The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1921-07-07
TERRBLESTORM
STRIKES OAKES
Property Loss in This Territory Likely
to Exceed Half Million
Dollars
NO FATALITIES ARE REPORTED
Damage to Crops Offset by Benefit
Derived from Rain :

Damage to Crops Offset by Benefit
Derived from Rain
The worst windstorm that ever. Wis
tied this section of the country struck
Oakes last Saturday evening about
$3.50 o'clock. Within few minutes
the electric light and power plant had
been put out Of commission, leaving
the city in darkness and absolutely
without fire protection, and the sound
Of the fire whistle added to the terror
occasioned by the storm. Happily,
this was caused by a short circuit,
although it was not known at the
time.
People in the downtown district hur-
ried for cover and those remaining at
home made q bee line for the cellars
in the belief that a regular Kansas
tornado had made it's appearance and
the town was doomed. Women and
children screamed in abject terror. and
the men folks were decidedly pale
"behind the gills."
It is manifestly impossible to give
complete account Of everything that
happened during and after the storm,
because fully half the people in Oakes
suffered property loss Of some kind.
Windows were blown in, trees broken
of and strewn about the streets, tel
ephone and electric light poles were
blown down, leaving the wires lying
ON the ground in an indescribable tan
gle, houses unroofed, barns smashed
to pieces or blown away entirely, and
small buildings completely wrecked.
Automobiles left standing in the street
were shorn Of their tops and some Of
them were overturned and practically
ruined.
Very few people in this vicinity
were hurt, and none were killed. This
latter fact always will remain an un-
explained mystery, miracle. One Of
George Anderson's daughters was
struck in the back by flying timbers
of the wrecked barn and is badly in
jured, being paralyzed below the hips.
Her ultimate recovery is problemati-
cal at this time.
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. C. Feltis, living in
the northeastern part Of the city, were
in the house when it was overturned
by the wind. Both were badly shaken
up and bruised, and were taken to the
Barnes home as soon as they could
be extricated from the ruins. They
undoubtedly owe their lives to the fact
that they were both trying to hold
the west door shut and when the house
tipped over the furniture hit the bot
tom first. If they had been on the
east side Of the room there is no
doubt that they would have been kill
ed. Many others had a miraculous es-
.cape from death, some receiving minor
injuries and others emerging un-
scathed.
The roof was torn off the west end
Of ]. B. Andrews garage and one Of
the timbers driven through the side
of the house, narrowly missing Lyle,
who was preparing to go outdoors
but changed his mind just in time.
o. E. Elner's bungalow is minus it's
roof, which was taken completely off.
Everything in the house was soaked,
but no members Of the family were
injured.
The top of the Atlantic elevator was
broken off and smashed upon the
ground; the Home elevators drive
way was blown off, and the Cakes
Equity elevator was badly damaged.
The latter building had begun to lean
considerably and workmen had just
succeeded in Strengthening it day or
SO before the storm. If the building
had been left as it was undoubtedly it
would have been blown down..
Even the railroad companies have
to stand their share of the loss. The
Northern Pacific roundhouse was
picked up and literally smashed to
pieces, forcing crews to work all day
Sunday clearing the tracks.
One of the box cars in the N. p.
yards was turned over and another
lost its roof. The Northwestern
freight depot was moved about two
feet off it's foundation.
]. B. Gronbeck's garage on Second
street just north of the Cash Flour &
Feed store was blown out into the
street and demolished. Several cars
in the building were hardly moved,
though they were damaged somewhat
by flying timbers.
Part Of the Oakes National bank
roof was torn of, bricks flying in ev-
cry direction, but the damage will not
run very high.
The roof Of Geo. A. Tuthill's inn
plement building was damaged to
some extent.
The General Utilities corporation
suffered the loss Of a portion Of the
roof over the light plant and it took
several hours work to fix things up
SO they could run their machinery.
The smoke stack was broken off and
thrown upon the laundry building and
the corporation is now doing business
with an abbreviated stack, though
they are managing to get by tempo
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