Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1915 — Cyclone Damage in Newton County. [ARTICLE]

Cyclone Damage in Newton County.

Henry Wortley, of west of town, visited the scene of Sunday’s cyclone 3 miles south and 2 miles west of Mt. Ayr, Monday and assisted in clearing up the wreck. He tells The Democrat that there were probably 75 people there, neighbors and people from Brook, who assisted in picking up the lumber and kindling which were strewn all over the fields. Some pieces of kindling and shingles were even blown as far as Surrey and Parr, it is said. The cyclone dipped down and struck the farms occupied by Jack Ulyatt and Charles Battleday and mowed a path about 50 feet wide. Practically all the damage done was at these two places. It came about 11:30 a. m., Sunday. Baftleday’s stock was all in the field and therefore escaped injury. Mr. Battleday and boys were playing softball in the haymow of the barn w’hen the storm struck there. In making their escape from the building, Battleday was struck by a piece of flying timber and got his nose broken. He was also injured in the breast and arm. The barn, which was nearly,demolished, was a good structure and practically new;. The Battleday house, also a good building that had been erected perhaps ten or twelve years, was moved off the foundations about six inches and so racked that there were cracks in the upstairs rooms one could shove their hand in. At Ulyatt’s all the buildings were destroyed except the house. Ulyatt’s 13 horses were in the field near the barn and ran to the barn when the storm came up. Four of these, three hordes and a colt, were killed and the others injured so that it was feared that he might lose them all. Ulyatt had cyclone insurance but Battleday had none. The rain fell in torrents during the storm. It w'as estimated , that 2,000 people from Brook and other owns and the surrounding country visited the scene Sunday afternoon and Monday.