Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 117, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1915 — REMINGTON PROMPT IN CLEARING RUINS [ARTICLE]

REMINGTON PROMPT IN CLEARING RUINS

Debris Being Cleared Away Following Saturday Evening Cyclone— Damage Many Thousands. Remington people were active in clearing up the debris from the Saturday evening cyclone. The editor of The Republican spent an hour there Monday evening and throughout the residence section where great trees had been blown down and barns and other outbuildings wrecked, the work of clearing it up was underway. Bonfires of green limbs were burning high in the streets and men and women were engaged in the task of removing the limbs of the trees and the timbers from the streets. The storm came from the northwest and struck the town at the point where the main north and south road enters the city. The road was impassable for some time after the storm, trees being blown entirely across-at. The course of the storm was southeast and practically every building in the path suffered damage. Barns were torn so entirely to pieces that not a particle of the timbers are of value except for kindling. The cupola of the Cathoilc church was not seriously damaged, but the cross on the top was bent and a portion of the slate roof damaged when hit by flying timbers.

The sheet metal roof on the Hensler building was rolled up and carried to the depot, Where it still lay Monday evening. It resembled the wreck of a battleship. Timbers were torn from the roof at the same time the metal went off and these struck the north front of the Peck store and broke out the door and four plate glass windows. A wagon load of lumber went through the windows and door and landed about the grocery department, breaking show cases and doing other damage. A portion of the southeast corner of the brick wall was knocked out by flying timbers. The building the store occupies is owned by 0. P. Tabor, of Wabash, who was on hand Monday to witness the wreck and to have the repairs made. He estimated his damage at about S7OO. A freak of the storm was the jamming of an inch board through the window casing on the second floor of the bank building. It had struck in such manner as to be driven between the casing and the brick wall and was held as firmly as though it-had been nailed into position. Some windows were broken out of the second floor of the bank building. John Zimmerman’t butchershop occupied an old frame building and it was badly wrecked, timbers sticking into the weatherboarding in a dozen or more places. The frame building occupied by Miss Kate Begse’s millinery store had the front knocked out and She moved to another building. A plate glass window in Ernest Rawlihgs’ restaurant was cracked and another timber had struck the woodwork just an inch away from the large front window. Timbers were scattered all over the town and chimneys were wrecked and had fallen on the roofs.

Fortunately no one was injured, although those in Peck’s store had a very close call. James Hamilton was standing near a dried fruit case. A 2x4 timber passed through the case and struck a stack of flour near him. The timber had passed within a few inches of Jim’s head. Clerk’s in the store had spoken about the darkness and the appearance of a storm just a second before the crash that knocked the side of the store in. The most complete wreck was at the old Durand farm where Frank Newbold and Napoleon Marcott live. All the buildings were blown down, the barns being scattered along in twisted and broken bits for a long distance. Mrs. Newbold and little child were pinned between a side wall of the house and a heavy cupboard, which fortunately fell in a manner to lean against the wall. Mr. {fewbold went to shut the door which had blown open and was carried out of the house. Charles Battleday, of Rensselaer, reports damage on has farm in Newton county, south of Mt. Ayr. A hog house, 12x14 feet, and a tool shed 12x16 feet, were wrecked, shingles were torn from the granary and the crib and several apple trees were either uprooted or twisted off. He estimates his loss at about $250.

Charley Burklan, in the same neighborhood, lost a scale house and chicken house and several apple trees. Ben Woolley had a corn crib torn from its foundation and Dave Schanlaub suffered damage by having windows in his house broken out. The storm came from the northwest and was evidently the same one that raised the havoc in Remington. Mr. Battle-; day visited his farm Monday and was surprised to find that the storm had been so severe. Fortunately his loss wns partly covered by windstorm insurance.

Save the flowers so far as possible for Memorial Day. Let every patriotic person try to have flowers to be used in garlanding the graves of those brave men who went out to fight for the preservation of the uniop. The day will be observed with the usual custom in this city on May 30th, which is a week from next Sunday. It should be the desire of all to make it an event of honor to the living as well as the dead veterans of that great conflict. Save the flowers. . Business dull? There's a fine tonic at hand. Try Republican advertising.