The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-07-29
TORNADO DESTROYS
QUARl'E,::> ZION

Two Injured and Immense
M Property Loss
The storm which swept thru Ward
county from end to end on Thursday
N of last week proved to be a regular
4 "twister" as violent and destructive
as the storms so frequently pass thru
as the storms which frequently pass
/ thru the middle western states. Con-
] servative estimates as to the damage
!. in Ward county's storm places the
lion dollars. So far as we can learn
\ but one death and two seriously in
jured comprise the only human toll
exacted. Mrs. Anthony Botz whose
death occurred few moments after
the storm had swept their home from
the face of the earth, Mr.. Botz, who
Joseph's hospital, and Elbridge Whit
southeast of Genoa, who was injured
ticle Of household furnishing fell upon
ulil do CAC otO1M up-CuuGu CHc IlOuoS
where he and brother had taken
farm are the only personal injuries
sustained by our people. There We're
a number Of hair-breadth escapes,
Sawyer farmer saw the storm ap-
proacking and drove his team to the
barn and started to unhitch just as
<1a ~ Ia e%~ h4 lp,s~y
Z 20 the place where it was customary
for him to stop his team, man and
team would most certainly have been
destroyed. AS it was the spiral shap-
ed cloud passed so close that he was
picked,off his feet bv the suction.
Just few shreds are left scattered
about the coulee to mark the spot
where once stood the comfortable, tho
humble domicile Of the Botz family
in Mann's coulee. A few sections
of the floor piled about the barnyard
are all the parts left of sufficient size
to identify. Splinters of wood,
pieces of furniture and many of the
treasured keep-sakes of the parents
and children are strewn over the hill
side and thru the adjoining. coulees for
a distance of fully mile. A party
of sight-seers visiting the scene the
morning after picked up case con-
tanning two of Mrs. Botz's rings, sad
reminders Of joyous days. The case
was picked up shout twenty rods
from where the house had stood. The
remains of what was once comfort.
able wicker rocking chair was picked
up in a coulee three quarters Of mile
away. A baby carriage, the family
sewing machine and various other
household utensils were seen scatter.
ed about the farm. A Ford touring
car which stood in a cement floored
garage near the house was thrown
distance of 80 feet, the top broken of,
the windshield smashed, the steering
wheel torn away and the cushions
ripped. Nothing Of any value what:
ever remains, worthy of mention, OF
the Botz home in Mann Coulee.
AS the storm swept onward it struck
the William Klein farm buildings
wrecking the barn and moving the
house fully five feet from the founda-
ton. A granary was lifted from its
foundation and another large barn,
just constructed last fall was lifted
from its foundation and moved dis
tance of about six feet.
]. F. Amman Of St. Henry's town
ship, 26 miles miles northwest was
in the city Saturday and gave the
Independent a graphic account Of the
storm as it passed thru his section.
Here the Welton Engelhart barn and
two well-rigs in operation there were
completely riddled and the farm house
badly damaged. Seven horses stand
ing harnessed in their stalls were
buried in the debris and by the prompt
work of corps of workers with the
assistance of gas tractor the horses
were rescued with no greater injury
than a few cuts and bruises. At
the Matt Phillips farm the upper and
back portions of fine barn were
torn away and an older structure en-
tirely demolished. Several other
buildings were also destroyed or dam
aged. Mrs. Miller's barn lies COM
plete wreck. Joe Kloosterman's barn
and out-buildings were blown down.
On the Ed Kloosterman farm, his barn
was moved from its foundation and a
machine shed and other buildings
damaged. Glen Kloosterman, an,
other Of the brothers, suffered prob
ably the greatest loss Of any in the
St. Henry's district. Here the storm
was angriest. Shrubs, trees, fences,
fence posts, barn, house, granary and
other buildings were swept away. For
tunately there was no family residing
here or the loss of life in Thursdays
storm would certainly have been
greater. At the Chas. Hill farm
all the buildings except the house were
carried away. Here a horse was so
badly injured by flying timbers that
it was necessary to kill the animal.
The barn and chicken-coop were taken
and every window on the storm side
Of the house blown in. On the Louis
Oliver farm horse was found dead
in the pasture, having been killed out
right by flying timbers. From st.
Henry's the storm took an irregular
course south by southeast, passing
just above the city to land in Mann's
coulee, at. the Botz home.
The St. Henry people are very
grateful to Joe Williamson, driver Of
~, o;1 40 NJ fn,p tho CfonIorI MI IN