Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-06-03


oegn to realize that it only means
monetary loss to delay in rebuilding at
once the homes swept away
Anent the awful storm of Saturday
there can be found at least one or two
instances having tinge of humor. One
that mas come to the attention OF the
DEMOCRAT finds Rev. Benjamin, of the
Methodist church in the title role. the
scene is in the basement of the parson.
age where after the house had been
swept off the foundation the reverend
gentleman AYERS he saw in the debris
being carried overhead in the wake of
the cyclone, the driving horse of Pat
Kelly. Pastor Ben iamin did not see it
exactly the way in which it occurs to US.
: but wouldn't it suggest itself to some
of our readers that it might be ikened
unto a chariot from the clouds above
coming down to take care of the preacher
and his family.
The havoc wrought by the storm when
it struck the elevators of the Armenia
and National companies, also totally
demolishing the big water tank of the
CT. Northern is shown very plainly
by the way in which the rails of the
track are twisted into knots resembling
anything from corkscrew to four-in-
hand necktie. The National elevator
. lies upside down in three sections on the
3 opposite side of the track from where its
!, location was before the storm broke
: The Armenia elevator, with still has
e considerable grain in it was a heavier
y obstacle and with its contents has a
terribly wrecked appearance. but was
,, not overturned, nor was it carried clear
y across the track. Both companies it is
\. understood have said they will rebuild
e at once.
y The building proposition now CON
+ fronts the Methodists of Langdon with
. greater emphasis than ever. They
) have not alone to put up church but
u home for their pastor. 1t Is natural to
: expect that contributions to help out
's such worthy cause under the existing
~ conditions should enable them to ac-
. complish the undertaking with but little
a effort. The destruction of the church
e and parsonage is complete In addition
10 Rev. Benjamin, the pastor, has lost all
= of his belongings, including his library
~ containing books to the value of $500.
l' At a meeting of the church deacons held
% tuesday afternoon at the office of
y Attorney Mcintyre 1t was dehr;'
&c decided to build and Or. ,,ooro u.te
was preser :. from Grand Forks. stated
that aid from churches all over the state
could be looked for. Their Sunday
services will be at the Court House at
-, the usual hours, with Sunday school at
ten o'clock in the afternoon.
a The duration of the storm is a ones
in ton OF considerable variance of opinion
e. but MIR. Adam Reid, who was an eve
r witness of the whole thing from the first
i. formation of the funnel shaped cloud
IN snort distance south east of town. to
IL the time when it could be seen careeniue
ye away to the northwest, saws that IFS
''.N>''
train Watching the violence of the
.e weather which preceded the cyclone he
rt LETT MS house going in a direction op-
= poslte to that of the storm and from the
,e railroad track near the Barcelo residence
>. was able to safely witness the storm AS
ia 1t swept over the town below him. 1t
g was on his return to his home that he
found the dead body of MIR, and Mrs.
:. Joseph Powers ten year old little boy.
! who was xii ed by heavy piece of
timber carried through the air nearly
!. :. quarter of a mile from the actual path
:. of the storm. The poor little fellow
had been playing ball with some of his
school boy friends up on the hill during
the afternoon and was caught by the
flying missl while running to find
q shelter.
: :, Among those upon whom the loss is
y certain to fall heaviest are the stricken
= sufferers in South Langdon, where the
. storms path has left homeless the
families of no less than seven honest,
;, hard working wage earners. There are
number of others over there who will
also have considerable expense in putting
u their homes in order. South Langdon is
X section of the city where the work of
" the relief committee is needed first, and
g. is already being given attention. Across
Is the track there was no insurance and it
7r was complete clean up with nearly if
D. not all who got caught. The list of
" injured includes the wife of Section
10 Foreman John Lee, who sustained
compound leg fracture and other in
|y juries. AT first it was thought she
n could not live, but her condition is now
1t more favorable. John Diamond has a
r, broken collar bone, two bad face and
,e head wounds, that required stitching