The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-10
ELECTRIC EPISODES.
A Furious Storm.
Lightning Plays Havoc with the Rail.
way Depot Mt MiIan-The Storms
Destruction in this City.
A DEPOT DESTROYED .

DEBUT DEsIhVfED.
The freight and passenger depot OF the
Rock Island & Peoria road at Milan, was
totally destroyed by fire between 5 and
6 o'clock yesterday morning. The build
ing was struck by lighting, the general
theory being that the electric current of
destruction entered tue building on tel
egraph wire. The fire was discovered by
the station agent, but before he could get
assistance the structure, which was a one
story frame, was entirely at the mercy of
the flames. The loss to the railroad com
pany is about 800. which with freight
and other materials destroyed, will bring
the total loss up to $1,000. The builds
ing was insured in Buford & Leosley's
agency. with other railroad property.
AQUEER FREAK.
There was peculiar freak of the light
ming in this city during the severe storm
yesterday afternoon. A bolt struck the
two-story brick of Mr.. George Schneider
on Fourth avenue and Twenty first street,
and entering the, building near the roof
and only few feet from the lightning
rod, passed into an unoccupied
room and into closet, the door CT which
with the casing, was ripped off as clearly
as could be, and after scattering things
about inside dashed to the ceiling and
made its exit, leaving a hole through the
wall as if it had been chiseled. 1t then
shot down into the kitchen following the
outer wall closely and pas ing down be.
hind the sink into the ground. In the
closet on the second floor few things
were fired, which were quickly quenched
by Mr. Schheiders daughter. the damage
otherwise being light, happily. Mr..
Schneider was with his family in the sit.
ting room at the time and though they
knew the lightning had struck some
where in the vicinity they did not think
it 50 near until an investigation was
made The shock, however. was felt all
over town.
TIE STORMS FURY.
1t was for few minutes one of the
most terrific storms that has visited this
section for years. The thunder light
ming wind and rain seemed to come at
the same instant and with fury that
was frightful The immense signs in
front Of Mosenfelder & Kohn's clothing
house on Second avenue we're whirled to
the ground and smashed, crushing the
electric light globe and apparatus, and en-
failing a damage of about SIS
The mad waters rushed down Elm
street with such force as to tear up side
walks and pile them on top of each other
or carry them off like RATS down river.
In Davenport, two young men were
trying rifle in the eastern part of the
city-up near camp McClellau-when
the storm came suddenly up. They
sought shelter in culvert at the foot of
the HILL the top of which was protected,
as they thought, by pile of shrubbery.
A torren: of water swept down the hill
through the culvert carrying the Young
men with it, and it was almost miracle
that they were not carried into the river
and drowned.
The gable end of the store room back
of Lundy's store on Second avenue, came
down with a crash during one of the
heavy peals of thunder, but fortunately
no one was injured. The sbaky walls re-
main unroofed.
All over town there was more or less
damsge by mud or water. and at the first
appearance of the storm many sought
their cellars thinkings cyclone was COM
ing.