The Holt County sentinel., 1907-07-26
A TWISTER At BlGLAKE.
storm OF Sunday Evening Did Much
Damage to the Residents
of this Section.

"a sAAS SSCtlOu.
BIG LAKE, Mo-, JULY 20, 1907: Sunday
evening, July IA, 1907, one of the most
Violent wIndstorms in the history of this
section OF the country swept down and
laid low everything in it's path. The cur
rents OF wind came from three directions
and person would hardly recognize
this beauty spot at present Barns were
blown down-also windmills and out
buildings. Orchards and timber were
stripped OF limbs and in many instances
trees were torn up by the roots and car.
rled quarter OF mile. The trees on
the island were whirled and torn out.
Mr. and Mrs Will Locke and Mrs. AL
bert S. Smith and Prof Gal aher and
family were occupying their cot.
tsgss Oh the island whenthe storm struck
and 1t was miracle that they escaped
unhurt- Limbs of trees were burlsd
past their cottage with velocity that
would have torn it to shreds had they
struck it. However only one did strike
1t and as result left hole about four
inches IN diameter in the roof of the
house. Mr.. Locke says that il his cot
tage had not been much stronger than
the usual run Of cattages. they would
have Jared much worse. As it was they
escaped unhurt and no worse for their
scare
John Iden was the heaviest loser. His
two barns, chicken house, windmill and
all the trees in front of his house were
blown down. His orchard is almost en-
tirely ruined. He had 50 acres of apple
trees and most of them are either blown
down or torn out by the roots. His barns
are laid fiat and are an entire loss with
the exception of 5000 insurance on the
big barn. His timber and corn fields
were also greatly damaged and his loss
is estimated considerably above 5000.
Mr.. Id-n and Mr.. Benight had a mar.
row escape with their lives. They were
IN the barn trying to hold the doors shut
when the hardest blow struck and wher
they saw the barn was going, they each
made dash TO clear themselves. MIR.
lder succeeded in reaching a tree and
be caught hold Of it with all his might,
and it is we'll that he did for he Was
raised in the air three times, but man
aged to keep his hold on the tree MIR.
Benight was 10; so fortunate and vas
struck by flying board and painfully
bruised and cut on the right arm and
side of his head. His injuries are rot
serious. but very painful. 4 team Of
MIR. Benight's was buried in the debris,
and after the storm, they went oscs to
look for them and were indeed surprised
to find them alive. The horses were Iy-
ing down and some timbess had fallen il
such manner that they were not hurt.
The horses had to be dragged out, ,as the
opening through which they bad to pass
was not large enough to get them out
any other way. A singular circumstance
was that the barn fell in one direction
and the windmill and corn CRIB in exact
ly the opposite direction.
Iden's Lake House vas not greatly
damaged. Two chimoeys we're blown
down, one door and or windows shat
tered. The small club house just below
was raised and lifted 6 feet from its
foundations and lodged against an apple
tree. His bath house was unroofed and
much other damage done.
Coke Jackson was also q heavy loser.
HIS barn was wracked and his orchard
ruined. He also sustained heavy losses
in his fields. His barn was insured. The
cottages along the shore were more or
less damaged-one being lifted from its
foundation. turned directly around and
lodged against the dock. Others were
damaged 80 that considerable repairing
is necessary.
We are indeed sorry to hear Of such
wholesale destruction of the property of
our friends in that section of the coun-
try, but We must say that We are glad
that the worst was confined to the build
ings and fields, and that no lives were
lost.
The storm started about $50 p. m.
and lasted about five minutes. The
damage done in those few minutes can
not be repaired in as many years.
H. W. G..
Our Poultry Industry.