Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-06-23

THIS SECTION.
IMMENSE PROPERTY LOSS
Almost Total Destruction of Crops by
Hail, and Thousands Of Dollars
Damage to Buildings by a Terrific
Tornado and Electrical Storm
Fortunately No Loss Of Life.
The north half of Howard county
was visited late. Saturday afternoon by
most terrific hail and wind storm
which extended the, entire length of
the county and was part of general
storm which extended from Mankato,
Mimi, easterly through southern Min
nesota and northern Iowa, to the Miss
issippi River, while effects of the storm
were felt in Wisconsin.
Decorah and Waukon were in the
path of the storm and the first reports
of damage inflicted in these towns
were greatly exaggerated, although
considerable destruction to building re-
suited from wind and hail.
Austin suffered terribly from win
and many buildings were badly dam
aged.
Wind, hail and flood caused damage
estimated at $500, 600 in McGregor, and
at Prairie du Chen the loss from hail
was enormous.
Cresco was the most favored spot in
this county in the path of storm, the
damage being confined to broken
J branches and trees, slightly damaged
gardens and occasional window lights
broken.
| The electric light plant was badly
damaged, but it was sustained in the
severe thunder storm of Sunday morn
ing, when lightning struck the big
smoke stack and damaged it so badly
as to necessitate its rebuilding entirely.
A large section of brick from near its
top crashed through the roof of the
power house and fell upon one of the
boilers, but did no injury other than to
the roof. After knocking off the mass
of brick, the bolt cracked the stack its
entire length, emerging just above the
roof of the spower house. Mr..
Freehauf carried, we understand, an
insurance of s250O on the stack, but it
will not cover the loss.
Destruction and encouragement
reigns supreme in the country. Crops
which promised so much are totally de-
stroyed in many places but in others
where the hail was not so bad part
of the crop will be saved if favorable
weather prevails.
The storm, according to the best ac-
counts we can get at this time, it be-
ing difficult to get details as the tele-
phone lines are badly disabled, enter
ed the county at the west, the storm
being worst north from Riceville up
into Minnesota. 1t extended eastward
but Saratoga escaped the hail but was
visited by terrific wind and heavy rain.
| Considerable damage was done in the
vicinity of Davis Corners, where H.
Morande's barn was blown down. All
through from Riceville to Davis Corn
ers windmills suffered badly and it is
estimated that about 100 were destroy
ed in this vicinity.
Chester was badly damaged by hail,
it being reported that not window
light remained whole in the west side
of buildings there.
Lime Springs was badly damaged by
hail. Several large windows in the
National Bank, Postoffice and McCul-
loch store being knocked out. The new
school house also suffered, all the win
dows in the west side being destroyed.
4 About north of Davis Corners, the
storm spread to the south and hail de-
lstroyed most Of the crops south of the
river at Vernon to the Hollister place.
| The storm seemed to follow the river
farther to the southeast and from
farms as far southeast as that of j. D.
Hayes comes reports of almost tota
destruction of crops.
4 Another section of the hail storm
seemed to travel northeast from Davis
Corners through Howard Center twp,
to Bonair and northeast causing almos
total destruction to all crops and caus
ing much damage to buildings and wind
mills. Still another section of the storm
seemed to follow more or less the low;
river from Lime Spring to Granger ant
then northeast into Minnesota. and il
was in the path of this storm that dis
i truction was almost complete to crop
and vegetation generally.
The storm left Howard county an,
preceded east over into Wisconsin
and from Burr Oak, Decorah, Waukol
Lansing, McGregor and Prairie du
Chen come reports of immense dam
age to crops and property.
The storm was the worst ever in tn
history of this section, both in respec
!, to territory covered and property los
sustained. The hail storm was abou
rs miles in width and extended for
distance of about $50 miles.