Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-05-22
Cyclone North Of kimba||tOn!
No Lives Lost and But One Person Injured. Great
Damage to Property. Estimated at $4,000.

affected, yet the barn and house re-
ceived some injuries. Berthe Christen-
sen, living a quarter east on the east
and west road had his barn blown
from the foundation by what seemed
to be wing from the storm. On it
went tearing up fence posts and lay
ing them flat as though done by hui
man hands and but little tangled up.
From here it went on straight north
to Louie Hansen's place which it al
most entirely wrecked. The old part
OF the house was destroyed and Win
dows broken in the new and it all
wrenched. His large barn was throw
down like it was but plaything and
his hog shed, granary, corn crib,
chicken house and machinery all bro
ken up. His loss was about the heav-
lest in the list as his implements were
the best. Three thousand dollars
would not more than cover his entire
loss as hogs were killed and one COW
is missing yet. 1t next struck Chris
Nissen, about hrlf north and one
hundred yards on the east side of the
road. His large barn was badly warp
ed and his house blown entirely off
its foundation, the torce of the wind
seeming to shove it along on the
ground until it has banked the dirt
up couple of feet on the north side.
1t was almost Invested of the shingles
as they seemed picked off by hand.
The school house on the west side of
the road north of here quarter was
the next object in its path. Here the
whirling movement was plainly dis
cerDable as the monster seemed to
pick up the building and take it bod
lily from the Foundation and carry it
about fifteen feet to the west where it
piled the floor and side up together
and carrying the rest on down to the
south west while the storm was trav-
cling north. Great eight by eight stills
twenty feet long were torn loose and
hurled fifty feet or more while parts
of the roofing seemed to be couple
of hundred yards to the southwest,
and yet parts of seats might be seen
to the north east. 1t was plainly to
be seen that it was lifted bodily as the
coal was carried as far as the floor
went. Chris Jorgensen, living quar-
ter north, in the hollow lost his entire
house while his barn not over seventy
five yards west was but Slightly
affected, though large shed was I'M
rooted. His house was the most total
wreck this far in the track of the
storm. Most of them so far Lad only
been piled up, but here it was literal
ly blown away. nothing Of the house
hold goods were to be found but
rocking chair and the stove. Every
thing else was gone and parts of the
house could be found a mile further
in the storm. His wagons and farm
implements were strewn promiscu-
ously all over the bottom.
On north it ragged along the road,
striking hay loader about quarter
north, and left it laying on it's back.
1t then passed east of the road for
Nels Blair's, half north of Jorgep-
sens, on the west side of the road
was untouched.
| 1t seemed to save all its tremendous
fury and concentrate all its force on
the home of Jens Rasmussen, on the
north line of Sharon township and
nearly quarter east of the road it
had been following. Nothing but
shed kitchen was left to mark the
building spot. Chickens were picked
up and tumbled in the air, until their
feathers were gone. Hogs were kill
ed. Trees were twisted and broken.
Telephone poles were broken off and
wires are down. This is total loss
with no insurance. From here, north
for about two miles it struck only
couple of windmills and then seemed
to ascend and become part of the
clouds. Torrents of rain fell and the
dirt and mud plastered everything in
its track. We believe a conservative
estimate of the loss to all parties to be
Sl2, 100000 with but slight insurance,
though Jens Rasmussen is the only
one without any insurance at all. 1t
was sight we do not care to witness
again. 1t is the scene Of our boyhood
days. Our boyhood home was but a
mile west of the storm and every foot
OF the ground it covered is as familiar
to us as life itself. In the school house
destroyed both We editors have taught
school. The writer began his career as
teacher here, boarding with Louie
Hansen when all were just starting
in getting on in the world and we feel
the same pangs of disappointment
and encouragement as those who lost
do for they have been our earliest
friends and helped us when we needed
it and we will always remember them
most kindly. Their neighbors are all
responding most nobly to their assist
ance. Willing hands and open pocket
books are at their command. They, as
are all in the vicinity, devoutfully
thankful that they had ample time