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Go back to First Dividend Issued
Tornado Hits BellevilleThe dividend streak was broken for the first time in 1925. The purchase of a new engine, immediately followed by a 2 percent dividend, had caused a loss the previous year. This, combined with the expense of rebuilding part of its Belleville facilities, made it a nonpaying year for the KV - for 1925 was also the year a tornado struck Kishacoquillas Valley.The twister hit on Sunday, April 19. It is said to have looked like a great black ball rolling across the valley, and although short-lived, it cut a path 200 yards wide over the east end of town and passed right through the KV yard. The engine shed was blown over, burying engine No.3 and engine No.4. It was reported that No.4 was able to move under its own power, carrying part of the wreckage with it, but that No.3 wouldn't budge until the remainder of the building was taken away. Of course, a new building was needed, but apparently the directors couldn't make up their minds where to put it, as it was more than three months and several meetings later that they finally decided to build the new engine shed directly across the street from the old one. Getter donated his stable for wood which was used to construct the new shed. Damage to surrounding industries was also severe. The office and scale building of coal and feed dealer R.K. Yoder, was "mashed to the ground." A frame storeroom of Hertzler & Zook's Machine Co. toppled over, one side of a steel and frame building blew in and three carloads of machinery were destroyed. The industry hurt the most by the tornado was the Belleville Flour Mills. The large 100 by 40 foot (30.5 by 12.2 meters) mill was blown completely over, shorting out the electrical wires and starting a fire. Belleville - and two fire companies from Lewistown were called to fight the blaze. The building was destroyed, but the firemen's efforts did not go unrewarded. Walter Foltz, owner of the mill, treated them all to supper at the local Piper's Restaurant after the fire was extinguished. Although the storm was severe, no lives were lost. |
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