1918: Hartington area suffers damage from tornado, flood
May 28, 1908
HARTINGTON — Between the hours of 10 p.m. and 12 a.m., this county was visited by one of the worst wind storms in many years. The storm covered nearly the whole county and damage was done to machinery, trees, and houses.
In Fordyce, a barn owned by Henry Rolf was destroyed and a flying board hit Henry Thomas in the head while was unhitching his team of horses.
May 23, 1918
HARTINGTON — Three lives and a quarter of a million dollars loss was the toll taken last Saturday evening by the worst tornado in the history of Cedar County, a detailed review of which was given in the Cedar County News extra editions mailed Monday night and which brought the first accurate reports of the disaster to the community.
The lives of Mrs. August Fredrickson, 33; Mrs. John Rupiper, 79; and John Rupiper, 72, were lost as a result of the tornado.
A grandson of the Rupipers, John Spinner, 21, also had his leg crushed and is now in an Omaha hospital.
Elizabeth Rupiper, 26, suffered broken ribs and internal injuries. Agnes Rupiper, 24, and Minnie Rupiper, 22, are recovering from internal injuries and nervous shock at St. Johns Hospital in Fordyce.
Mrs. Gustave Bahr had her leg crushed and suffered flesh wounds. Her son sufered internal injuries. Both were taken to an Omaha hospital.
Next to the discussion of the storm itself was the credit given to this newspaper for the enterprise shown in giving our readers the news while it is news.
Reports in the other city papers were grossly exaggerated some of them stating that 14 had been killed and many injured.
The Omaha Red Cross sent a physician and four boxes of supplies to Crofton, Monday evening.
Officials of Hartington, Crofton, and Wausa, divided the territory and men from different communities turned out to assist those who had lost their buildings and property to arrange shelter for their stock. About 75 men from Hartington spent today in this work. Men from other towns have been doing likewise all week as far as weather permitted.
The most pathetic incident of the castatrophe was the double funeral at Constance Wednesday morning of Mr. and Mrs. Rupiper. Rev. Father Brietkopf conducted the service.
The church was not large enough to enable one third of the crowd to secure admission.
Chairman J.C. Robinson, of the county Red Cross and F.W. Barnhart chairman of the big drive on this week spent Monday making a personal investigation of the needs of the devasted district.
Those who are not employed or who can spare a day or two time could perform no better work than to go to the places of those who suffered in the storm and assist them in straightening up.
May 30, 1918 HARTINGTON — The worst flood in a quarter of a century resulted from a four-hour downpour which covered the greater part of Cedar County.
The creek throughout Hartington overflowed filling cellars and washing out gardens. In the north part of the county, bridges were washed out and crops on lowlands were ruined. The total damages to bridges and county roads was estimated to be $75,000.
May 30, 1918
HARTINGTON — Bernard Bottolfson is the second Hartington man to be injured in battle while in France.
He was struck in the back by a piece of shrapnel from a Hun shell. Carl Albert Olson, who was a member of the same regiment, was wounded several months ago.
May 30, 1918
HARTINGTON — Joseph Lammers has started to build one of the very finest farm houses in Cedar County on his place west of town. It will have 14 rooms.