wreck
age when her house crumpled and
suffered injuries that caused her
death today. A three year old VOL
son boy was struck by falling tree
while going from the barn to the
house on the Wolson farm. He was
instantly killed.
CHICAGO GRAIN