Tornado Terror: Death, Destruction in Southwest Minnesota

A devastating tornado tore through southwestern Minnesota on Saturday, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. The storm, which was one of the most terrible ever known in the northwest, struck the small villages of Rushmore and Reading, killing at least one person and injuring many more. The victims included Mrs. Abe Anderson and Mrs. Lou Dahlberg, who lost their lives in the disaster. The tornado also caused nearly $200,000 in damage, with the full extent of the destruction still unknown. The storm’s violent winds knocked down wires, including a telegraph wire, and left no communication possible with the affected towns by long distance telephone. The Northwestern Telephone company reported that wires through to Minneapolis had gone down, making it impossible to establish contact with the towns. The storm’s fury was felt throughout the region, with the northern gales causing widespread damage and destruction. Despite the severity of the disaster, officials were still assessing the full extent of the damage and the number of casualties. As the people of southwestern Minnesota began to rebuild and recover from the disaster, the community came together to support those affected by the tornado’s wrath.