The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-21
BRIEF, BUT ENERGETIC
REMARKABLY LIVELY HURRICANE
SWEEPS OVER THE CITY.
Several People Injured During the
BIow-Tent of the Dog Show Goes
Down, Causing a Panic.

The storm which passed over the city yes
terday did some damage to property and
resulted in the injury of several people.
James Burroughs, a messenger boy, four
teen years old, living at No. Sc East ONO
street, was caught out in the storm riding a
bicycle. He was hurrying past the corner
of Pennsylvania and Market streets when
he was struck by sign which was blown
from a building and knocked from his
wheel His leg was broken and he was
otherwise pretty badly battered up. he
was taken home in the. city ambulance.
A colored man walking along Pearl street
was struck by a heavy timber blown from
the top of the Stevenson building and
knocked down. The city ambulance went
after the man, but he was taken away be-
fore it arrived. His name was not learned.
He was struck on the head and rendered
unconscious.
At the Gentry dog and pony show, at the
corner of Illinois and Pratt streets, the
most serious damage was done. When the
storm came up a matinee performance was
in progress. There was not large number
of spectators and this was fortunate. The
three tents were blown down upon the
heads of the people. In the main tent,
where the spectators were seated, panic
at once ensued. Women shrieked and chill
they were thrown into pile by the break
ing down of the seats. The upright poles
fell, but their fall was in direction where
there were few people.
1t was all over in few minutes, how
ever and it was discovered that no one was
hurt. One woman was reported having
been struck by the center pole and badly
hurt. This was found to be untrue. One
woman continued screaming long after the
excitement among the rest of the people
had subsidized. She had got separated from
her children, and thought they were still
in the wreck. When she found them and
realized that they were safe she became
quiet.
The damage to the tents and seating ar
engagements will amount to several hundred
dollars. 1t was not sufnclent 70 interfere
with business, however, Tor by o CLOCK all
the damage had been temporarily repaired
and a show was given last night without
incident.
The storm came UP shortly before 8
o'clock and ragged fiercely for five minutes
At O'Clock the wind was blowing from
the northwest and storm clouds We're ap-
parently approaching from that direction,
but in a short time the wind Veered around
to the south and the hurricane came al
most directly from the south. In small
way a great deal of damage resulted. Shade
trees in all parts of the city were blown
down. A horse and buggy on pennsylvania
street was caught and blown clear off the
ground. The horse became frightened and
fell to the ground and overturned the bug
gy. On South Pennsylvania street wagon
was blown over and the horse, getting
loose reiterated to the shelter of neigh
boring livery stable. There was a great
deal of excitement on Pearl street. Several
men were at work on the roof of the Stew
enson building. When the storm was raging
a number of heavy timbers were blown off
and were seen sailing about in the air.
Some fell on adjoining buildings and others
fell in the alley. A colored man was struck
by one piece and another crushed through
the top of a buggy
The telephone and telegraph wires suf-
fered from the wind and rain. All over the
city the wires of the Central Union Tele-
n A
were down and many were crossed and
grounded. The wires of the fire alarm sys-
tenn were also damaged. Nearly all the
lines in West Indianapolis We're rendered
useless. and one box in the city, at the cor
ner of Linden street and Lexington avenue,
was cut out of service. The Postal Tele-
graph Company's lines were not injured,
and the Western Union suffered no damage
The Weather Bureau here has no record
of wind at higher velocity than that of
Yesterdays storm. For about four minutes
it blew at the rate of sixty miles an hour.