Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 22, 1968, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press monday july 22, 1968 Tornado pounces on la Riviere farms smashed outbuilding on farm of Asther Matthys near la Riviere by Joe Wiesenfeld la Riviere Man staff Wilfred Matthys stood in his farmyard three Miles Southwest of la Riviere at about 6 30 p m saturday and watched the twister forming above his 150 acres of sum Mer fallow. From its Point of. Origin the Tornado moving in a North East direction carved a Swath of destruction 200 Yards wide and 20 Miles Long dying out just Short of Miami Man for or Matthys and his two Brothers that also farm near him the twister was one More link in a Chain of disasters dating from april 30 although it started on his land the twister left his farm untouched the storm started its rampage on his brother Asther s farm one and one half Miles from la Riv Here in an interview in his Bro ther s jew r e c k e d farmyard sunday afternoon Wilfred Matthys talked calmly about this and earlier misfortunes to befall the family this year every budding in the Yard was wrecked except for the House he estimated damage at about the storm also struck arse he Matthys farm damage there about on the first of june or. Storm ruined town campsite outside la Riviere storm stirs up memories of 55 by Heather at 4 30 pm on july 19, 13 years ago a Tornado ripped through Vita Man., injuring 30, ripping out Hydro poles and Trees and destroying Worth of property in this town of 400, some 75 Miles Southeast of Winnipeg this is the Tornado that s called to mind whenever the prov me is hit again none since has had the catastrophic effect of that 1955 twister that destroyed Homes a store garages a school the Church and forced townspeople to Appeal to the Canadian disaster Relief fund for Aid when the two minute funnel hit most of the residents were out watching sunday game. The storm moved in along a gravel Road from the Westr string of ripped tip Power lines and Telephone pole in its Wake one Man was hurled out of his Home and snarled in the mass of tangled wire. The town doctor worked All night on the 30 who suffered injuries Twenty Homes were completely ruined the Winnipeg free press reported that the town was horrifyingly reminiscent of a German Village after a bombardment this was the fourth violent windstorm to hit Vita since the 1920s, but the 1955 disaster outdid them More 1958 others have since destroyed crops ripped up Trees and smashed farm buildings in August 1956, were uprooted and barns destroyed at Oak Lake and source. In 1957, two july tornadoes hit Amaranth and Alonsa the Amaranth twister Cut a seven mile Swath a few Yards wide. Gardenton was hit in 1958 at Crystal City in May of 1959, a funnel sucked windows from a farmhouse and damaged barns another hit Lasalle and a third ripped up hundreds of Trees in Manigotagan Wood Bay Brightstone Rhoda and Pine Falls tasted twisters that year As. Well. In july of 1960 a 15-minute Tornado slammed into a in freight Tram about 22 Miles East of Brandon sweeping 60 empty cars off the track some acres of Grain were flattened and a garage was blown through the Wall of a Home. Matthys said his brother a Sene was permanently bund de by a dynamite blast on his farm. The Day before his own farm had been consumed by ire he was just. Finishing replacing his burned buildings and equipment now he said both their fans neighbors were in the devastated farmyard pitching in to Clear away the debris two men stood at each of the two Gates leading to the farm keeping away the hordes of curious onlookers. I be b e e it turning cars Back since nine in the morn said one Man lust lined up All Day trying to get in look around get m the Road or Matthys said that his brother his wife and two children had hidden from the storm in the cellar of their House which suffered Only slight damage traffic of the roads in and around la Riviere was bum per to bumper sunday after noon. Crowds of people some concerned some curious wandered around the holi Day Mountain ski resort and nearby camping area the hardest hit sections the resort is nestled in a Small Valley among the Femma Hills in the of the Tornado the Trees that surrounded it Lay broken and twisted the roof of the building was gashed open exposing the wooden Frame beneath. The shingles that remained were torn and flapping m the wed. One Wall with eight picture windows had buckled and owner Noel later said it would have to be replaced Only one of the eight wifi Dows cracked in the twister a smorgasbord dinner held at the resort every sunday went ahead on at 2pm, the Cooks had already put out the fruit salad and pastry m the Large dung room where Wall showed the warped Marks of the twister s passage in a nearby camping area a number of converted rail Way cars now used As cot tages had been damaged two of the structures weigh ing about 28 tons each had been blown 60 feet to land m splinters at the Edge of the Pemba River. It sort of lifted up a Little and moved was How mrs j. M. Netterfield de scribed what the Tornado did to her converted railway in All the car equipped with furniture stove and. Assorted Kitchen utensils was shifted about 10 feet damage was confined to open cans of paint which spilled on the door we watched it out of he window at the top of the Hill for about five minutes and then it started to come Down. We turned off the electricity and Lay Down on the floor when we saw the barns from the Matthys farm go up. I think the heavy steel underneath the trader was All that saved us w. R. Jones a garage o orator in Riviere said the can coming through to View the wreckage had Emp tied his service station pumps twice and he bad an other Tanker standing by to., fill up the pumps again i. An unidentified lives about two Miles West of Here described the Tornado As scary but Beautiful you could see the Sun shining through the whirling dust for Harold a r n e to who farms three Miles North of Mamou the twister held nothing Beautiful his farm was also m the storm s path. The place looks like a bomb bad been dropped 5 Here sunday afternoon he was trying to clean up a bit the real work he said would be Gin monday close to 100 people wan dered _ around his farm inspecting the nuns while he worked. All ignored a keep out sign Strung Sonja wire across his driveway. He estimated damage at about stalls Are All that remain of Asther Matthys barn photographer has close Call hit the floor9 one of two converted railway cars crushed like child s toy by Dave Bonner v free press staff. Photographer As told to Gordon Arnold la Riviere Man. Staff my brother a Law Don gallic and i had just come up from in the River and we were putting pork chops on the Barbecue for supper. It was pm., saturday when we looked up and saw the twister sitting at the top of the huh. We weren t too concerned because it did t look very serious to us but then we re no experts. We thought that it would dissipate or at least go around the Valley. We stood and watched it until i thought i had better get some i found my camera in the Cabin unloaded. It took me a while to Load. It. When i got Back twister was still in the Ravine. I took a few pictures Tbod then it started to move towards inside and closed All the windows and then watched it through the windows. I took some Shore pictures and stood there for All the while get everybody organized and under the tables. The Cabins we were staying in Are converted rail Road cars so there were Jio basements to take shelter my an old used car Shack not too far from our Cabin had its like a piece of paper. Then just seemed to explode in All directions and we hit the floor. The building Shook pretty badly but it did t move. One of our neighbor s Cabins moved a Good 10 feet which gives Aretty Good idea of the Force of the since these Cabins weigh from 20 to 30 tons each. I _ _ Ai was t really conscious of it hitting the farm half Way up the Hiu 6r of it hitting the ski Lodge. Lix Ery body was concerned know was coming 4 _ As it turned out we All did. There in our Cabin and 18 in All in the four Cabins. the whole thing have lasted More perfect Day again except for All i the Debrer l ;