Index for News Items, A C Lynn Zelmer. 
Copyright © 1910-1997 A C Lynn Zelmer and other copyright holders

Alberta Coal Branch
Damage $100,000


Heavy Snow Follows

Houses Lifted, Wrecked As Wind Hits 90 M.P.H.

Wind that at times reached a velocity of 90 miles an hour demolished houses and created havoc in four towns on the Coal Branch Thursday morning, according to reports received here.

The storm hit Cadomin, Luscar, Mountain Park and Leyland. There were no reports of persons suffering serious physical injury. Some had minor scratches.

Resulting damage has been estimated at more than $100,000. Heavy wet snow fell steadily after the wind storms, and by Friday morning had reached a depth of 19 inches. Further damage to weakened buildings is feared from the heavy snow.

Owing to the severity of the storm, worst experienced in the Coal Branch in 19 years, mine operations were suspended during the day. They were resumed Friday.

At Cadomin, where the storm struck at 2:00 a.m., the wind maintained a steady velocity of 50 miles an hour, with short gusts of three and four minute intervals that reached 90 miles an hour.

Roofs were torn from houses and hurled through the air for distances of 100 yards while four garages were demolished. Several of small residences were moved as much as 30 feet from their foundations.

Hundreds of windows were broken, power and telephone lines were down and telegraphic communications were restricted. The storm abated after noon.

One report said hardly a building in Cadomin or Leyland escaped damage. At Luscar, a mining company water tank was blown down,

It was reported Thursday that communication between Luscar and Mountain Park and Cadomin was limited to car traffic on the highway. Some coal trucks which reached Cadomin from Luscar reported severe damage to mine equipment.

Heavy loss was sustained by the Cadomin Coal Co. in damage to the plant and power lines. A large new garage for school vans, under construction, was demolished and the lumber scattered. Scores of brick chimneys were blown down and roofs ripped. An Edmonton plumber lost about $3,000 in fixtures, stored in the Canadian Legion warehouse, which were smashed when the building ripped to pieces.

Three incidents could have brought death or serious injury. The entire roof of a six-room house, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. D. Rocchio and family, was lifted clear and carried more than a hundred feet.

The roof and two side walls of a three-room house, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. William Coupland and their baby, was torn from the foundations while the occupants were in bed.

One of the storm's freak pranks was blowing a large coal truck off the highway while it was entering Cadomin.

Truckers reported large trees laying along the highway between Mountain Park and Cadomin.

Edmonton Bulletin, 5 January 1949.


The Alberta Coal Branch collection and its constituent resource materials copyright © 1910-1997 A C Lynn Zelmer and other copyright holders. Contact A Zelmer, Box 1414 Rockhampton Qld 4700 Australia; E-mail: L.Zelmer@CQU.edu.au . Last updated 5/5/97.