The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-08-18

Fargo. n. d.. Aug. 12.-Two million
bushels of wheat are estimated to
have been lost in the hailstorm which
partially destroyed the crop on nearly
100000 acres of land in the state yes
terday. Farmers who were in the
morning cutting wheat were
driven to their barns for shelter and
aftcrward found it unnecessary to
take the binders back to the fields, as
the grain had been harvested by hail
in a few brief moments.
Just before II o'clock the storm
struck the northern part of Cass and
the southern part of Trail counties.
In addition to big area over which
hail fell thickly. heavy wind and
rain storms completed the destruction
of thousands of acres of grain OH eth
er side Of the center of the path OF the
hail. Covering an area of fifteen
miles north and south. between Argus
Vile and Gardner in Cass to kelso in
Traill and an east and west territory
ranging from five miles wide on the
south to fifteen or twenty on the
north. the country is practically de-
vastated. The losses are estimated all
the way from 25 to 100 per cent of the
crop. The acreage lost in Cass and
Trail is placed at from one hundred
to two hundred thousand. Many con-.
sentative estimators say that 80 per
cent of the crop on 125. GOO acres are
not TOO large figures for the destruc-
ton in Cass and Trail. The former
seems to have suffere slightly worse
tEan the latter in acreage.
Iii the northern part of the county
the storm seems to have begun as far
west as Erie and Galesburg and gone
directly east on the county line be-
tween Cass and Trail to the Red river
and then over into Minnesota. The.
hail seems to have been heaviest along
this line. and big farms like the Grand
ms and Stanford's. near Kelso. were
completely wiped out. The destruction
is SO complete in many parts of the
devastated territory that no effort
will be made to harvest what is left.
AS an indication of the loss. G. II.
Knight telephoned in from his farm at
Grandin. stating that he had cut 200
acres before the storm and tomorrow
would start his plows to summer fall
low the other acres of his farm. A 80
per cent loss from hail almost equals
total loss. as What is lief! rarely pays
for harvesting and threshng.
The storm swept east from North
Dakota into Minnesota. and kilograms
from Halstad and Hendrum report ter,
riblc destruction. The lowest esti-
mate Of the loss in that vicinity has
been placed at 10000 acres. In all the
Stolln-Stricken sections insurance men
assert that less that 5 per cent of the
acreage was covered by hail insurance.
The large strips Of country on either
side of tho hail suffered just as Sc
verely rs the wind and rain tiartened
the grain ard beat it into the ground
sc badly that it cannot strai@llten up
on account of the ripened condition.
The loss seems doubly severe from
the facr that harvest was progressing
nicely. and from 10 to 90 per cent of
the crop was cut. The anticipated
large yields were instantly wiped out
just as the grain was ripe and golden.
Added to the great loss in this vi
ciIity. another storm is reported at
New Rockford. in Eddy county. where
it is asserted from % to 100 per cent
of the crop on 10000 acres Of wheat
was laid waste. The total loss will be
over a million dollars.
Minnesota Also Suffers.
Ada. Mimi. Aug. u. - This county
was yesterday visited by the most dis
aStrous hail storm in its history. and
thousands of acres of grain are now
lying total loss, many farmers being
entirely hailed out. The storm was
general throughout the county, and as
far as reports can be obtained. it trav-
ersed the entire length and breadth of
the county. doing considerable dam
age to a large area of grain on the
North Dakota side before crossing the
river into this county.
\ telegram received from Hendrum.
a small village on the Red river. says
that strip reaching three miles in
breadth and following the river was
visited by hail and crops are a total
loss there. In the immediate vicinity
CT Ada no hail fell, but the heavy
wind and rain caused the grain to
lodge. and this will cause considerable
less
Just how great the damage will
amount to is hard to say. but it has
been estimated that half of the entire
crop in this county is Il total loss.
About half Of this is insured, Parties
coming i'll from Twin Valley. small
village fifteen miles east of here. say
that hailstcneS the size of hens eggs
fell there. breaking window lights and
doing much damage besides that Of
the crOus.