The Elroy Tribune
Elroy, Wisconsin, Thursday, July 11, 1907
TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION
Cyclone Carried Death, Renders Homeless - Many in Juneau and
Other Counties, and Destroys Relentlessly Farm and Other Property.
Deaths from storm locally:
Mrs. Ole Weltey
Mrs. H. Gullickson
Ole Brown
Of all the terrible, cyclonic stem-winders that ever filled the air with its undesirable presence, the one of last week Wednesday night was the worst that ever got within striking distance of this vicinity during the half century that civilized man has been carrying his home from the forest and coaxing from the hills and valleys that which would supply his daily and future wants. Coming down from Clark, Wood and Jackson counties into Monroe, via Neillsville, Millston, Warrens, Valley Junction, and wiping the little village of Oakdale nearly off the map, killing up to this time fully six people and injuring many others, it then reached a territory in which we are more directly interested in.
There was no let up in the power of this relentless, devastating whirligig as it proceeded through the towns of Clifton, Fountain and Plymouth. From Oakdale it started along the Belleview ridge at Sorenson's, and today its path may be traced every inch of the way by the withered vegetation, overturned trees and the debris and lonesome foundations where recently stood commodious buildings and happy homes. As far as the eye can see, extends a streak of bleakness and desolation up and down the valley.
When you get to the list of losses, don't read too fast. Let each paragraph soak in a little. Two lines may state that a man has lost his entire personal possessions. Stop and try to realize what it all means, individually as well as in the aggregate. And further, remember that the half can never be told.
O. K. Severson related to a Tribune representation a brief summary of the losses to the farmers of four townships.
At Charles Kelk's his nice brick house was totally wrecked, but the hand of Providence was manifested in a peculiar way. A six year old boy was at home in the sole charge of three smaller children - triplets. The larger boy succeeded in getting two of the triplets down cellar but the third was rebellious and refused to go. The stubborn child was latter found in the one remaining corner of the house, with the walls around just high enough for safe protection, and was entirely unharmed.
In the Clifton valley John Arzt's barn was taken and his house merely rubbed a little. This makes the third time this man has lost his barn by wind.
Mr. Gregory suffered total wreck of all buildings, machinery etc. One of his children was badly wounded and may not recover.
O. R. Smith, most buildings wrecked, 6 cattle killed and one horse disabled.
Nels Hansen, buildings wrecked, house shattered, machinery damaged.
Wm. VonHayden, barn wrecked, 4 cattle killed, 2 horses crippled.
G. Sorensen, barn entirely wrecked, other buildings shattered, machinery ruined.
Andrew Frohmader lost two barns but his nice house was left although damaged some.
The course of the twister was then through marsh and timber, where in the latter a record breaking job of grubbing was done.
Ole Benson's outbuildings were taken and house damaged.
Mrs. Larson's barn and outbuildings are gone, but the house is left.
Mrs. Evenson, who was thrown inn the air by the wind as the result of indiscretely stepping to the door of her house, had both arms broken and was otherwise injured, A boy that stays there was also hurt.
Loren Benson lost his new house, outbuildings and everything is gone.
Mrs. Satter suffers the loss of her house, windmill and barns.
Mrs. Johnson was out of doors and was roughly buried against a fence post, and this she clung to for dear life. She came out safe although bruised a little. A hole was knocked in the roof of her house.
John Benson was left without barns and outbuildings.
John Torson is minus his tobacco shed and four sheep.
Ole Nass was hard hit in more than one sense of the word. He was truck on the head and his hip was injured. His buildings are a clear loss, but it is reported that he lost no stock except some hogs.
Lewis Nelson's windmill and tobacco sheds tumbled in the gale.
Hawkin Hawkin's barn is a thing of the past.
Two big barns were swept from Ed VanHoosen and about all his timber damaged. No stock is reported lost.
George Van Hoosen's creamery was totally wrecked and his granary tipped half way over.
Jacob Quamme's tobacco shed was unroofed and his outbuildings damaged.
Ole Brown, an old bachelor living alone, was picked up after the storm just alive and taken to Jacob Quamme's. He was reported dead five different times but finally succumbed on Saturday. The funeral was held Sunday. Relatives from out West came out for the sad occasion. All the heirs will have to divide is a little parcel of land and a pile of debris.
Ole Johnson is another who was injured and taken to Quamme's temporary hospital. He will recover. His house, barn and all buildings were swept away and some stock killed. A horse that was injured had to be shot Friday.
John Quamme's house and barn were swept away, but no stock killed.
Andrew Anderson's nice brick house and all his buildings were leveled. His windmill was dropped square across the foundation of the house. Five head of cattle were killed and one horse. One horse had a leg broken and four cows injured, two of the latter with horns broken off. Two large hogs were carried about 20 rods and left apparently unhurt. This was one of the nice places of the valley and the loss here has been estimated at $10,000.
Ole Balgord is another who lost his house, buildings and all stock. He is one of the watchmen at the tunnel. He happened to be home, but was unable to get down cellar quickly enough and was quite badly hurt. He was brought to the Elroy hospital on the train the same night of the storm. He was the only one of the sufferer's brought to this city for care. Balgord's loss is placed at $8,000.
The telegraph office at tunnel was picked up and hurled against nearby rocks, and how the operator in this dice box escaped serious collision with the stove, flying paraphernalia, broken glass, or without being killed in some manner, is miraculous. The operator had seen cyclones before and when he saw this storm coming he telegraphed the train dispatcher that he was afraid. The dispatcher replied with "O.K.," meaning in this case, "seek safely where you can." but by this time had no courage to venture out but stayed and took his medicine.
The one armed watchman at the tunnel and two of the Anderson boys took refuge in that big, black horizontal hole in the ground, but had to cling with all their might to its uneven sides to prevent being shot out into air like living cannon balls by the pneumatic pressure that was being exerted.
To continue with the losses to farmers, there is Albert Pfaff's barn gone glimmering.
Mr. Martin's barn is gone and seven of his cattle killed.
Mike Jenning's barn is gone but no stock is reported lost. His horses were protected by the basement.
Thomas Erickson's barn is gone. Five of his horses were pinned in the basement but walked out when released.
Dan Conway's buildings were swept away but there was no one living on the place. The timber there was badly damaged.
Sever Olson's large new barn and outbuildings were swept and his house racked a little.
Mrs. H. Gullickson was killed and her daughter is in bed yet from injuries and may not recover. At this place the barn and granary were swept away and part of the house. Half of the kitchen is gone, in which Mrs. Gullickson and her daughter were in at the time, and the main part of the house was unroofed. (photo of home and destroyed buildings)
Torge Severson got his family down cellar in the nick of time, just as his house and buildings went sailing in the air. He lost three good horses, 19 cattle, pigs, chickens, machinery. A pocket book containing over $300 went with the rest on an uncertain destination. Ole Severson, Torge's father, was treasurer of his church, and a considerable portion of the money lost belonged to the church. A twenty dollar gold piece of this money was found about a mile away on a high bluff. The loss to the Severson's foots up as high as to anyone in the stricken territory. (photo of the home before & after)
Ole Wetley's practically total loss will be severely felt by him. Mrs. Wetley was killed, a daughter reached the cellar safely and Ole fell or was pushed down the stars just in time to escape with his life. Here is a man who will have the double sympathy of all in his struggle for a new start in life.
Ole Larson's house is wrecked.
Moses Brown's barn is gone.
Ole Ritland's barn and tobacco sheds are wrecked.
But the end was not here. If there was any damage in Summit it remains unreported, but in Sauk county the storm was traced a dozen or twenty miles, going between LaValle and Reedsburg, destroying and damaging barns and other buildings. The decreasing power of the wind was very noticeable, and there was no loss of life in that section, though several were hurt. The Reedsburg fair ground buildings were damaged to the extent of $3,000 but the fair will be held this year as usual.
The Elroy Leader
Thursday, August 29, 1907
Tornado Relief Committee Reports
To all who so generously and charitably contributed to the relief fund for the benefit of the sufferers in Plymouth, Fountain and Clifton whose homes were totally or partially destroyed by the tornado of July 3, 1907, we, the committee in whose charge the relief fund was intrusted for distribution, beg leave to submit an account of all money received and to whom given:
Received from the following solicitors:
Paul Vanvik, Suldan & vicinity $580.75
J. G. Roalkvam, Crossville $41.00
Thos. Larson, New Lisbon $89.50
Morg. Loomis, Mauston $235.46
G. L. Ormson, Fountain $64.00
John Vedom, Plymouth $10.00
Miller of Elroy on Millards Pr. $74.50
Inar Anderson, one Sunday at the Tunnel $100.00
Inar Anderson, Plymouth and Elroy $408.32
Ole Olson, Hustler $100.00
Jas. Dwyer, Glendale & Kendall $305.00
Vincent Arch, Clifton, $47.00
Total received - $2055.53
| Distribution | Relief | Estim. Loss |
| Plymouth | ||
| Ole Larson | $43.72 | $300 |
| Ole Wetley | $196.74 | $1400 |
| Ole Syverson | $87.44 | $3800 |
| Miss A. Gullickson | $109.30 | $1000 |
| Martin Larson | $43.72 | $200 |
| Syver Olson | $43.72 | $400 |
| Fountain | ||
| Ole Balgaard | $109.30 | $2500 |
| Emil Martin | $131.16 | $1200 |
| Ole Johnson | $196.74 | $2400 |
| J. J. Kvammen | $65.68 | $300 |
| J. Quamme | $43.72 | $200 |
| Ed Haakinson | $131.16 | $325 |
| Ole Ness | $190.74 | $1300 |
| Lauritz Benson | $131.16 | $2800 |
| Ole H. Johnson | $43.72 | $75 |
| Mrs. Nellie Satter | $153.02 | $600 |
| Andrew Anderson | $109.30 | $2700 |
| Clifton | ||
| Mrs. T. Evenson | $196.74 | $1000 |
| Sever Martinson | $21.86 | $975 |
