The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-08-18
HAIL STORM AT
DANE VALLEY
A Strip Of Rich Farm Land De-
vastated by Hail Last Sun
day Afternoon

/
days that sometimes visit Eastern
Montana aud which are often a
forerunner OF a hail storm. Along
about 3 o'clock IN the afternoon a
heavy bank Of clouds appeared in
the west and shortly afterwards a
violent wind storm arose. The
editor and his family were at
Asmus Thomsen's in Dane Valley
at the time and the south edge Of
the storm reached there, but at
this place the damage was slight.
The hail storm struck Dane
Valley about 4 O'Clock IN the after
noon and a strip about three miles
wide and probably ten or twelve
miles long was most severly dam.
aged. The storm came from the
northwest and the hail started
near the main road south OF Froid
and extended in a southeasterly
direction between McCabe and
Dane Valley postofiice. VIM. Nc.
Brides ranch was at the southern
edge OF the storm and McCabe.
several miles northwest, was at
the other side. The storm seemed
to center around the farms of Jacob
Olson, Ole Olson and Chris Olson
all Of whom were hailed out with
practically a total loss to standing
wheat and oats. while grain IN the
shock was also badly damaged.
Flax that was nearly ripe was bad
ly damaged, while that still green
was damaged probably th,rd
A few had hail insurance aud these
were lucky.
Probably fair estimate would
be to say that the farmers IN the
strip visited by the hail storm lost
half their crop. There was i'm
mense Quantities oi water came
down with the hail, some report
as much as two inches on the level
which came down in sheets and
large splotches as big as persons
hand. Ii was a peculiar storm in.
asmuch as 1t only lasted about
twenty minutes. After it was over
the sun came out clear and hoi
while a small rainbow could be
seer. away over to the southeast,
where the last OF the storm seemed
to be spending ITS remaining iuIy.
This storm was about ten or
twelve miles south OF the one that
swept through Fl Peck aud Home
stead just a week previous, laying
waste a strip OF abou, the same
extent and following the same
general direction.
Among those whose crops were
badly damaged in Dane Valley
last Sunday were Rev. Brede
Johanson, NJ. Nygasrd, August
Fryhling, Louis Fryhling, N. p.
Jensen and many others. They |
say there rs never great loss
without some small gain, and the
amount OF moisture that tell on the
farms devastated will put the
ground in shape for bigger and
better crop next year
w. {. Evans, who lives about
seven miles north OF BainvIlle was
in town Tuesday and called at the
Sesrchlight Office. lie reports
that his farm and that OF his son
Earl Evans and George Runnels
were right in the center OF the hail
storm last Sunday afternoon. Mr..
Evans was already to start cutting
Monday morning on field OF flax,
but the hail saved him the trouble
as il was a total loss. Earl Evans
lost 40 acres OF oats. so acres of
fax and 100 acres Of wheat. Mr..
Evans was walking along Snake
Creek near his place Tuesday |
morning when he saw a bunch OF
leaves and sediment washed down
by the flood OF rain. He scraped
the leaves aside and found a big
bunch Of hail. a bushel or more,
and this was two days after the
storm. He reports that the storm
got lighter before it reached the
Little Muddy, about eight miles
east Of his place