Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1909 — DAMAGE DONE BY VICIOUS WINDS. [ARTICLE]

DAMAGE DONE BY VICIOUS WINDS.

City in Darkness Thursday Night and Several Buildings Blown Down by Sharp Northwester. The varying weather that made up the month of April got in a damaging stroke over northern Indiana Thursday night, and Rensselaer came in for more or less damage. The thickening clouds that gathered during the afternoon and caused a little rain In the early evening suddenly grew very black at about half after seven o'clock and a vertiable cyclone swung down from the northwest and hit a few spots in the city and coun'ry near by in its fury. Residents of the city were aware that a severe storm wSs raging Just as the electric lights went out, and the remainder ot the night the city was in darkness. Investigation of the cause showed that a large tree in front of the John Eger residence on Van Rensselaer street had been twisted off near the ground and fallen across the electric light wires, breaking down one pole and snapping off several of the wires. The damage could not be repaired at night and the current was turned off to prevent accidents, as the live wires were jumping around in a very threatening -manner, and Frank Leek with an automobile full of friends came almost crashing into the tree and the wires. A barn worth about SIOO on Mrs. Sarah Miller Flynn’s place in the northwest part of the city was blown down and scattered over the ground and much of the lumber ruined. A red barn on a tract of land owned bj George Ott, near Mrs. Slynn’s, was also blown to the ground, the timbers being scattered clear across the field. A small stable at the rear of Ike Kepner’s house In the same neighborhood, was also blown doWn. On the Squire Moore farm, occupied by Frank Weber, two good corn cribs were blown over and part of the shingles ripped off of (he barn. Hindmills are reported blown down or the wheels off at many farm houses. A shed at Coen & Brady’s elevator was unroofed, the large sliding doors at the Rensselaer Lumber Co.’e sheds were bent in and damaged and the Gwih Lumber Co.’s old sheds were more or less damaged. Many fruit trees about the city were also blown down. Probably the most serious damage was the blowing of several large stone ornaments from the tower of the court house. Some of these struck the slate roof and gouged holes of considerable proportion In It. Several pieces of tiling along the ridges were jarred off and there was quite a collection of debris on the south side of the court house. Several other pieces of tile were loosened and look as though they might fall at any time and persons passing on the south side of the court house should keep their eyes open. The storm was quite severe in Chicago and over northwestern Indiana. Four lives were reported lost in Chicago and at Michigan City a section of the prison wall was blown down. Warden Reid notified Governor Mar shall as soon as he could get a mesage through and that was not until midnight. The warden asked for a company of state militia to help guard the prisoners and an effort was made by the governor to send the South Bend company to the scene. Adjutant-General Perry was also sent to Michigan City to take personal charge of the situation. All th 6 prisoners are thought to have been locked in their cells and there Is not much probability of esoape. Lightning formed a feature of the Thursday night storm, and a bolt ■truck a street lamp in front of the residence of BurgeßS Dillon, in the east part of town and wrecked an arc light. Fred Waymire, of Barkley township, had a steer killed.