Remember When?

I have heard people say that last week’s storm was unparalleled in the past, not so, read on.

50 YEARS AGO AUGUST 12, 1971

WINDSTORM DAMAGES ROOFS, SNAPS TREES

The worst wind and hailstorm to strike western Sanders County hit the Plains, Thompson Falls and Trout Creek areas Thursday afternoon stripping roofs, breaking large trees like matchsticks, and peppering the Trout Creek area with hail the size of marbles.

Some observers described the strong winds as “twister type.” Ranger George Leighton said actually two storms struck the area almost simultaneously. One came down Cherry Creek and the other came up the river from Trout Creek. They collided near Thompson River, to dump a downpour of rain over that area while knocking down trees like a pile of dominos.

In the Thompson Falls area, the Bernard DeLong home had shingles ripped from the roof and a fiberglass roof on the back porch was ripped off. The storm damaged two trees and the roofs of the K.A. Eggensperger and Mike Miller homes on Woodlin Lane before continuing into town. There it ripped the composition roofing from the home of Wally Britton and sent large sheets of roofing sailing down Maiden Lane. At the C.E. Rosdahl home, the fiberglass roof, frame, and all over the rear porch was ripped from the house and deposited on the courthouse lawn. The power post and meter were pulled from the front of the home and the wires snapped. Next door at the Heater home, a large birch tree was broken off near ground level.

On the hill, roofs on the shop of the Turk Cabinet Shop and the John Hagerman home were stripped. (I remember that we were in the living room watching the storm when the roofing blew off. It was quite impressive.)Trees were snapped and leaves littered almost every yard.

At Trout Creek, the Kenneth Cox barn was flattened and the hail flattened an uncut hayfield. The powerful wind snapped the tops out of large trees.

There were electric power outages at Thompson Falls and Trout Creek areas. Plains also suffered power outages, broken trees, and a heavy rainfall.

Mrs. Hank Kraus reported they estimated they lost a minimum of 200 trees in addition to the sign reading, “Tree Farm.” Mrs. Kraus said back in the woods, whole clumps of trees were broken in a matter of seconds.

M.J. (Joe) Sullivan said the dust whipped up by the storm blinded him while driving back from Plains and he stopped his automobile. However, the powerful wind pushed the car along after he had it stopped.

County Agent Bo Racicot said it took him an hour and a half to saw his way into his ranch on the Cherry Creek Road.

67 YEARS AGO • SEPTEMBER 2, 1954

CROPS, MILL SUFFER HEAVY DAMAGE IN WINDSTORM

A thunderstorm striking with sudden fury raked the full length of Thompson Falls with hail and high winds Monday evening, uprooting trees, damaging roofs, knocking out windows and flooding basements.

While numerous residences and business houses sustained water, hail or wind damage, the major damage was concentrated at the Thompson Falls Lumber Co. mill on the outskirts of town. There the wind uprooted three 50-foot steel towers embedded in concrete and knocked out 225 feet of overhead blower pipe carrying shavings from the planer to the burner. Two Handi-Houses, small frame structures, were wrecked also.

One of the houses was blown against the mill’s office and damaged beyond repair. The other was picked up and hurled 40 feet to the east where it collapsed into splinters. The strong winds also scattered lumber in the mill’s yard.

The storm, moving from the west, struck the Montana Power Co. plant first, knocking out several windows. At the Irwin Puphal home, a large tree in their yard was uprooted.

Power was knocked out on Main Street and other sections of the town before being restored by Montana Power Co. crews.

Trees were scattered across Highway 10A (now Highway 200) between town and Birdland Park.

Trees also blocked the road to Harlow’s Ranch. Harlow and others had to cut through 20 trees to reach town after the storm.

Within the city proper, the wind tore off part of the shingles of the Community Congregational Church and damaged roofs on several homes.

The Thompson River Ranch settlement (Snider) also felt the full fury of the storm. Six inches of hail were reported falling in that area with some the size of golf balls.

The rain accompanying the storm, flooded Thompson Falls’ Main Street and water in some places raced six inches over the sidewalks, backing up in basements at the Thompson Falls Drug store and the Black Bear hotel.

Water pouring down the middle approach across the railroad tracks washed gravel, dirt, and muck on the first rail siding burying it about six inches deep.

Considering what has happened in the past, I think we got off fairly lucky last week.