The Fargo daily Argus, of the 19th, comes laden with the details of a terribly destructive storm, which swept through the Red river valley on Tuesday night, doing great damage to life, limb and property. The storm seems to have commenced about Casselton, and the following from the Argus gives details of damage: Six miles south of Casselton, the house, barn and grain stacks of G. A. Medberry were blown down by the wind and completely demolished. Mr. Medberry was badly hurt in the back, Mrs. Medberry was seriously bruised about the chest and head, one child badly cut on the head, and another sustained a sprained ankle. In the same neighborhood, the house, barn and grain of C. L. Medberry were wrecked, and he loses nearly the total product of his industry, but no one was injured. A. B. Medberry, near by, had his house and granary blown into the river, and lost seventy-five acres of wheat. William Weaver and – Jenks each had a house blown down, and sustained heavy losses of crops.
Mr. Guptill’s Report. Mr. A. B. Guptill, who was in the city, returned to his home by the Wednesday morning train, expecting to find sad havoc on his farm, judging from rumors which had reached Fargo from there. He found everything all right in and about Wheatland. Mr. Guptill saw Mr. William Weaver, who resides eight and a half miles south of Casselton, and one half miles east. Mr. Weaver stated that the water spout struck on his farm, and as it reached the earth spread out like a fan, a mile in width, carrying everything before it; he had a new dwelling nearly completed, which was totally demolished and carried away; some four thousand bushels of oats and two thousand of wheat was also destroyed. Mr. Weaver’s separator was torn into numerous pieces and scattered about, but no stock was killed or persons injured on his place. Mr. and Mrs. Medberry, adjoining neighbors, were both badly bruised, but not seriously hurt. Mr. Brown, east of Mr. Weaver’s, was most seriously injured. So far as Mr. Guptill could learn the above are the only serious results in the vicinity mentioned.
South of Mapleton. The hurricane passed south of this village, wreaking its fury upon everything on the surface of the country. Its path in this locality, as elsewhere, was not more than a quarter of a mile wide, but within that range everything that was not buried felt the terrible effects of its force and violence. The house recently built by John Lowell was torn down by the tempest, and will be a total loss; valued at about $1,500. Serious damage is reported to the crops, but the exact percentage of loss it will take several days to figure.
Along the Sheyenne. Mr. Hendrick Clemensen, and old settler on section 26-138 50, twelve miles south of Fargo, on the Sheyenne, came in yesterday and reported that his house was blown down Tuesday night and one hundred and twenty acres of wheat in the shock so scattered as not to be found. His son, Christian, living one and a half miles south of him, had his house unroofed and fifteen acres of crop destroyed. Five other houses in the neighborhood were blown down and a general destruction of crops reported.
Only Death Reported. The only fatal accident yet reported occurred at the farm of A. Brunel, beyond the second crossing of the Sheyenne, about five miles from Norman. The house at this place contained Brunel, his wife and two farm hands. One of the latter named Octave Rois, was instantly killed by the falling in of the walls, while Brunel, Mrs. Brunel and the other hired man were badly bruised, the last having some of his ribs fractured besides. Altogether eight houses are reported blown down in this locality, and the crops almost destroyed in the path of the tempest. Shocks of wheat were lifted bodily by the whirling winds and scattered far and wide over the prairie.
Terror and Destruction. Edward Thompson, living about twelve miles southwest of Fargo, on the southeast comer of town 138, range 50, was severely injured in the back between the shoulders; his brother William, who is living in the same house, had his arm broken in two places and had his head cut. The account that Mr. Thompson gives is, that before they were hardly aware of the presence of the storm, having retired, they found themselves houseless ad homeless. Every stick of timber was whirled out of sight; out of eleven head of horses only one was found in the morning. A reaper that stood by the barn was blown into a thousand pieces, and nothing of it could be found the next day. A few spokes of a wagon and the bent and .twisted wires of a rake were all that was left as an evidence of their former existence. The clothing, furniture and other household accessories were blown nitherward. None of the family but the two men, Edward and William, were injured.
Samuel Basserton, whose house is on the same section as Thompson’s, lost everything he had on his claim. It is reported that his wife had her arm broken. They were married about three weeks ago, when they moved to the farm. Hard Luck. Frank Lefevre, who has a claim on the same section with Mr. Thompson, went out there from Fargo Tuesday to see about cutting his wheat; he was in bed at the time the storm came up, and had only time to get to the door, when his house was raised up by the force of the wind and blown about twenty feet, striking on the corner, and in less time than it took to tell it, he found himself on his back, and not a vestige of the house to be seen; he lost all his clothes and a pocket book with $45.00. He was bruised so that he could not walk, but crawled to a hay stack, where he lay all night; he was brought to town by Ross Frederickson, a neighbor; who went out yesterday morning to see the ruins, and discovered Lefevre.
Eugene Montigny, living in section 32-138-49, which is twelve miles southwest of Fargo, reports his house blown down and scattered, and everything in it carried away; his wagon was broken badly, and his wife somewhat injured, but not seriously. His stable and stock were uninjured. Mr. M. had 180 acres of wheat, mostly in shock, only about five acres of which was touched. Philip Dubois, a neighbor of Montigny, had his house carried away, and contents a total loss. He reports a slight loss of grain, some machinery broken and carried off, but stock uninjured. The above named gentleman reports more or less injury to the following neighbors: A brother of Phillip Dubois lost a house; A. C. Brunel, Seriel Mieott, a Norwegian, about three-fourths of a mile west of Montigny, lost a house and some crop; another on the Wild Rice, had a total wreck of his dwelling, but no injury to persons, except the Norwegian on the Sheyenne, who required medical treatment.
Thoroughly Wrecked. Tuesday afternoon Mr. Andrews, one of Seymour, Sabin & Co.’s men, went out to Mr. Zimmerman’s, twelve miles southwest of Fargo, near the Maple river, to fix up a Minnesota Chief to get to work the next morning. The Chief was got up in order, and just as the party were ready for supper, which was on the table, their attention was attracted toward the west, to the gathering clouds. A roar was heard and the family were hurried to the cellar, reaching it in time to be saved. The cyclone struck the house and demolished it completely, a hay-rick was moved several feet, barn blown away and the separator blown to atoms, nothing being left of it but the cylinder. Mr. Andrews’ buggy was torn in pieces and everything carried away but one spring, left all twisted out of shape. An oil can was taken from an out-house and carried ten rods, being set down near the barn uninjured. Mr. Andrews speaks in high terms of the courage exhibited by the family, mentioning one daughter especially, who encouraged the children by cheering words and calmness of manner. He thinks the storm did not last over two minutes and a half. The tornado came from the west, and circled Mr. Zimmerman’s house from south to north. Mr. Z. loses three thousand bushels of wheat, completely blown away, he intended to begin threshing Wednesday morning. Just east of Mr. Z. lives a man whose name is said to be Kinney, whose wife and children are reported to have been saved by going to the cellar, while he was badly injured coming into the house just as the storm struck it. The house was a total wreck.
Under a Haystack. Mr. Grant, superintendent of Mr. Jotham Lowell’s farm, eight miles south of Casselton, and near Mr. Zimmerman’s, heard the storm coming, and struck for the open prairie, saying to the men to leave the buildings. Mr. Stewart went to the stable to release the horses and mules; the wind struck the barn before he could get there, and he dived for a hay stack, which toppled over and buried him ten feet deep, but without injury. One man, who remained in the house, was severely injured, the building being demolished; also a large granary just completed. The stable stood the test, and the stock were uninjured. All three of the buildings stood on 200 feet of ground; the two west ones were blown away and the stable left. The cyclone mowed a road thirty rods wide for over a mile on Mr. Lowell’s farm, demolishing everything in its path, and scattering the grain beyond recovery. The injured man was an employee of Mr. Dinsmore’s farm, of Stillwater, and was sent to St. Paul by train yesterday morning for treatment. He was badly injured.
Killed and Wounded. It is thought that all the cases of injury serious enough for consideration have been reported, but it is probable that the rumors still prevailing may have some basis in fact, and that another day may bring news of other casualties. Except the killing of Octave Rois, and the supposed fatal injuries of Mr. Brown, the personal assaults of the late cyclone appear to have been unimportant. Of the wounded, H. G. Ready, and William and Edward Thompson, were brought to Fargo yesterday for treatment. Following is a complete list of casualties as far as ascertained up to midnight:
Killed.
Octave Rois.
Wounded.
Casserton, Mrs. A. – Arm broken.
Brown – Internally (supposed fatally).
Brunel, A. – Head cut.
Brunel, Mrs. A. – Head cut.
Kinney – Reported severe.
Lefevre, Frank – Badly bruised.
Medberry, G. A. – Back hurt.
Medberry, Mrs. G. A. – Chest and head.
Medberry (child) – Head badly cut.
Medberry (child) – Broken ankle.
Ready, H. G. – Back and head.
Thompson, Edw. – Severely, back and shoulders.
Thompson, Wm. – Arm broken and head cut.
Lowell’s hired man – Badly bruised.
Brunel’s hired man – Badly bruised.
(Girl reported missing, but rumor not credited.)
Counting the Cost. The loss to the wheat interests of the valley will doubtless be shown to have been severe, but it will be noticed that great as may have been the damage inflicted by the storm in its course, the path of this cyclone was, in both directions, narrow, and its length not great. At the worst it could only have touched a small proportion of the farms in one county, and none of the cities or towns along the railroad suffered any detriment. It may be safely concluded that while the damage to individual interests has been severe, the product of the Red river valley as a whole this year, will not be visibly diminished.
Source:
Saint Paul Daily Globe
St. Paul, Minnesota
Friday, August 20, 1880, Page 2