Postcard from the Past: Furious Storm

Compiled by Dick Perue

Terrific wind storm on Tuesday blew down buildings and trees

Traffic delayed generally

Much damage done to property in Dillon and Vicinity

These were the headline and subheads in the Oct. 10, 1903 issue of the Dillon Doublejack published in the Sierra Madre Mountains town of Dillon. The story reads:

The worst windstorm ever known in this part of the country occurred on Tuesday. The new Miner’s Hall and the Fuiks Brother’s store, both of which were in course of construction, were blown down. 

The Miner’s Hall was completely demolished and will have to be entirely rebuilt. Fuiks Brother’s store building was not so badly damaged but was blown off of its foundations.

The front of the livery stable was also torn off. The Miner’s Hall and Fuiks’ store were blown down in the morning and the livery stable during the afternoon.

There were a number of people coming over Bridger Pass during the storm and trees were falling everywhere, but no one was seriously hurt, although several people were bruised by blows from falling trees. 

Those who have come over the pass since the storm wonder that no one was killed as there are hundreds of trees lying across the road between here and Battle, and there are very few large trees left standing around Battle.

Most of the people who were out in the storm were compelled to stop and camp, as their teams would not travel in the storm. There are many freight teams on the road between this place and Rawlins which are delayed by the storm.

Short articles in the same issue of the newspaper note:

The weather is beautiful again after the storm.

Davy Crockett returned Wednesday from Battle. He was detained there for two days by the recent severe storm.

Alfred Brile returned Tuesday. He drove in from Rawlins and was obligated to stop and camp when he was 18 miles from Rawlins on account of the storm.

The carpenters began work on reconstructing the Miner’s Hall on Thursday. It will take some time to rebuild it as much of the lumber is broken up, and they will be obligated to get new material.