Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 2

Minneapolis 2B. State news FridayJuly71978 UMJG1 5.fi ssmsSI BsS. Krai Staff Photos by Bruce Bisping Aerial photo of Gary, illustrates damage done by the tornado. Townspeople try to put Gary back together again Itl I I -te. MM ft BTOi 9 1 V4 if as he looked over the upheaval in his km Marvin Andersen wiped his brow By Tom Webb Staff Writer Gary, Minn.

The townspeople of Gary tried literally to pick up the pieces Thursday after a tornado tore their town apart Wednesday. Piles of debris were everywhere yesterday. But the cleanup was only part of restoring life to normal in this small, northwestern Minnesota town. A Red Cross official said some residents began to emerge from the dazed shock that disaster-relief officials say most victims suffer. But yesterday, some townspeople Just plain weren't talking.

Everyone was busy cleaning up, and many people weren't in the mood to talk about their problems. One man whose mobile home was destroyed by the tornado walked into Red Cross headquarters terday and began to talk matter of-factly about his loss. Suddenly, the man broke down and bega cry. "The hard times are ahead," said Terry Jones, who is directing Red Cross efforts in the Gary area. "It's gonna be tough on a lot of people," he said.

Jones said that 19 houses and 10 mobile homes were destroyed, 16 houses were severely damaged and 32 houses had lesser damage but could be lived in. He estimated that 90 percent of the damaged homes were insured, but said that some homes were not insured to full market value. Jones said the people who've been through a catastrophe will realize about two days later the full extent of their loss. "I think tomorrow (Friday) is going to be a rough one," Jones said. There were plenty of signs around Gary yesterday to remind townspeople.

Hunks of sheet metal torn from the Gary grain elevator were still wrapped around the trees that hadn't been toppled. Railroad boxcars were still overturned. And houses on several blocks remained gnarled wreckages. In some cases, what wasn't there was just as much a reminder: a garage, the second floor, or in three cases, a life. Damage estimates from throughout the area were still coming in yesterday.

The tornado that hit Bejou, 15 miles east of Gary, injured four resident, destroyed three homes and two mobile homes, and damaged 23 other homes. Fosston, also was hit by a tornado Wednesday and reports 5k 1 1 Branches and debris littered the from farms in the area indicate that other places were hit as well. Damage to crops and buildings in Norman County alone were estimated at $10 million, according to Gordon Nelson, a Gary city councilman. But Gary was the only city in Minnesota where people were killed by the storm. The Red Cross said yesterday that seven Gary residents remained hospitalized.

Victims were caught between the relief of being alive and the despair of losing thousands of dollars worth of property. "I myself think they're happy to be alive," said Nelson. "Sure, it's a lot of hard work ahead, but at least you're here to do it." Nelson, his wife Maureen and their six children escaped serious injury Wednesday morning although the tornado ripped their garage and part of the second story off their 4 U3 'Sin i 11. 3 1''. 4 Si3 kitchen.

i i Glen Andersen carried one of many clocks that stopped when the storm hit. f- 4 -1 -a .1 I4T yard in front of the John Moe home. home. "I think the numbness has started to wear off," Maureen Nelson said, "We can replace this," Nelson said, "but you can't replace a life like some of these people have to do." Ask Gary residents if they know any of those who died and you'll likely be told they know all of them. "In a town like this you know everybody," said Denise Schurde-vin.

That smailness has led to many offers of help from residents whose homes weren't so severely damaged. Jones said that only three of the 77 people left homeless by the storm were housed Wednesday night by the Red Cross. As of yesterday afternoon, all but two people had found places to live while their homes are being rebuilt. However, a number of people in Gary said yesterday that they are worried that there aren't enough carpenters and other skilled labor- 4 I I Only the foundation remained where a mobile home once stood. life fry A Burlington Northern railroad car ers nearby to rebuild the destroyed and damaged houses very soon.

Jones, who has helped relief ef- forts in many disasters, thinks the people of Gary will recover more was overturned by the storm. quickly than most, "I think the people here are good, solid stock," he said. "I think the spirit has been good." Tribune State Minneapolis(612)372-4542 News Bureaus Rochester 7C6 Marquette Bank Building (507)288-1417 St. Cloud 14 N. 7th Av.

(612)253-6366.