The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-28
LYLE THRO LOST HIS PLANE
WHEN WIND BLEW
MACHINE IS WRECKED
Couple of Flyers Have Thrill At
Candy; Story of the
Tornado
aAES &C;

old daughter of Godfrey Swan
son whose farm home five miles
from Redwing was destroyed by
the twister, was victim of the
storm, having been killed in
stantly.
The following were injured:
Thomas P. Steele, sixty five
years old. Castle Rock, severely
cut and bruised.
Mrs. Thomas P. Steele, sixty
years old, Castle Rock, severely
cut and bruised.
Lester Steele, twenty nine
years old, Castle Rock, left thigh
fractured, cut and bruised.
Mrs. Sarah King, eighty five
years old. Castle Rock, bruised.
Dorothy Simpson, twelve years
old, Castle Rock, bruised.
Godfrey Swanson, forty three
years old Redwins' cut and
Mrs. Godfrey Swanson, Red
wing, cut and bruised.
Hildegarde Munson, seventeen
years old, Redwing, cut and
bruised.
Winona, Mimi, May 24.-Three
persons are reported killed and three
badly injured in the tornado that
struck Fisher Hills, short distance
from Minnesota, Saturday afternoon.
The killed and injured are members
of the Schlecht family, according to
telephone advices from Minnesota
this morning.
Lieutenant Lyle Thro, son of Mr..
and Mrs. o. A. Thro of this city, was
victim of Saturdays storms which
swept different section of this state,
in that his fine large L. w. F. plane
which he was flying at Arlington Sat
urday taking up passengers, was COM
pletely wrecked by the wind. The
machine is total loss, owing to the
fact that the insurance papers on the
same had not been made out COM
pletely. AS soon as Lieutenant Thro
saw that the plane could not be re-
paired, he left at once for Mime
apolis where he closed a deal for an
other L. W. F. with which he expects
to make flights Memorial Day at Fort
Ridgley, having been engaged by the
committee on arrangemtns for the
day at that place.
Over forty people had signed up at
Shakopee for rides in the clouds with
were disappointed. The Manka o
aviator also has been engaged for ex-
hibition fights, and passenger carry
ing at Fairmont.
Lieutenant Thro has engaged the
services of Lieutenant Pierce to come
to Mankato and look over the plane
owned by Mr.. Risk Of Truman, and
put the same in first class shape for
flying. This plane has been stored
here for some time past.
Aviators Hurled to Ground.
CAUGHT IN Cafurdav'c storm Harry
Nagel a former British ace, and H. E.
Eichner of Candy, Mimi, were hurled
to the ground near Minneapolis and
severely injured. Nagel who is pilot
of the Winnipeg Aerial Transports
ton company had been in Mime
apolis for the purpose of arranging
for the purchase of two planes to be
used in teh air passenger service be-
tween Minneapolis and Winnipeg
commencing August first. Just be;
fore the storm broke, Nagel started
storm by rising to high altitude. At
the height of 500 feet the machine
was twisted in a heavy current and
veered out of control, and Nagel was
forced to take straight nose dive for
the earth. Nagel was pinned beneath
the wrecked plane, but Eichner
escaped with minor injuries. Both
men were taken to a Minneapolis
hospital, where it was found upon
examination that Nagel had suffered
a fractured jaw, and bruises about the
body. Nagel while with the Royal
British flying corps, felled thirteen
German war planes. The accident
Saturday was the first in his career.
One person was killed and eight
were injured Saturday in two South
ern Minnesota tornadoes, one OF
which swept up the Hay Creek val
ley threatening Redwing, the other
turning westward toward Northfield
and almost wiping out the little vii
lage of Castle Rock.
Six houses in Castle Rock were
destroyed as were three farm houses
outside the village. The Methodist
church and parsonage, the school
house, a general store, blacksmith
shop and a garage also were swept
away by the storm. Three farm
houses and a town hall were destroy
ed near Redwing. Diminished to
heavy wind and rain storm the tor
nado also swept through the coun-
try between Winona and Haverhill,
ing considerable crop damage.
Railroad Service Was Hard Hit.
Railroad service generally in
Southern Minnesota was hard hit
and wire service demoralized. Total
damage to buildings and crops was
estimated last night at 100000. Red
Cross aid was sent from Mortified
to Castle Rock.
At both Castle Rock and Redwing
the tornadoes were picturesque in
their fury. Scores of persons assem-
hled at the Carleton college athletic
field near Mortified saw the black
cone shaped cloud sweeping toward
them. Even as they started to fee to
safety, the tornado was seen to
change its course, tear through the
buildings on the Whipple farm and
rush down the valley upon Castle
Rock. Four farmhouses near the vii
lage were twisted from their founda-
tions. In the village itself the Meth
odist church and parsonage were
completely destroyed. Rev. A. s.
Earl, the pastor, and his wife, who
had taken refuge. in the basement of
the parsonage were uninjured though
the building was literally torn from
over their heads.
The house, blacksmith shop and
barn of Thomas Steele were destroy
ed. Mr.. and Mrs. Steele and their
SON, Lester, sixteen years old, who
had fed to the cellar were injured,
the parents by flying bricks and tim
bers, the son sustaining a fractured
leg. All thre5 were taken to the hos
pital at Pennington.
The school house was a complete
wreck. Friday was the last day Of
the. school session. Many of the