HOW IT FEELS TO BE STRUCK BY A SMALLISH TORNADO
WOMAN WALKED MILE IN MIDNIGHT RAIN FOR AID
THANKS TO ALL.
To all the wonderful folks who assisted us after the tornado struck our place, we wish to say “Thank You and God Bless You All.” ~Mr. and Mrs. Glen Kanago and Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Kanago.
(Adaville Special)
Monday’s Globe-Post mentioned that shortly after 5 o’clock Sunday night LeMars appeared to have been slightly touched by a tornado, which didn’t quite come down to the ground—a statement difficult to prove, because nobody saw a funnel.
However, conclusive proof that there was one or more tornados in this area comes from the Adaville area, in Johnson township, on a line between LeMars and Akron. There several farms were hit by one or more tornadoes, and because of the narrow path and violence of the storms, there can be no doubt they were twisters.
Among the places hit were the Glen Kanago farm, probably the worst—13 miles west of the Schiefen (formerly Mallette) corner. Not far from the Kanago farm, toward Akron, the front was torn out of a large barn at the Elmer Phillips place. The building was lifted from its foundation and severely damaged.
Also hit was the Harry Hillrichs farm, 6 miles northeast of Akron. A barn was leveled and a few hogs were killed. Other buildings were damaged.
Mrs. Kanago, who writes the Adaville news for The Globe-Post, was in a position which all good newspapermen can appreciate as an agonizing experience; she had a first-rate story, and no way to get it to press. She also had no pictures, and no way to get them into print. Yesterday she was able to get to LeMars. The pictures—if the mails are working by that time, will be run Monday.
Another farm which suffered lesser damage was owned by Mrs. Mae Kanago, located 1 ½ miles east of the Glen Kanago place, and tenanted by Jorville Stinton. Likewise damaged were some buildings on the Axel Bay farm.
Mr. Kanago had been bothered with asthma. The heavy oppressive atmosphere of the last few days had aggravated his condition, and he had been under treatment by Dr. J. P. Trotzig, of Akron.
Mr. Kanago was up. He and his wife were in the kitchen of their farm home, when at 6:15 the lights went out. It was as dark as night. The wind was blowing only moderately. If the tornado gave off much noise, it was not noticed because of the roaring of the rain.
Suddenly the kitchen door blew open. Mrs. Kanago tried to close it. Suddenly the house was shaken to its foundations. There was a roar like a gigantic waterfall, with shattering, drumming overtones. Mr. and Mrs. Kanago remained in the kitchen; there was nothing else to do.
It was all over in a minute. The electric power remained off, because the lines were down. After a little while, some daylight returned, and Mrs. Kanago was able to check the damage.
She didn’t have much time for that, however, because the passing of the tornado had aggravated her husband’s asthma so much that she feared for his life. She went out to get the car to take him to the doctor at Akron without delay. The car was there, with hardly a dent on it, but the garage was gone. But she could not drive out, because two big trees had fallen over the lane, their tops twisted together.
It was nearly midnight when Mrs. Kanago decided that her husband’s condition was so serious that she had to get him to a doctor. She could not telephone, so walked a mile in the rain to the Stanley King farm for help. Mr. King brought his car, but just then his car lights failed.
There was nothing left to do but to cut out the wrecked trees to free the Kanago car. With axe and saw, Mrs. Kanago and Mr. King set to work on the trees. By sawing off the smaller branches, they were able to cut a tunnel through the leafy barrier, and to drive the car through. They got to Akron without incident, and Mr. Kanago improved under treatment at the Akron hospital. He remained the rest of the night under an oxygen tent.
There was a story around that Mr. Kanago had been injured by flying debris, but it was just his asthma.
Back at home, the Kanagos found out more about what the storm had done to them. A number of fine 60-year-old trees west of the house were uprooted; they may have saved the house by momentarily breaking the tornado’s force. The garage had been lifted up and scattered. A corn crib was scattered over 40 acres, as was a machine shed, and about $2,000 worth of tools were scattered around.
Screens were ripped loose, and a bathroom window as blown out. Not a single piece of glass could be found; it was gone with the wind. Doors blew out. A door between the dining room and living room was slammed shut so hard that it drove right through the door stop. It used to swing one way—now it swings either way on what is left of the hinges. A towel was found three quarters of a mile away. Nothing else in the bathroom was disturbed.
A front door, with a Yale lock, was torn out, ripping out the lock. But a truck and tractor, standing in the yard, were not damaged.
As soon as neighbors heard what had happened, they rallied to help. They picked up the scattered tools, dried them and oiled or waxed them. With farm machinery, they collected most of the scattered lumber.
Pictures taken by Eldon Kanago will be printed later, showing neighbors in front of a pile of lumber they picked out of a 40-acre plowed field. They picked the wreckage up Tuesday morning. In the afternoon, with a 4-row planter, a 2-row planter, 4 discs and 2 drags, they planted corn in this 40. (There had been oats there, but it didn’t look promising, so last week Mr. Kanago had plowed up this 40, expecting to plant the corn Monday.)
In the picture to be printed later front row, left to right: Terry King, Leslie King, Dale Stinton. The youngsters drove tractors in the field while the men loaded rubbish in the wagons.
Second row, kneeling: Jorville Stinton, Lowell Morehead, Dewey Johnson (Cyril Montagne’s hired hand) and Stanley King.
Standing: Duane Heber (working for Russell Anderson), Bruce Costar, Marlys Goodrich, Merle Costar and Glen Kanago.
Harold Wright and Harvey Dewey couldn’t stay for the picture.
Ladies helping with the dinner included Mrs. Jorville Stinton, her daughter Patty; Mrs. Stanley King; Mrs. Eldon Kanago. As is the custom, they brought or sent food for dinner and lunch.
***Note: Later issues of this newspaper did not produce good photos on newspaper microfilm.
CLEANING UP DROWNED CAR CAN COST OWNER AS MUCH AS $200
Washing Mud Out Alone Takes About 5 Hours
With hundreds of care caught in the flood in Le Martia—the LeMars trade area, a question of passing importance to the owners is, how much will it cost to put them back on the road?
The answer, according to a number of garage operators, may run anywhere between $100 to $200, provided the owner doesn’t make the clean-up occasion for general overall, which a few have elected to do.
The first part of the job is to take the seats and battery out. The battery can be thrown away—it’s ruined anyway, and has to be replaced.
The seats are then thoroughly washed with cold water. Covers have to be removed, and the springs and padding flushed out to remove the mud.
After this comes a thorough washing out of the car’s interior. This will remove a surprising amount of mud, grass, leaves and other debris.
More expensive is the engine. It has to be more or less taken apart, all oil lines have to be cleaned out. If there is extensive rusting, all that has to be polished off.
It’s up to the owner whether or not he’ll have the car thoroughly overhauled, but they won’t promise too much unless the owner is willing to make considerable replacements in the electrical system. How much is necessary depends on the age of the car.
If mud or water got into any part of the transmission, clutch or other mechanism, it will have to be cleaned out. Brakes generally have to be reworked.
The car will probably be pretty damp in places when the owner gets it back—especially the upholstery. Letting it stand in the hot sun—or better yet, driving it around, will help get rid of the moisture.
Owners with water damage coverage in their insurance policies can hand the bill to the insurance company for necessary work—but not for extras, such as new rings, valves, etc. Most car owners have such insurance.