The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1917-07-19
MUCH DAMAGE
BY HAIL STORM
Thousands of Acres of Row
Crop Was Destroyed on
Tuesday Afternoon.
Wind Southwest of Town
Blew Down Several Build
ings and Windmills.


One of the worst hail storms that
ever visited Seward county fell here
Tuesday afternoon doing thousands
of dollars damage to the large row
crop that has been planted in this vi
cinity. A strip of ten or twelve
thousand acres running through the
western edge of the county is virtu-
ally laid bare as tennis court, Corn
that was nearly waist high was beat
EN- to the ground and in many places
the hail was more than eighteen inch
es deep. Ice floated in the low plac-
es near Frank Boles' farm west of
town on Wednesday morning follow
ing the storm.
A strong wind accompanied the
storm in some parts of the county.
A large barn was blown down on the
Eli Richardson farm southwest Of
town. The structure had been built
less than year. His wind mill also
was toppled over. Other wind mills
in that vicinity were badly damaged
One of Mr.. Richardson's boys was
caught in the storm. He laid down
in furrow for protection but his
back and ears were bruised and beat
en- awfully. Stock was injured in
that vicinity, too, and colt was re-
ported killed. Archie Stewards
house, about 10 miles southwest was
blown down. The house on the old
Boles farm was moved off its foun-
dation.
Mrs. Belief, widow living near
the state line about eight miles
southwest of here, was one of the
heaviest losers from the storm. A
horse, two or three hogs, all of her
turkeys and half Of her chickens
were killed. The shingles were
beaten off the roof of the house and
all Of the window lights were broken.
This was the worst part Of the storm
and the land in that vicinity looks
like the bed of river so thoroughly
did the hail tear up the soil.
Not much hail fell in Liberal The
devastated district began northwest
of Liberal in the C.. o. Davis
neighborhood and extended in "
shape along both sides of the city.
One strip ran south toward Tyrone
and another went east passing this
city about a mile north. Crops on
the C. W. Finley farm, l 1-2 miles
north were completely hailed out,
The storm extended on northeast and
cleaned out the crops for Ross, Ray
and ]. w .Fraim and w. G. Harnden.
In the C. o. Davis neighborhood
northwest of town, the crops Of the
whole community were wiped out
slick and clean. Among the heavy
losers were William Harrell, 0. M.
Nix, C. o. Davis, S. w. Corrigan, w..
J. Daniels, Frank Green, Dave Scott,
Sam Redford, Fred 6, Black, Ralph
Heath and Homer Kreble. Most Of
the men who lost had planted their
crops from one to four times and
finally had a good stand. Some of
it had been laid by and prospects
never were better. All the men
will go ahead with their work as
though nothing had happened. 1t is
this class that has made the west.
West of town B. F. Brown and ].
L. Boles were out of the path of the
storm. A few miles further west,
however, Arlie Atha and Lee Powell
were cleaned out. Trees in that
vicinity look as they do in winter.
Not leaf or twig is to- be seen.
"It was one of the worst hail
storms l have ever seen," said ]. Q.
Holland, who lives up near where the
storm began. 81 could look off to-
ward the Cimarron river and see
nothing but field Of ice. 1t look
ed just like big snow had fallen.
The river had been dry, but few
minutes after the storm it was rum
ming pretty full"
Some of. the stuff will come up
again and make little feed if the
weather stays cool for a few days,
NJ. L. Grover believes. But if the
sun comes out hot, the bruised corn
stalks will. die completelv.