Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 158, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1915 — PARTICULARS OF THE SUNDAY WINDSTORM [ARTICLE]

PARTICULARS OF THE SUNDAY WINDSTORM

Hit in Only a Few Places But Raised Havac Where It Struck—Young Farmer Injured. The Republican is indebted to Charles Battleday for the particulars of the storm that occurred Sunday in Newton county. Mr. Battleday drove over there Monday and remained for the day and visited the farms where the damage occurred. The first farm where the storm struck belongs to Joe. Matthews, of Illinois. L. The tenant is Jack Ulyat. There are two barns on the place and both, were wrecked. A large double corn crib and windmill . were also blown down. Three horses and one colt belonging to Mr. Ulyat were killed. The horses were insured but there was no insurance on the buildings. The barns on the Matthews farm were sixty feet square and quite tall. Both were completely destroyed. It is probable that Mr. Matthews’ loss will be $2,000. . Across the road to the north and .east are the buildings on the farm of George Battleday. The farm is occupied by Charles Battleday, son of the owner, who recentfly pur/ th Randolph Wright farm in Newton township. Young Mr. Battleday was at the barn when the wind struck and of course thought first for the safety of his family who were in the house and ran to the barn door. Just as he reached the door a piece of flying timber struck him across the face and other pieces struck his body. His nose was broken and one arm and his side injured. He was taken to Brook for treatment following the storm and his condition Monday was reported as critical.. The flying timbers from the .Matthews farm struck the front of the Battleday house and broke out the windows and resulted in other damage, moving the house partly off the foundation. The south side of the roof was also torn off. The top part of the barn was torn off slick and clean at the mow floor but the hay remained practically untouched. The windmill and the milk house at its base were destroyed. The double corn crib was turned over and so badly wrecked that but little if any good can be made of the timbers. All other outbuildings were wrecked and the splintered timbers scattered over the fields. The loss of the farm owner is estimated at $2,000. The storm then swept toward the north and east and for some distance directly toward the farm of Charles Battleday, of Rensselaer. The tenant on the farm saw it coming and they gathered the children in their arms in order to give them such protection as they could. Just before reaching the Battleday farm, however, the wind veered sharply to the east and struck the double com crib on the Bennett Lyons farm, wrecking the crib and killing four hogs. The windmill was also tom down. Apparently the storm raised at this point as no further damage resulted. S. T. Bresnahan reports that west of Parr large sections of metal roofing and other articels were deposited by the winds. Just where they came from he was unable to learn but they had evidently been carried a long distance. • „ Notwithstanding the heavy rains and wind the damage to wheat and oats does not seem extensive, although a number report fields where the grain was down considerably, necessitating greater card in its cutting.