The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1921-06-23

At the Earl Courtney farm the
storm destroyed 40x4O, barn, mod
ern chicken house and two other
buildings, leaving hardly anything ex-
cept spiinters on the place. The house
which stood several rods south Of the
other buildings, was somewhat twist
ed and some Of the windows were
blown In, but the damage was slight.
Mrs. Courtney told the reporter that
OF $40 large and small chickens only
a few remained. A binder was lifted
up bodily and turned upside down.
John Hansen, q neighbor Of Nj.
Courtney, lost. barn, which was
blown to pieces. -
Every building on Tie Bert Sides
farm, with the exception Of the house;
was smashed to pieces; and every
piece Of farm machinery on the place
was ruined. Paul Sidles, one Of the
boys, had thrilling experience and
was fortunate in escaping with only
a few bruises. He was standing in
the barn doorway when the storm
struck. Feeling the structure move
he started for the house, but the wind
was 50 strong he was obliged to grab
hold Of the artesian well pipe and
hang on for dear life. During slight
lull he thought he could continue and
reach the house safely, but he was
lifted up and carried about 100 yards,
landing unconscious in grove. When
he regained consciousness he was able
to get to the house unaided. Mrs.
Sides was on her way home from
Ludden when things began to get in
teresting and she stopped at the
Montgomery farm. She unhitched
the horse, took it into the barn and
then went to the house. Within few
seconds the barn was struck by light
ming and the horse was killed.
A barn on the A. H. Ferris farm
was totally destroyed, and the roof
torn off the granary.
Jacob Wilfert reports that his barn.
garage and blacksmith shop were de-
molished and the house damaged. He
lost Ford and an Overland car be-
sides a lot Of machinery. A ,2x4 was
blown through the bay window and
struck the piano, but fortunately all
Of the family escaped injury.
A barn and four other buildings
belonging to Hote Eddy were blown
away and the house badly twisted.
John Murkey had just completed
building a hog house, granary and
chicken house, but the. storm made
short work of them.
Telephone wires all over the coun-
try were down, and many poles were
broken off, which accounts for the
fact that few people here knew about
the storm until Sunday. Many groves
in that part Of the country were prac-
tically ruined. Trees a foot in diam
eter were uprooted as easily as if
they had been straws. Many Of the
men mentioned above lost horses, cat
tie and hogs, but they had not had
time to check up at the time they
were interviewed.
It is impossible to estimate the
damage, but it will be many thous-
ands Of dollars. Some Of the losers
carried insurance, but. the amount is
believed to be inconsiderable in COM
parison with the total loss.
Crops in the storm area were prac-
tically undamaged, although it is said.
that q little hail fell. Rain descended
in great sheets and the low spots are
filled with water, but. this will soon
dry up and the loss will be slight.
So far as is known there were no
casualties, and this Is. certainly re-
markable when the scope Of the storm
is taken into consideration. ss8
Farmers living in the stricken Sec
tion are already making preparations
to rebuild the structures destroyed.