A TWISTER STRIKESThe following appeared in the Rock County News on June 23, 1892:Rock County Gets a Terrible Visitation From the Powers of the StormMrs. Ole Sundem and child killed in Martin Township. Crops Damaged.Rock county got a taste of the cyclone epidemic that is wandering around the country, on Monday afternoon when a destructive wind swept across the three southern townships, starting in at Manley and passing over the border into Iowa in Kanaranzi. The only loss of life occurred in Martin township, where Mrs. Ole Sundem was instantly killed by the total collapse of the house. She and her husband noticed the approach of the storm and attempted to flee from the house. Mr. Sundem succeeded in getting out with two of the children, but his wife was caught in the very doorway and hurled back into the ruins of the dwelling which was utterly demolished. She was instantly killed and two of the children who were with her were badly injured. One of them has since died.The depot, blacksmith shop, store and several residences in Manley were completely demolished, the only building left standing being the Manley bottling works.At Ash Creek out houses were blown down and chimneys demolished. A wagon tongue was blown clear through the Omaha depot, and the front end of the wagon was badly wrecked against the depot.In all parts of the territory through which the storm passed, all of the small buildings were blown down and hardly a chimney left standing.The hail did an immense amount of damage to the growing crops. Many farmers will lose their entire crop and the damage will foot well up into the thousands. One hail insurance company represented in this place estimates its loss at $6,000.The hail at Ash Creek went through the windows, tin pails and sheet iron chimneys like bullets.The storm was about a mile wide along its entire course.Will Delamater had a narrow escape. He was returning to this city from Rock Rapids and was a few miles south of Ash Creek when the storm struck. His buggy was overturned, throwing him upon the team, followed by the buggy. He and the team and buggy were tangled up together for a while but he finally escaped with only a few bruises.Trees near Ash Creek, three feet in diameter, were twisted like pipe stems, and the fruit trees were devastated of their entire fruit crop.TUESDAY NIGHT’S STORMTuesday night another storm followed in the wake of Monday’s but was not as bad. But little hail fell and no damage is reported. No wind accompanied the rain. The rain, however, fell in torrents. A heavier fall cannot be remembered by the oldest inhabitant. The streets and fields in the morning resembled huge lakes. Bridges all along its path were swept away, and all the trains east were late, the Doon not arriving until afternoon.W. A. Wright, reopened his fish pond beneath his store in the morning but did very little business during the day.The front wall of the Barck-Stephens block caved in during the night. Damages about $200.Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156. Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
