The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-07-25
NO loss Of LIFE IS REPORTED
RAIN. HAIL AND WIND UNITE IN
AWFUL WORK OF DE-
sTRUCTION.
SMALL TOWNS SUFFER SEVERELY
HUNDREDS OF FARM BUILDINGS
ARE
ARE DAZED.


portions of the Red River valley and
Central Minnesota Tuesday evening
and Wednesday morning caused wide
spread disaster to crops and buildings.
The cyclone first developed some dis
lance north of Conway, N. D., and
swept southeastward for a distance of
more than 100 miles, crossing the Red
river into Minnesota and striking many
towns on the Northern Pacific and
Great Northern railways. The path of
the storm varied in width from three
to ten miles. Rain fell in torrents, and
hail In some places, according to the
reports, covered the ground to a depth
OF from one to three inches.
Several hours later a second cyclone
came from the northwest and passed
across the valley south of Grand Forks,
wrecking the stations and other build
ings at Thompson and Emerald.
Wherever the wind and rain We're ac-
companied with hail in large quantities
the destruction of grain is reported as
total. Over wide areas the loss of
wheat will be almost complete, as the
grain was well headed and nearly ripe.
and the stalks were broken off by the
storm. even where they were not
Pounded to- the Ground
by the hail. Hundreds Of farm build
iCgs have been leveled. No loss of
life has thus far been reported, al
though number of injuries are an
nounced. Accurate details of the re-
suit Of the storm are coming in but
slowly, owing to the great destruction
of sthe telegraph and telephone lines in
every direction. The list Of injured
will be a long one, with perhaps in
stances of death, when full accounts
are received.
At Thompson, fourteen miles south Of
Grand Forks, three churches were de-
mOlished, one house broken into splin-
ters and the passenger depot and plat
form partially carried away. Three
fourths of the telegraph poles between
Thompson and Grand Forks were
blown down and distributed across the
tracks. At Belmont, near Fargo, the
Lutheran church, recently erected at
"a cost Of $4,000, was destroyed, together
with a large tWo-story school house
and several residences. kilograms from
Fergus Falls report the damage to
crops as especially severe in the towns
.of Parker's Prairie, Elmo, Leaf Lake,
Henning, Girard, Folden and Clitherel,
a wide area having been swept clear
of grain by the heaviest fall of hail
ever known in that section. Two-thirds
of the wheat is reported lost. Crooks
ton dispatches tell similar
Tales of Distress
resulting from the work of the storm
in the vicinity of that town.
From other parts of Minnesota come
reports of injuries to crops and other
interests. From $780, 900 to $4,000 dam
age was done to the crops within four
miles of Sank Center. Corn Is almost a
total loss, and wheat and other crops
will average little more than one-third.
Hail three inches in diameter fell, and
in many Of the houses every window
was broken.
A Spring Valley (Minn.) report says
that a storm of wind and hail which
passed over that place totally destroyed
the crops over a tract of country fifty
miles long and fifteen miles wide. A
special from Stewartville, Mimi, says
that all small grain in that region is
badly lodged and pounded into the
ground.
In the southern part Of Minnesota at
Rochester, Zumbrota and Goodhue
large losses are reported from the
storms which passed over that region.
Grain is, said to be largely damaged,
while many farm and town buildings.
grain elevators, wind mills and other
structures are destroyed or greatly in
jured. %s