40 years later: Life After Deadly Tornado
Lives cut short at 5:17 p.m. April 3, 1974 Page 2 Monday, March 31, 2014
By Kean MacOwan For the HJ
died and the sacrifices made by the residents in the weeks, months and years following the event. Yes, the town survived and is flourishThe world stopped for the Monticello area ing yet today due to the committed residents on April 3, 1974. Its residents’ lives and memo- of the town. It was feared that many of the ries would be changed forever. The tornado 40 businesses that were totally destroyed by that dropped from the sky on this date took the twister would collect their due insurance the lives of eight individuals, five of whom money and just get out of town. That did not were from the Ft. Wayne area, whose VW Bus happen. It seems the overwhelming attitude of had been plucked from the Washington Street the town that they would just rebuild and carry Bridge and hurled into the Tippecanoe River on in the tradition that built the town some 140 just below the bridge. The lives of three loyears earlier. cal residents were cut short. Their passing was The destruction to the area was estimated to recorded in time by the stoppage of all clocks be over $100 million in 1974 dollars, which at about 5:17 p.m. would be considerably more today. Virtually People lost on this day were: entire city blocks were torn down and rebuilt. —Ione B. Gallinger, Route 1, Idaville The iconic 1895 limestone courthouse was —Peggy (Good) Durham, Route 1, deemed a total loss and was replaced with a Monticello more efficient and larger county government —Joseph D. Risser, Route 1, Monticello building. (Joe died a few days later from injuries In retrospect there have been volumes of sustained in the tornado) photos taken and saved. The Herald Journal —Elizabeth Ann Scalf, Ft. Wayne published a pictorial publication titled “Killer —Margret Stump, Ft. Wayne Tornado” which is excellent in every detail. —Dr. Donald Richards, Ft. Wayne The photographs in this work provide some —Sharon Miller, Ft. Wayne scope as to the magnitude and destruction of —Jackie McKelleb, Ft. Wayne that day. What has not been forthcoming and The tornado that devastated Monticello’s published are the personal stories of its citizens downtown has been one of scientific review by on this tragic day. meteorologists for decades. The tornado that These stories have not been recounted and hit Monticello was formed and touched down documented. It is the purpose of this article just west of Brookston. The path of the tornado to focus on the personal stories of those that just missed Chalmers and took a direct path were here on that fateful day and to share these toward Monticello. The path in Monticello was reminiscences of the events that unfolded on directly in line with the Moose Lodge on Gorthis day and the days and weeks that followed. don Road and encompassed The Twin Lakes There are those in the area that should have High School and right down the centerline of perished, those whose families attended to the downtown. The sweeping line continued across injured, those who volunteered to cordon off the Washington Street Bridge and the Tippeca- the town and those whose lives were changed noe Railroad bridge and headed straight for the as a result of this event. recently constructed subdivisions of Hickory Ridge, Western Heights and Wood Haven located on the east side of the river. As the tornado exited White County, it entered parts of Renee Holverson Cass and Fulton counties. Rochester suffered “I was working at the Frosty Mug Drive In. several deaths and extensive damage. The torWe all saw it coming and we hit the floor and nado continued all the way up to Ligonier, Ind. hoped for the best.” So much has been written about this devastating tornado, and even a memorial located Pete DeCoursey at the corner of East Broadway and South “I was home on leave from the Army before Bluff was constructed, honoring those who
WHEN IT HIT
Monticello Herald Journal thehj.com
deploying to South East Asia. I was in Muller & Muller Men’s Clothing store when it hit and we took cover in the changing closet in the back. It sounded like a jumbo jet on the roof. I recall how the air pressure hurt my ears terribly. Walking out of the store, looking at the blown out windows, building facades collapsed on the streets and sidewalks. Next door at Batcheldor’s Jewelry, the jewelry was strewn on the sidewalk mixed in with broken glass. The ceiling at the Ben Franklin store was caved in across the street where Ione Gallinger died. I was given a 3-day extension on my leave to help with search and rescue and with the clean-up efforts. This was a very sad day for many. ”
Laurie Henderson
“When the tornado hit Monticello, my mother June Henderson was on the top floor of Bryans Manufacturing. Just before it hit, Peggy Good Durham was told to relieve Mom, so that Mom could train someone. And as we know now, when the tornado hit, the machine that Mom had been running came out of the floor and on to Peggy and took her to the basement. Peggy was only 22 years old.”
Michael R. Saunders
“I was in Monticello that afternoon, living on South Bluff, standing on the back porch when my dog started acting scared, running around and barking. He wanted to be let int side and headed straight for the basement. My t mother and I followed him down to see what M was his problem, when at that moment the torw nado blew down a two-story brick fireplace of s the house, with the rubble falling at the exact h spot we’d been occupying moments before. We s always said the dog, Abraham, saved us from being injured or worse.”
Tim Ezra
t “We lived on Railroad Street, next to the w Super-Test gas station. I was playing outside h with an umbrella until the wind started picking p up, and Mom had me come in. The sky turned t green and had very strange colors. Birds were b going crazy; I assumed they were taking cover. M We decided to take cover under a very large a a g M w T t o
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Monday, March 31, 2014 Page 3
Sears store located on North Main Street was destroyed during the tornado. Viturally all of the photos in this special section are courtesy of Tom D. Fisher. He was the photographer for the 1974 high school yearbook and took photos on the day and night of April 3, 1974.
table. I remember windows popping out, and then boards and a tire came through the house. My eyes were filled with debris. Afterwards, we walked uptown I remember a VW bug upside down right by the post office. The courthouse was demolished. People walking around seemed very lost.”
Emory Harrison
“Coach and teacher Joel Storm canceled track practice and all other school sports as he was convinced that something big was going to happen. My mother, I, and my younger brother picked up my sisters from school and headed to get ice cream out on 6th Street. On our way back, we basically watched the entire town of Monticello being destroyed. I was very young and remember my sister clutching me in her arms. I do remember driving where we could get through town and seeing the devastation. My dad was helping any way he could. He worked at Bryans Manufacturing at the time. The tornado picked up his truck and literally threw it in the river. I will never forget the color of the sky and the silence before the storm.”
Dick Landrum
“My mother, Ada Landrum, was turning off Ohio Street onto Lakeland Avenue when the tornado went through the National Homes Addition. Mom told me she laid down across the front seat of the car. She remembers debris hitting the car and the wind/noise. She doesn’t remember how she got to her house (606 Lakeland Ave.). She said my dad, Luther, was standing where the bathroom was. Our house had literally exploded — the only things left were the bathtub/toilet (where Dad took cover) and a chest of drawers.”
Nita Corson
“We had just purchased Twin Lakes Refrigeration from Walt and Jean Bilyeu. We were at the Moose Lodge on Gordon Road celebrating our new venture when the tornado hit — it was also our son’s third birthday. The storm blew us across the floor and 30 feet from the building — we were wrapped up in a sheet of the green siding. We were pretty darn lucky. Roger lost his ear and I was at White County Memorial Hospital for several days with 40 or 50 stiches in my head from the beam that hit us and a broken collarbone .” (The Moose Lodge was built on a slab and there was no place to seek shelter. The only thing left on the slab was the bar.)
Shirley Buschman
“The children and I were at home in Wood Haven Addition, which was just a half-mile north on Highway 39. The wind was blowing, the leaves in a crazy swirl, and a dark cloud was approaching our home. I told Steve
and Beth to go to the hallway and lay down. I opened the sliding door off of the kitchen and placed my body over the children. When it hit it felt like your body was going to explode. I told the kids to crawl into the half bath under the stairway and to pray. Once the house started coming apart and blowing away, the pressure on our bodies also decreased. Our neighborhood was severely damaged as well as our business on the corner of Broadway and Illinois Street.”
Brian Purkhiser
“I remember it was an unusually warm day for that early in April. I just got home from track practice. I was in the house when Dad and his student teacher arrived home. Dad stayed outside and was staring intently at a “huge” black cloud that was quickly approaching from the southwest. Within a few seconds, Mom yelled that a tornado had hit near Chalmers. Immediately, Dad came running through the door, yelling for everyone to get to the basement. Later he told us that he had a hard time figuring out what he was looking at, because it looked a lot like a huge black tumbleweed, not a funnel, coming across the field.” (Many people did not recognize this as a tornado with the typical funnel shape. This tornado was a half-mile wide on the ground.)
the street. Later we moved to the front hallway of the high school, and I can still remember being amazed at how much debris and water was on the floor of the hallways at the school.”
Maurice Vose
“I was directly across the street meeting with Lee Ecklund in State and Savings Bank when the tornado hit. I remember diving under a desk and emerging when it had passed. A very surreal scene afterwards. I helped carry Diane Benjamin’s mother out of the Ben Franklin 5 & 10 cent store next door. I walked through the debris and devastation to get to my parents’ home down near Bluewater Beach. For years the hair on the back of my neck would raise every time the wind picked up. It was scary!”
Susie Heiny Wright
“I was home alone at our home near the airport and was getting a little concerned about the weather. I was listening to a local radio station and it went dead (later I learned because the station was hit). I was waiting on my husband Gale to get home from work. He never came and never came — finally, a couple of hours late. He had been at the Super Test — then a glass building — pumping gas. He said it just got black out and a roaring sound like a train. Everyone there went running inside the building when it hit. They were all covered by a display of oil cans but unhurt. Our new car that we had just bought — totaled. He started walking and was frantic to get home. He just opened a car door of a stranger and asked him to take him home. I had tried to call my parents — no answer. I was terrified they had been hit — then they came driving in our driveway — I was never so relieved to see someone!”
Brian continues… “Downstairs, we huddled in the southwest corner, covered up with a blanket, and waited. Feeling a slight breeze, I uncovered my head and looked up to see our house, (24 ’x 80’) hovering about two feet in the air above the basement walls. It dipped and swayed back and forth, sort of like a leaf floating down from a tree, then slowly came down to settle back onto the basement walls. While many others reported hearing a lot of noise, neither I nor any member of my family can remember hearing anything, nothing, nada, complete silence as our house was ripped up into the air. As soon as Dad thought it was over, we came upstairs (I don’t remember how we got out of the house) and took shel709 N. Illinois St. • Monticello, IN 47960 • (574) 583.9551 ter from the unusually warm rain in one of Pampering you from hair to toe! the buses still upright Betty Dilling, Julie Oldenkamp, Katie Tiede, Connie Davis and Rebekah King at the church across
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Karen Shine Murray
“I was in our car between the courthouse and Presbyterian Church with my mom (Mary Shine), sister Peggy, and two friends. We were waiting for the light to change when the tornado hit. We tried to get out of the car and into the church. The vacuum was too strong. We then realized we were in the eye of it. Our car was hit from all sides, windows smashed. Once it was over, we looked around and the courthouse and church lay in ruin. We got out and went to the post office, stunned.”
Monticello Herald Journal thehj.com
was in trouble when the first row of cars went vertical and toppled into the second row. Rex was blown into a two-ton truck chassis without a bed on it. He wrapped his arms and legs around the chassis and held on for dear life. When the truck quit skipping around the car lot and the wind subsided, he realized that it was over. As he eyed the explosive power of the
ing, only then did he realize that the two-ton truck was the only vehicle left on the lot. What about the Cadillacs? They were all destroyed when the girders of the building collapsed on them. When my wife and I arrived, my father complained of chest pain and my wife, a nurse, took him to the hospital to get checked out. The impact with the truck chassis broke a couple of ribs. Anytime I see a farm truck chassis… I just smile.”
The Aftermath After the storm subsided, the task of retrieving the dead, locating loved ones, restoring basic services and rebuilding a community begins. The task before the community was daunting. To maintain control of the situation, all roads going into Monticello were shut down.
Lisa Austin McQueen
“I was 10 when the tornado hit. My dad, Jim Austin, picked up me up from Brownies which we did once a week. He was going to drop me off at my grandmother’s home at Bell Towers. Three blocks south from Bell Towers all hell broke loose. Trash cans flying by our truck, and it was rocking back and forth from side to side. A huge tree fell right in front and another in the back. My dad made me get on the floor until it calmed down, and he grabbed me out of the truck and ran jumping over live wires till we got back to my grandma’s at Bell Towers. The apartment above hers was gone and one of their bedrooms had stuff sticking out of the ceiling. He left me there and tried to go check on my mom. This is a day I will never forget. That day will be etched in my mind forever.”
Doug Spaulding
Kean MacOwan
“My father Rex was working at Hubbard Chevrolet at the curve across the Washington Street Bridge. He saw the black clouds The White County Court House in the distance and told the emtornado, he realized that the entire dealership ployees to get all the new Cadillac vehicles inside the main building. He had walked across building had exploded. Esther Cottrell who the street to secure the A-frame used car build- kept the books had some lacerations but all the ing. Upon his return the storm hit. He knew he others seemed OK. When he exited the build-
“I was living with my parents on Lake Freeman beside the Madam Carroll and had been fishing. When the torrential rains hit, I took cover in my boathouse. After the storm I noted that a State Trooper had the bridge blocked off on the Carroll County side. That was the first we knew of the tornado. Jerry Groggin, at the time manager of Alt’s out on North Main, helped maintain the roadblock and checkpoint out by the Dairy Queen at the corner of Rickey Road and the Beach Road. “Getting into Monticello for me personally was a quick, 30-second, stand-up conversation with a State Trooper at the junction of Range Line Road and U.S. 24. I was told by the trooper that no one was going into Monticello. In a very controlled voice I let him know that my entire family was there
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Above: Photo taken of Vogel Real Estate on North Main Street after the tornado. Below: Photo taken from the rear of the fire station (on left) looking south. These photos help to demonstrate the intensity of damage done by the 1974 tonado.
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and that I would walk. He pointed north and said, ‘Take Hanawalt Road! ‘ “Cool heads prevailed. Jack Meents, then a NIPSCO employee, “killed the gas.” Had not Jack turned off the gas, the town and houses would have become a fireball. The local electric company shut down all of the electrical power in the area due to the hundreds of live wires sparking in the streets. It was quick reactions like this that prevented additional deaths and destruction. “Rescue teams and emergency equipment from surrounding towns and counties arrived on the scene within minutes of being aware of the event. White County Memorial Hospital was overrun with the injured. Area doctors worked around the clock, and the more seriously injured were transported to hospitals in Lafayette. It is estimated that one hundred and sixty injured were treated locally. “Mayor Capper asked that the National Guard be called in to maintain order and to prevent looting and protect the businesses and homes in the area. Within a short period of time it seemed like half the vehicles in Monticello were army green in color.”
Nan Dickerson
“I was at home in the basement with my mom and dad (Doc and Betty Dickerson). We got in the car to try to make it to the hospital, so my dad could help the injured. We maneuvered our way as far as Sixbeys. My dad was immediately needed to help someone injured at Sixbey’s. (The Sixbey building had totally collapsed and people were trapped and injured inside.) My mom and I walked to the hospital where she stayed to help. We ended up staying at my father’s office for several days. The office had electricity.”
“The VW Bus that was hurled into the Tippecanoe River at the base of the Washington Street Bridge needed to be raised and the bodies removed. Miraculously, Karen Stutts, one of the passengers in the VW Bus, managed to exit the vehicle after it plunged headlong into the river. She doesn’t remember exactly how she exited the vehicle. She was a good swimmer and had tried to grab onto the concrete supports under the bridge, but the current was too strong. Karen was swept downriver and was able to grab a tree branch and crawled up on the shore on the east Monticello side. She stayed with a local resident, Marie Person, at the Holiday Resort until State Police Trooper Donald Baker arrived to take her to the hospital. Karen sustained a minor concussion and was later transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lafayette. The rest of the occupants of the bus were lost. The body of 17-year-old Sharon Miller was found two weeks later, and her body was removed from the water and taken back to her hometown of Ft. Wayne.”
Bryan Ames
“I remember standing and watching the crane on the Washington Street Bridge lift the church bus out of the water that was thrown off the bridge, and recall bodies being taken to the shore near the water works station.”
Securing Vital Records With the courthouse in ruins, special efforts were made by local citizens and the National Guard to secure the vital records from the wreckage.
Cheryl Pearson Spradlin
Monticello Herald Journal thehj.com
“My father was the county treasurer at the time. We were cut off due to downed trees and live wires down. Dad walked up to see the conditions in town and specifically the courthouse. He had all those tax documents he was responsible for, and these documents needed to be saved. They decided to use the armory as a center for government and began to set up there. We even went there to get our marriage license.”
Rosalyn Bridge Hahn
“My father, Clyde Bridge, had served as White County Auditor and at the time of the tornado in Monticello, he was Auditor at the State and Savings Bank. Needless to say, he was in a hurry to check out the records kept at the courthouse and at the bank. The downtown just looked like pictures of a war zone. I will never forget the ‘sick feeling,’ and I still marvel that more lives were not lost that day.”
Mike Yohler
“I was 15 years old at the time. The family went to dinner at the Tippecanoe Country Club and while we were eating, everything outside turned orange and the wind and rain were beating against the glass windows that overlooked the lake. I remember that I could not even see the trees that were just a few feet away from the windows. The storm subsided and we continued eating. We didn’t lose power so we didn’t think much about it. It was when we were finished we heard that a tornado went through town. We drove downtown and were stopped by the National Guard from entering. They let us in because my dad ran the Twin Lakes Abstract Company that was across the street from the courthouse, so they
Continued on page 11
The scene at Bryan’s Manufacturing Plant
By Linda Johnson Treat
On behalf of: Leland & Vanada Johnson For the HJ My family and I lived at 345 N. Beach Drive, which is located on the curve where Bluewater Drive turns into North Beach Drive.
After emerging from our basement, we could not see a whole lot of structural damage to our home or the homes of our neighbors — a carport gone over there, a travel trailer was on its side over here. However, for as far as the eye could see, there were uprooted and fallen trees mixed with untold
amounts of miscellaneous debris. So, being none the wiser to the true situation, Pop and I put on our boots and gloves, got out our axes and chainsaws and began clearing the trees from the road. However, pretty soon, I saw my dad slowly turn and look in the direction of town, then turning
Continued on page 8
A scene of residential damage that was done in Monticello after the deadly tornado ripped through town April 3, 1974.
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Monticello Herald Journal thehj.com
Continued from page 6
something, at least. Yet, somehow, this hindrance back to me, he said, “Maybe you and Todd should kindled an air of urgency which only spurred us walk on down to Bryan’s and check in on your to work harder and faster; and by the time we mother.” So my neighbor Todd Gross and I headed reached Bluewater Beach, and we had begun to down Bluewater Drive toward the Bryan’s Manu- see the damage along the ridge across the river, we were all but frantic in our efforts! facturing Plant. Just as we were beginning to get the Old Dam We had no idea.… in sight, we encountered a man who was coming We quickly saw that Bluewater Drive was all but impassable as trees which had stood 50 to 100 from the direction of Bryan’s; he told us the factory had collapsed, with the people still inside. feet tall were now strewn like matchsticks in all My friend and I began to run… directions. Most of these trees were at least 3 to Thankfully, the gate on the north end of the 4 feet in diameter, which made them a true chalBryan’s property was open and, as there were no lenge to surmount. And, to add to the peril, the trees on that end of the property, it was an easy electricity had yet to be shut off! Therefore, the electrical wires that had been dragged down with climb to the loading dock. When we crested the hill, we encountered an overturned semi-tractor/ the trees and were still tangled in their boughs trailer blocking our path. The fuel was leakwere jumping and sparking and dancing a jig ing from the cab, and that made it impossible to every time they made contact with the wet pavecontinue without walking through a pool of fuel. ment! However, once we had slowly eased our way Nonetheless, being, “brave through the grace through the spilled fuel, and then raced around of ignorance,” we climbed and crawled our way the corner of the building, we saw a group of forward. (Please allow me state here and now, people standing in the parking lot — and praise for all to read, in the 20/20 of hindsight, I am God — my mother was among them. convinced, it was only “the hand of God protectMy mother told me later: ing fools” which saved us from electrocution that That because the noise of the machines inside day. We just didn’t know any better… and God the factory was so loud, the tornado was all but took pity.) upon them before they knew anything was amiss. As we drew closer to town, the severity of the Nevertheless, once it was realized that somedamage only increased, and the farther we went, thing dreadful was happening, all of the women the slower the going became, but the electristarted running toward the front door, but when cal cables had stopped jumping — and that was
they reached the first floor landing, the group was halted by one of the supervisors who was trying to direct them toward the basement. However, trying to drive a hundred or more frightened women down the steps of the stairwell was paramount to pushing hot water up a cold rope — the women balked and would not go. It was at that moment that the entire front of the building, which was approximately 80 percent glass, began to implode and the light went out. My mother said the group she was with just fell to the floor of the landing and clung to one another in terror until the tornado passed. There was only one person killed in the partial collapse of the Bryan’s Manufacturing Plant; she was crushed when the upper floors gave way and fell into the basement. If the supervisor on duty that day had been successful in diverting all of the employees into the basement, all would have perished. Thank You, God, for making the women of Monticello a stiff-necked crew of independent thinkers, who, by following their instincts, lived to love another day, and lived to tell the tale. P.S. I remember, I went to the Methodist church to give blood and when I left, a woman all but forced me to take a blanket. I carried that blanket all the way home, and when I got there, I felt so guilty for taking it, the next day I carried it all the way back and acted like I was donating it just to get rid of it.
Residental damage that resulted from the tornado.
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The Day Time Stood Still
White County
Tornado April 3, 1974 5:17 p.m.
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The Day Time Stopped We Didn’t! MUSALL’S GARDEN CENTER
– DEVASTATED – April 3, 1974 • 5:17 P.M. What’s Left? Behind a dark cloud, a silver lining: The aerial shot of our business tells the story. Our business has recovered and grown with the community. We again thank the people of this great community.
The photo above shows a crane off the Washington Street Bridge where a VW Bus plunged into the Tippecanoe River. One person was able to escape and swim to safety, while four other passengers were killed.
Forty years ago, April 3, 1974 at 5:17 p.m., the tornado hit Monticello. It was a dark day for the people of this community. As you can see by the picture above, it was no different at Musall’s Lawn and Garden Center. April 5th, 6th and 7th of 1974 was to be the “Grand Opening” of our Garden Center. Needless to say, it did not occur. “What to do now?” was the question. It was the time to be strong and along with the rest of the businesses and people of this community, we pulled ourselves together and started rebuilding. There is no way we at Musall’s Lawn and Garden Center could be here today if it had not been for fellow businesses, the people of Monticello and all the people who have patronized us these past 40 years.
As your hometown bank, we’ve established firm roots in this community and its interests. We invite you to stop by and see for yourself what sets us apart. We do banking with a personal touch that shows we care about you.
PEOPLES SAVINGS & LOAN ASSOCIATION “Make regular savings a habit” 126 Constitution Plaza, Monticello
574-583-4121
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. A great community with great people. FROM THE MUSALL FAMILY & ALL OUR EMPLOYEES
White County’s most complete lawn and garden center. Let us guide you to successful planting and growing. Also Christmas and seasonal decor, gifts, and collectibles.
OFFERING QUALITY, KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICE FOR OVER 40 YEARS!
408 S. BEACH DRIVE, MONTICELLO, IN
574-583-8080
www.musallslawngarden.com
HOURS: 8 A.M. - 5 P.M., 7 DAYS A WEEK
PLANT A TREE - A LIFELONG GIFT
mMonticello Herald Journal thehj.com
Continued from page 6
let him in to survey the damage to the business.”
Oddities The power of a tornado can certainly be incredible. One such example would be the Penn Central Railroad Bridge spanning the Tippecanoe. On April 3rd in a matter of seconds, four of the six spans of this bridge were lifted up and carried 40 feet north and then dumped into the river. Each one of these spans weighed 115 tons and was 105 feet in length. Railroad ties from the bridge weighing 250 pounds each were also found in farm fields 10 miles away.
Monday, March 31, 2014 Page 11
Drug Store right across from the Court House. Grandpa slept through everything, then woke up the next morning in a cold apartment. When he stepped outside and saw the courthouse, he went into shock and was later found walking around. He had never been sick and was 89 years old at the time. He tutored Purdue students in math before the tornado. He contracted pneumonia and was hospitalized and never regained his health completely after the tornado. He died at age 94.”
Monticello Dealt All Aces
If one looks back at the destruction to the area, it would seem by any measure that the town was dealt all aces. Perhaps it was God’s hand that saved so many. While the destruction was tremendous, the loss of life and severe injury was slight. For those that lost loved ones, our hearts go out to them. To the survivors it was a good day to still be alive. Twin Lakes High School and cars that were damaged during the storm. Yes, the downtown was a wreck. Yes, many of the historic strucSue Davidson Foard tures were lost. Yes, the schools were damaged. “My dad worked on the railroad and had been Yes, scores of homes were destroyed and hunon those tracks earlier that day.” dreds severely damaged. Mother Nature … you certainly can have a devastating effect. Brian Purkhiser Monticello – you stepped up and rose to the “I remember watching the huge cranes sitting occasion. You rebuilt and carried on. I offer conon the temporary dam across the river, as they gratulations to all. What an outstanding recovery lifted the railroad bridge sections back onto the you accomplished in a very short period of time. piers. What took only seconds to toss off took weeks of planning, along with some huge construction equipment, to put back in place.” Brian Purkhiser “A piece of plywood was driven sideways into a Chinese elm tree in the front yard, and every year a small pine branch would grow from where the plywood had ‘grafted’ itself into the elm.”
Brian Purkhiser
“When the tornado set our house back down, the northwest corner was pretty much where it started out, but the southeast corner was off the foundation far enough that we brought a fullsized upright piano up through the gap. Helvie house movers of Flora brought some huge wood beams in, slid them into the basement under the house, jacked the house up, hooked a truck up, and pulled it back to within ¼ inch of where it started out.”
Brian Purkhiser
“A check, SSI I think, on the kitchen table of the house next door, was found in Rochester and returned, in perfect condition, didn’t appear as if it had even got wet.” (Reports also came to light that papers from the courthouse were returned from Montreal, Canada.)
Debra Simons
“We lived out behind the addition behind the new hospital on Sixth Street. We lost everything. The next day we went out to where the house … used to be. Everything was gone except for the dog still chained to the doghouse, alive and barking. My brother’s ‘55 Chevy was still setting on the concrete where the garage used to be. Both were unharmed.”
Judy Erwin Branham “My grandfather, M.C. Erwin, lived above the Rexall
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The community salutes you! I close with this quote: “Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.” -Walter Anderson
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Page 12 Monday, March 31, 2014
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