Death and Destruction

In my last post, I promised to post something more cheerful than disease and and incapacitation, so I offer you "death and destruction".

I grew up in the small Village of Lowry in bucolic times. Of course, people died, got sick,  a hunting accident and occasionally a barn caught fire, but overall, it was pretty peaceful and the excitement usually came from Lydia Bjorklund's Lowry News column in the weekly edition of Pope County Tribune or tipping outhouses on Halloween. 

According to the water tower, Lowry was established in 1886 on the western prairie of Minnesota, largely to facilitate the railroad that was pushing ever westward. It was a farming community, and the businesses were dependent on the farmers in the area. By 1897, there were several semi-thriving businesses: a hardware, a mill, a harness shop, a mercantile and probably a tavern. The Red River Ox Cart Trail  from St. Paul to Winnipeg, soon to be displaced by the railroad, passed just a few miles north of the town. Remarkably, the 1900 census shows 260 souls, roughly what it is today. People were, if not prospering, surviving quite well.  

However, .. things were not so peaceful on July 6, 1897.

TOWN OF LOWRY OBLITERATED AND TEN PERSONS REPORTED KILLED.

Duluth, Minn., July 6. -- Dispatches received here late tonight at railroad offices say that a tornado has obliterated the town of Lowry, Minn., and that four people were killed and several injured.  Lowry is situated on the Soo Line, seven miles from Glenwood on the Northern Pacific railroad. Particulars are meagre but it is learned that the tornado traveled from southwest to northeast and that the little town of Lowry was in the track of the cloud. The second report is that seven persons were killed.

The tornado struck Lowry after 6 o'clock this evening. Evidences of the cyclonic cloud were seen in Duluth about 7 o'clock. The sky was overcast with clouds that circled as they moved rapidly northeast, and there was a yellow cast that was ascribed to the sun penetrating through them. People looked in wonder on the scene, but nobody ascribed the conditions to a tornado. The clouds moved high in the air and circled with a perfectly steady motion.

St. Paul, Minn., July 6. -- A Glenwood, Minn., special to the Pioneer Press says:
A destructive tornado passed through the town of Reno this afternoon about 2 o'clock. It started about a mile southeast of the village of Lowry, destroying the barn and part of the house of Iver Lofgren. Every building in the village of Lowry was damaged, seven dwelling houses, depot, church, elevator and butcher shop being totally destroyed, while the railroad tracks were twisted and telegraph wires torn down and part of a mill was carried away. 

From Lowry the storm continued in a northeasterly direction to the farm of Robert Peacock, where it made a clean sweep of all the buildings. Mrs. Peacock, her daughter Nettie and a boy named Robert McGowan were in the house, which was carried about twenty rods. All were injured, but will probably recover.

The next point of damage in the path of the storm was Thomas Andrews' house, where the family took refuge in the cellar and escaped with bruises. All his farm buildings including a new brick house, are a total wreck.

From here the storm moved about due east to Sam Morrow's, where it left death in its path.
The family were preparing to enter the cellar when the storm struck, sweeping every vestige of the building from the foundations, carrying the inmates several rods back in the direction from which the storm came. All the other buildings were likewise scattered to the four winds. Of the family of seven, Sam Morrow died within an hour after the catastrophe, being horribly bruised and mangled, and a nine-year-old daughter, Annie, was found dead by the rescuing party. The injuries of the other five were:
Mrs. Morrow, scalp cut, back injured, badly bruised, recovery doubtful.
Alfred Morrow, fourteen years old, bruised.
Oswald Morrow, eleven years, leg broken.
Minnie Morrow, arm broken.
Baby, severely bruised.
A large splinter was taken from the back of Tolof Leavan, the hired man, who has a broken ankle. He may die.

At Lowry the depot was splintered into a thousand pieces which were stuck into the marsh near by like a quill in a porcupine.

And then, 14 years later ...

From the Duluth News-Tribune

LOWRY BUSINESS HOUSES BURN. 

Duluth News-Tribune, Tuesday, November 7, 1911
LOWRY, Minn., Nov. 6.-Four business houses and one residence were destroyed by fire late last night. The loss is estimated at about $35,000. The fire originated in the Lowry Mercantile company's store and spread to the buildings occupied by the John Hagstrom Implement company, Lowry Drug company and Smith & Celander Harness company. A residence in the rear of the drug store also was destroyed. The flames raged for several hours before they were brought under control.

From The Northwestern Druggist, December 1911:
One of the quickest business developments ever made, was done by druggist C.C. Middents, of Lowry. A fire destroyed his entire business and the next day he was selling drugs again. New fixtures and stock have been placed in his store building.

This is why the businesses on the east side of main street are all brick, while almost all on the west side are wooden structures.

In the 1930's, Lowry Roller Mills was the most prominent and prosperous Lowry business, selling its Lowry's Best flour across a wide area. (see Lowry's Best post). The Glenwood Bakery reportedly used 30 sacks of Lowry's Best per day. 

From the Glenwood Herald 1917:
One of the busiest business institutions of the village is the Lowry Roller Mills. During a large part of the year they work both day and night shifts. Their flour and other products find a ready market throughout this section of the state. The mill is owned by Misensol and Leslie, two of Lowry's most substantial and progressive business men. [Editor note: The mill was originally established by Martin Bartos about 1900]

On November 6, 1937, disaster struck. The burgeoning milling business of Lowry's Best Flour, burned to the ground, victim of the all-to-common flour-dust explosion.

Excerpt from the eye-witness account of Roy Robieson, son of depot agent Jim Robieson. The family lived in the Lowry Depot, just to the north of the mill.   

"Someone returning to Lowry after attending, perhaps a dance, at Kensington on a cold Friday night in Feb. 1937, noted a fire in the lower reaches of the mill. He sounded the fire alarm and the Lowry volunteer fire fighters responded, but by that time the fire had jumped to the upper part of the structure. The water tower and modern fire-fighting equipment were still just a gleam in the eye of the village council then and the old town hall fire pumper wouldn't throw a great volume of water 50 feet height."

The mill burned to ashes and was not rebuilt.

Copyright ©  2021  Dave Hoplin