Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-07-17
TORNADO LEAVES
TRAIL OF DOOM
Minnesota Farmers, Stripped BY
Wind Of Everything But
Debts, In Sad Need
Of Help.


OF the most violent and disastrous
tornadoes in the history OF the West
Along this trail IL the sign OF tragic
doom. and the devastation OF human
hopes. On the afternoon of Sunday,
June 22nd. q shrieking whirling re-
morssless wind leaped across the
South Dakota line north west OF Lake
Benton. Minnesota 10 strike with ter
rible ferocity and sweep eastward
through Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Cot
tonwood and Redwood Counties. blast
Ing happy homes, shifting mighty
groves to splintsrs. pounding crops
| to nothingness, wrecking its will
| against impotent civilization, and leav.
Ing behind II an appalling destruction
OF physical beauty. natural wealth and
human opportunity 1t filled the air
with flying timbers. and tumbling
trees: dumped q hundred lakes upon
blossoming farmlands. wrought its
havoc In death, in desolation and in
frsakish humour. Where II passed a
hidsous and unreal barrenness spreads
like q dead wound between hills and
wales OF summer splendour. The eie.
mental fury Of the storm destroyed In
moment more than n million dollars
worth Of property In the shape OF farm
buildings. while the damage to crops
cannot be estimated. The situation
cannot be described In words The
imagination Of the world looks upon
the blasted fields of Flanders as the
FINAL symbol OF destruction. This Min
nssota cyclone has left its pathway as
completely dsnuded and desolate as II
II had been riddled by the deadliest
machinsgun nre Of the Great War.
A hundred farm homes were blasted.
That these farms should have suffered
loss Of more than one million dol.
lars 10 In itself terrible blow. That
this should have come at the begin.
ming OF a harvest-ysar which held the
hopes Of those who had no hope be.
yond the hope Of a generous and prof.
liable crop. makes the blow the great
or. That this disaster was visited up.
on those already struggling under a
burden greater than American farm.
ers have ever had to bear, gives to II
the character Of crushing tragedy.
Before the storm struck. these farm.
era like their brothers. were lighting
with their backs against the wall.
struggling TO maintain some semblance
Va OpNuiibm ukhiunt tuo tuEcatoutuk
shadow Of debt when the terror of
the storm had passed they gased
around to find nothing was left them
except the burden of debt Where
mortgages had formerly at least repre-
ssnted houses and barns and livestock.
they suddenly represented nothing but
an encumbrance against which no Wis.
ibls asset could be offset The storm
destroyed all possessions save the mort.
cages Ind the debts.
The storms wreckage covered the
hopes Of men who had struggled for
twenty. thirty, forty years-the pio
nesrs who had helped to conquer the
wilderness; the builders upon whose
toll had been founded banks and cities
and governments. and communities
looking hopefully to the future These
men rose amid their ruins to behold
recsding forever from them the vi.
sions they had. Of peaceful old age. Of
serene contsntment In the homes
they had reared. Ten minutes OF the
whirlwind blast had smitten past re-
demption the building Of ysarA the &C.
cumulatsd evidences OF work and sacri.
Ace. and nobly.borns asoniss: and men
who had found lifs's compensation In
the capacity to Eight for q future sud.
denly found themselves with nothing
left In life save tho memory Of q Fast,
II every citizen Of Minnesota could
stand upon the ruins Of these farm
homes. and behold the men who try
to smile against their misery. but
whose very souls seem TO cry out: 20
God-Everything IL ended. there
would DO q wave OF passionate human
sympathy that would food the strick.
en- district with every helpfulness that
man can give.
Out of the hundred and more farms
that we're hit. over forty per cent lost
everything. not q building OF any de
scription being left. The number car,
rying insurance was very small In a
majority OF cases there was also the
encumbrance Of mortgage Losses In
destroyed buildings run from $4,000 10
$4,000 for each place. with mortgages
ranging from $4,000 to as high rs sac.
900. II 10 the stark naked form OF
tragedy that cannot be dramatired. II
means misery desperate and poignant
The rebuilding OF these farms. the sal
vagins OF this wrscksge. the reestab
lishment OF some modicum Of happi
meas and prosperity ana nopefulness
upon these ruins will necessitate q
state wide assistance. The Governor
OF Minnesota has issued an appeal for
such aid. The committee that has sur
veyed the situation estimates that for
Immediate relief work 100000 will be
needed.
II the people Of this great state
could but zee and know how complete
the loss 10. how deep the wounds OF
those who suffer. the whole state
would answer, and every eitissn would
count Il Q duty 90 citizen and 40 hu
man being to pour something into the
treasury Of the common welfare Of
thsss stSteksn distriets
Temporary help has been efficiently
provided for, and food. clothing and
temporary shelter supplied BY sarnss,
local slrortA The real task however Il
10 put thee farmers on their feet
again 10 the sxtsnt Of enabling them
TO pursue their business, raise their
crops, maintain their families and
build M tAsir ruined farm plants
Thsy must b equipped 10 render their
usual ssrvise to their eommunitiss ~
producers. fAis 70 the task which the
people q Minnesota must perform To-
getAsr. II 70 Q task that has 20 DO not
merely with the welfare Of the vic