Leaning...falling...fallen

Photos and story by John Lampinen

Strong winds blew through the New Ulm area and one of the victims was this tree that used to stand on German Street between First and Second N. After it began to lean, police were called to move autos out of the area. Later, city street workers helped the tree to come crashing to the ground.

The weight of the tree had shoved a concrete block of sidewalk up from the ground.

The wind was blowing late Friday afternoon, and now the large tree seemed to hang precariously, buoyed only by that rising slab of concrete.

Gradually, onlookers gathered, some departing after seeing that the only bit of excitement was a tree that threatened to fall over,others hanging in there to see the scenario play to its conclusion.

THE TREE was located on German Street in New Ulm, just south of Second N., behind the Herberger’s parking lot.

Police converged on the scene early, trying to find owners of cars parked along the street. Gradually, they were able to push the autos out of the tree’s reach if the tree were to topple.

Then, for about an hour, the wait began.

Police blocking off traffic as they waited for city workers to come help the tree with its final fall. The onlookers moving their eyes upward with every new gust of wind that pushed the hanging tree further toward the street.

FINALLY, Herb Brunner of the city street department came with a saw, and carefully began making slices into the lower part of the trunk, the tree increasing its lean with every cut.

And then, the wait was over.

The tree began its dive, dropping across the street, bouncing up once and ending the spectacle, the roots uplifting the slab of sidewalk and cracking it in two.

Some of the onlookers stopped briefly to check the roots. But then they, like the rest,quickly vanished, leaving the street crew to get rid of the tree.

New Ulm Daily Journal

April 18, 1976