The Mail-Journal, Volume 11, Number 11, Milford, Kosciusko County, 10 April 1974 — Page 22

Area damage in the millions of dollars —

Tornado rips thru Syracuse leaving path of destruction

By NANCY SEARFOSS Hie whirring, almost pounding sound, heard by a number of Syracuse area residents Wednesday evening was destruction for many as the tornado, which happened a week ago. ripped trees from the ground, upset mobile homes, demolished buildijngs, planes, power lines, and played havoc through the area.

In a few brief minutes, disaster took place as the storm traveled northeastward from the Dewart Lake area taking the Owen Avery modular home southeast of town, npping buildings apart at the Danny Jones home, the Camp p£*us Grissom scout camp and toppling trees in the woods. Also m that vicinity, the bam was destroyed, a kitchen roof and shed at the .Marie LeCount home torn off and trees toppled surrounding that area Damage was extensive at the Philip Lee farm located on the old Syracuse-North Webster road where a barn was destroyed, many other surrounding buildings, and the family car and truck smashed, plus farm machinery damaged Injured Continuing across ground northeast, one person was reported injured. Brenda Byrd, when the mobile home in which she was living just south of the Sleepy Owl business on Indiana 13 south of Syracuse, was tossed about, coming to rest m the roadway, and entangled in power lines Doug Mehl, also an occupant of the mobile home at the time of the storm, was thrown from the unit but required only hospital emergency room treatment Brenda was,treated at Goshen hospital for leg and back injuries and released to the home of her parents on Thursday In that immediate area, extensive damage was done at the Bob and Maggie Wiles neat little home when the garage was crumpled into the home siding and trees downed Immediately to the east, was the McCarthy produce stand moved from its foundation and hit by trees, and two mobile

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GOLF COURSE TREES DOWN — Five large, priceless trees on the Wawasee golf course were toppled over by the force of last Wednesday’s tornado, several of them shown here. On the neighboring Eli Lilly property, on Lake Wawasee, it was reported that 82 large trees were felled.

homes several feet away completely destroyed after being tossed away into utility poles and trees Traffic was rerouted on the state road while NIPSCo repairmen worked around the clock clearing the roadway of wires and through traffic was possible Thursday night. "A garage and much of the contents at the Dean Grady home was destroyed and some damage to the mobile home in which they lived, directly east of the produce stand Volunteers worked all week end and many continue to assist when possible in cleaning rubble in that particularly hard-hit area as trees were toppled like toothpicks On the same side of the state highway, a green mobile home owned by the John Sudlows and rented to Mike Kienke was demolished as it nestled in amongst a beautiful setting of trees, of which one tree split the unit into two sections, falling across the bed in the back section Young Kienke had been in the unit just minutes before when a friend called him to come to their home Damage was great at a number of homes across the roadway on lakeside where trees were also downed and roofs and windows blown off and broken. Nestled between the two roadways, a tree crushed a double-wide unit, the home of Stanley and Ann Harper, owners of the Sleepy Owl tavern Mrs Harper and three of their children were inside the unit when the storm hit and force kept them from emerging from the front door, however, they were able to escape through the rear

door. None of the family sustained serious injury. Trees fell on the unit, as with the one across the street, virtually destroying it. Harper was in the tavern which was undergoing extensive remodeling and repairs following a fire about three months ago and dashed to the Harper home as the storm got progressively worse. Extensive damage was done at the tavern again including a new roof and chimney. Across Lake Skipping wildly across Lake Wawasee. the powerful twister trit at the Eli Lilly property on Wawasee's north shore toppling stately 100 year old trees and destroying a garden house. Trees here fell on fences and across the roadway and power lines. Nearby Wawasee Prep, whose students helped in much clean-up work in the area, sustained some building damage, power lines were downed, as were trees. A number of huge trees at Wawasee Golf club were downed and damage extensive at a number of homes just east of the Prep school, however, damage was reported thus far as minor in the newly developing home division to the north of the school in a wooded area, though some trees were felled in this area, plus television towers. . Airport Wawasee Airport was a total disaster as all hangars were tossed about in the air, some slamming into nearby buildings and 10 planes badly damaged, two of which belonged to Mrs. Charlotte Kell, owner-operator of the airport. One airplane, the one which had been used and landed at a South Bend airport, was the only plane to survive the event undamaged Damages could run to $200,000. Mrs. Kell was not at home at the time, however, the Kell children were, as were several relatives. The main airport building was damaged but remained standing as did the Kell home which had damage. Directly to the north, the George Thornburg home had a corner torn from the two-story structure plus a portion of the roof and seven big trees felled. A barn was badly damaged on the Blanche Mason farm nearby as was a portion of the house roof, a barn and several buildings on the Lawrence Thwaits farm slightly northeast and homes directly east of the Thornburg property. The big old landmark of a barn on the well-known Max Burley farm just a short distance south of the county line road and old road 8 was completely destroyed as were other utility buildings and the roof of the home. Volunteers were seen in full force Saturday m cleaning up and replacing of the house roof at the Burley home. Considerable damage was also done to a barn on the neatly situated Virgil Bobeck farm located just at the end of the Kosciusko-Elkhart county line road and road 8. Some damage »was also

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AIRPORT DAMAGE — This airplane typifies wanton destruction of the Wawasee Airport by last Wednesday’s tornado. The airport is owned and operated by Charlotte Kell. Ten such planes were destroyed and all 15 hangars were left in ruins. Part of the roof was blown off her home in the twister.

reported to the home, however, not as severe as to the outbuildings. Onward The twister continued its path northeast where several huge semi-trucks were picked up overturned on US 6 and young Dennis Ray Dunlap was killed as he and his parents attempted to seek safety by fleeing their mobile home on US 6. National guard units were posted in the Syracuse area late Wednesday night and early Thursday to help in preventing looting. Many homes were opened to persons losing their homes in the disaster, and to guardsmen and volunteers and numerous persons

- iir - Ligonier Northside Church of Christ Demolished I .Ajo s" Barn Destroyed At Amish Residence Near Topeka

helped in supplying food for the volunteers. Surrounding counties and towns were generous in offering their services in all fields including donations of food and . clothing left at two major dropoff stations in Syracuse, the Syracuse fire station and the American Legion home. Much of the electrical service in Syracuse proper was back in service by 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, while others were without power for longer periods. * Many workers and volunteers will go unnamed in this tragedy which hit the Syracuse community, however, will be well remembered by those in need.