Reminiscing

Asking for disaster relief not new to area

Worthington - Gov. Arne Carlson's staff announced on Jan. 13 that the governor would ask President Clinton for disaster relief funds to help in 1997 snow removal for 40 counties in western and southwestern Minnesota. Michael Vosburgh's article in the Jan. 17 Daily Globe announced that "President Clinton signed a major disaster area declaration"(Jan.16) authorizing the "release of federal funds for snow removal ..." in the area, including Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, and Rock counties

In 1969, fewer than 30 years ago, disaster relief for the area came twice.

Many readers will recall the year 1968, when Okabena Lake had been almost four feet below its normal level. Then came heavier amounts of rain than usual, for six weeks. Continuous rain from Tuesday night through Thursday night in mid-October caused flooding so that soybean harvest came to a standstill. It was thought that snow might prevent completion of the bean and corn harvest, when the rain changed to snow.

Okabena Lake was finally rising that fall as water poured in from the west inlet as well as the Whiskey Ditch inlet.

Within two or three days, the lake level was expected to return to normal.

A cutline below a Daily Globe photo of a flooded soybean field read, "A bumper crop is being lost in a month of relentless rainfall."

The Talcott Lake dam was being rebuilt that fall to raise it 18 inches and extend its length. It turned out to be the wrong time of year because September and October, normally dry months were wet that year and water over the dam ran almost level.

According to the Oct. 23, 1968 Daily Globe, "A state of emergency was declared on Tuesday, Oct. 22, for Minnesota's water soaked western counties."

Gov. Harold LeVander asked for federal assistance, after drenching rains that caused rivers to overflow their banks and put corn and bean harvests behind schedule.

Gov, Harold LeVander asked the federal Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) and the Department of Agriculture to "designate the worst-hit sections as disaster areas." Only about 35 percent of the soybean crop had been harvested by Oct. 19 or 20, compared with 75 percent in a normal year.

It was said that October of 1968 was the wettest October since 1931 around Tracy, Worthington, North Mankato, Madison and Waseca. Large parts of southern, western, and central Minnesota were affected by the heavy rainfall.

However, after southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa had had up to 6 inches of rain in one week, many farmers were combining beans on the fourth day of sunshine, allaying their fears for the time being. Still, there was extensive damage to the crops by rain, flooded fields, stalk rot and burst pods.

The October 1968 rainfall accumulation in the Worthington are, 4.95 inches total, was the largest in the previous 38 years. By Nov. 9 or 10, only about 40 percent of the corn crop had been picked. Not only was the harvest of both corn and beans held up by wet field conditions, but both had a high moisture content "to help diminish production prospects," according to a Daily Globe report.

Then came the snow. December of 1968 had a total of 20.9 inches while normal for December was 6.5 inches, according to the Jan. 2, 1969 Daily Globe. That was the heaviest December snowfall on record, going back as far as 1930. The total for the winter so far was 25.5 inches, twice as much as the normal of 12.5 inches through December.

More heavy snows fell in early January, bringing the closing of Highway 60 between Worthington and St. James because of blowing snow and zero visibility. Worthington City Clerk Gordon Thompson said that by Jan. 10, the snow removal budget for 1968, approximately $21,500, was just about adequate at the time, even considering substantial costs through November and December of 1968.

On Jan. 23 the Daily Globe reported a blizzard in southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa. All schools were closed in this corner of the state on Jan 24. No trains moved through Worthington from Jan. 22 to 27, they were stalled in drifts on both the Chicago and Northwestern and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific lines.

At the end of January 1969, Phil Iverson, Minnesota Civil Defense director, said there were state funds available to help local citizens with the snow emergency, but only after they made every effort themselves.

Gov. Harold LeVander had declared a statewide snow emergency, noting that the problems were most acute in southwest Minnesota. The lack of snow removal equipment was a critical factor. Most counties, townships, and cities in southwestern Minnesota had exceeded their budgets and were dipping into their reserve funds.

Farmers were tired of clearing their driveways, and residents had to dig out their mailboxes often, after plows piled snow at them and the fresh snow and wind blown snow buried them.

Some railroad tracks at Windom had been blocked since drifting  snow closed them in late January. Two weeks later, on Feb. 8, they were being cleared by bulldozers working seven days a week, 18 hours a day. Highway 16 going east from Worthington was also closed and had to be opened by bulldozers.

Just as happened in the Worthington area on Jan 1 and 2 this year, water began to trickle and flow in the streets in 1969, but not until Feb 22 and 23m when temperatures reached the upper 30's. Packed snow and ice on driveways and walks could finally be loosened, for the first time since the Dec 21 snowstorm.

Next week: Disaster relief came to area twice in 1969