Large Barn Is Completely

Demolished And Other

Structures Damaged.

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OWNER AND HIRED MAN BOTH SUFFER INJURY

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Destruction Confined

To A Small Area, Vicinity

Of Courtland.

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Tuesday afternoon’s storm which did nothing worse in New Ulm than raise enormous clouds of dust from the streets and drive them thru the air, developed tornadic proportions in the vicinity of Courtland and a number of farmers living to the north of that village suffered more or less severe losses. One farm, the Peter Seibel place, was struck by the worst of the storm’s violence and there was considerable property loss, a large barn being entirely demolished and several other buildings tipped over, besides the loss of two Holstein cattle. Mr.Seibel and his hired man, Fred Glages,were also injured, but not fatally, and at this writing, no fatalities had been reported in the path of the storm.

Were In Barn

The first storm which passed over New Ulm about five o’clock from the south and west was not the one that struck the Seibel place. The tornado wind came from the northeast and the dust storm which raged in town at six o’clock was a part of the destructive whirl that demolished the Seibel buildings. Mr. Seibel and the hired man were in the barn when it was crushed about them like an eggshell and they were covered with hay, and stones from the foundation, two of the cattle were likewise buried. When the men managed to extricate themselves they found the air so full of dust that they could not see the hand before the face.They were able to get the cattle and horses out of the barn with the ex-ception of two cows which had been killed. All the animals were badly bruised and it was thought some of them might die.

Many Buildings Razed

Mr. Seibel was badly bruised about he head and his right arm was cut and bruised. The hired man was bruisd about the legs. Mr. Seibel was vearing glasses and they were torn rom his face and when he found them Wednesday morning the bows were bent and twisted about the frames as tho it had been done by hands. The glass was entirely gone.

Other damage on the Seible place consisted of the demolition of a good sized chicken house, two corncribs ripped off their foundations, and the destruction of the windmill which was bent double over one of the corncribs.The barn that was demolished was 6 x 56 in size with a stone basement.The granary and house were also lightly damaged and several large trees were twisted off about fifteen feet from the ground. Practically no rain fell during the wind storm. Mr. Seibel estimates his loss at something like $5,000 and states that it will be partly taken care of by his tornado insurance. He is a son-in-law of Mrs. John Epke who makes her home with them, and this gave rise to the report tdhat it was one of the Epke places hat was visited by the storm.

Others Also Suffer Damage

Other farmers who suffered damage from the same storm are Herman Luepke, chimney blown off the house and practically all windows broken, and considerable other damage within the house besides moving several small buildings on their foundations; Gustav Reinke, whose barn was damaged to some extent and whose wagons and some machinery were badly wrecked; Gustav Luepke who lost a windmill and garage; C. A. Schwartz, windmill destroyed, and L. T. Precht, machine shed and hay rack demolished. Martin Brandies living a short distance east of the other places struck, was on his way home from New Ulm when the twister happened along and nipped off the top of his auto slick and clean.

Covered By Insurance

Practically all damage in the Courtland vicinity is covered in the Farmers Home Mutual Tornado and Cyclone Insurance Company of Minnesota ,with headquarters at Madelia. A representative of the company stated to the Review reporter that he had not learned of any other serious damage in their territory. There were reports current that the Swan Lake pavillion had been destroyed but this could not be verified.

It is said that rain followed the wind, falling heavily in the vicinity of Nicollet and that east of Nicoliet hail fell to a depth of three inches, Injuring much fivestock and killing some. It was also stated by some that Mankato had a heavy hailstorm and that It also fell in the vicinity of St. Peter.

Telephone Lines Down

Telephone lines, both those of the local compeny and three of the Tri-State were damaged to some extent, the local company having about thrity poles down. Most of the damage was easily repaired, and the line men from both companies were busy in the evening, getting communication restored. According to Manager Mills of the local company, the poles on one side of Courtland fell south while those on the other side of the village fell toward the north, showing the whirling nature of the sorm. Rural Mail Carrier Borchert reports the following damage done by the tornado along his route. The tornado started near the Ed Olson farm in Bernadlotte township where the wind struck from the east, taking a chicken coop from among the other buildings on the farm and lifting it high up into a tree. This happened about six clock. Leaving the Olson farm the wind turned south and the telephone lines between the Olson farm and the George Peterson land were torn completely down. Tne fury struck the Peterson grove, uprooting large trees and passing over the barn and house, tore off shingles hit and miss. The wind had switched to the east by the time it struck the T. C. Bergstrom grove and here it performed another freak. A tree about forty feet high was torn out of the ground and laid down between trees on either side of it which measured from 75 to 100 feet in height. This was the only damage done in the grove. The barn was lifted off its foundation and set down again with great damage. Tin roofs on the hog house and other small buildings on the place were torn off.

At the O. B. Erickson farm the orchard was flattened out by the wind and the silo was torn off the barn and wrecked. When the gust passed over the Theo. Jutz farm, also in Brighton Township, the orchard was ruined. Traveling west the tornado destroyed the fruit trees on the Henry F. Gieseke farm, and shifted to the south towards the August Thiede farm. Little damage was done until the gale reached the Luepke farm where damage was done to the buildings. The house suffered most with the tearing out of a wail. The dishes in a cupboard were smashed and that portion of the house was generally shaken up.

The storm then struck the Seibel farm and struck the Sam Gieseke farm 7 in Courtlaid Township, destroying a silo at that place. The tornado came within one mile of the New Ulm city limits, traveling thru Redstone to the Herman Poehler place two miles east of Courtland where it tore up many trees.

Freaks of The Storm

The freaks played by tornadoes were manifested at the Seibel place, where every other building in the path of the storm was damaged and every other one left intact. Two corn cribs standing end to end, and but a few feet apart, were in the path. One was tipped over, the other left standing.The barn that was destroyed stood at the other side of the unharmed corn-crib, and in the cases of the other buildings that were struck, there was always one building standing right near by that was left unhurt. It has been prophesied that this will be a year of tornadoes. Insurance people will probably do a big baisness. It is “an ill wind that blows nobody good.”

New Ulm Review,

May 20, 1925

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