The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-07-11
BIG STORM IN WISCONSIN :,
Wind and Rain Does Great Dam
age in the State.
BUILDINGS WRECKED
Circus Tent Torn to Shreds-Peop1e
Take Refuge in Gene
terry Vault.

Oshkosh and vicinity was visited by the
severest wind and rain storm expert
enced since 1895, yesterday afternoon
about 4 o'clock SmOkestacks were
Down down, trees were nearly shOrn of
Their foliage, buildings were wholly or
partially unroofed and much damage
generally was DONE
The day had been one of terrific heat
and but for the wind would have been
almost too warm to be endured. During
the AFTERNOON over in the southwest low
erlng clouds began TO gather. The wind
was high and blew the storm toward the
city at RAPID rate. AT o'clock the
sky was darkened with clouds and
CHASTITY yellow light prevailed. A ter
rific gust of wind announced the arrival
of the storm about Ais o'clock. The
rain poured down in sheets. There was
little thunder and lightning, but the wind
was fierce. The binding sheets of rain
beat against the buildings and it was
impossible for Il person to see farther
than several feet.
Great Damage Done.
When the storm passed over there was
great excitement. Much damage had
been done and general scramble ensued
to ascertain the extent of the loss. The
roof of the building occupied by the
Frank Leach Hardware company OH
South Main street was lifted by the
wind and lodged against a piece OF sup
porting truss work. The rain beat in and
Hooded the armory Of Co. E. Several
dozen tubs were placed ON the floor as
soon as possible to catch the rain. The
company's guns were taken ut OF the
way before the water touched them. About
twenty square yards Of roof was taken
OFT. A portion of the roof Of the LeXing-
ton hotel was carried away by the wind
and lodged against the side of an adj
10 pf hQ XVII OH
OF the A. Stretch wagon works on Eighth
and Ninth streets was carried away.
Part of it was deposited on the trolley
wire of the Winnebago Traction COM
pany at the corner of Ninth and South
Main streets The building is a large
one and the tin roof was removed from
its lofty resting place with considerable
difficulty. The iron smOkestack of the
Schmidt Milling company was blown
down. Part of the stack rested OH the
roof of the bOiler-room. The part that
remained standing was broken into
company, sash, door and blind manu-
facturers, was blown completely down.
In its fall it wrecked two huge cyclone
dust collectors on the roof of the boiler
house. The iron stack of the Conlee
Lumber company was blown to the
ground. The sawmill was not in opera
ton. The side wall of building occu-
pied by Henry Augustin as a wagonshop
was blown out. The spire of the city
hall was bent to an angle of about 45 de-
grees by the force of the wind. A large
plate-glass window of Wilson Brothers
Carriage works was blown out and q
piate-glass window belonging to Emil
Gust was also demolished The stack of
the Oshkosh Plating works was blown
down. The roof of Crawford's icehouses
was partially torn away by the wind.
The east fence surrounding the fair
grounds was lifted up and deposited on
the TRACKS of the. Winnebago Traction
company.
Wrecks a Circus.
Capt Amnet's Big City circus, small,
One-tent affair, was concluding its after
noon performance when the wind came.
The crowds Of people who attended the
matinee were driven out of the tent be-
fore the storm to avoid being injured by
the falling tent poles. The tent was
lifted from the ground and torn to
shreds. A canvasman whose name
could not be ascertained, but who is
known among the circusmen as 'Whity,"
was seriously injured above the eyes by
being struck by a flying tent POLE A
boy named Frank Daniels, who was
helping the show people house their
horses, was struck on the head by a
flying bough while riding a pony. He
was rendered unconscious and was taken
Gus was disabled so that it could not
show last night
A number of people in a street car near
the cemetery were afraid to remain in
the car. They took refuge In a cemetery
vault. The mOtorman went with the
passengers and remained under cover un-
til after the storm
The streets are Uttered with boughs.
Numerous shade tree; were uprooted and
carried long distances
REPORTS have not yet been received
from the surrounding country, but if is
believed crops suffered greatly from the
hail and strong wind.
Man Hurled 100 Feet.
Waukau, Wis, July THE south
western part of Winnebago county. par
ticularly the townships of Nepeuskun and
Utica, was visited by a tornado. The
large new barn of Morrissey Bros, one
the ground. Lawrence and Pierce Nor
rissey, the owners, had sought refuge in
the barn. Lawrence was hurled through
the air a distance of 100 feet. His head
was badly cut and internal injuries were
sustained. He is i'll serious condition.
Barns of Henry Henshaw, w. K. Serb
ner and J. l.. Flanagan in the same
locality were completely wrecked and all
a total loss. All were new buildings. Re-
ports of loss Of stock, horses and cattle
are coming in fast and the damage is
estimated at many thousands of dollars.
Many Narrow Escapes.
Large crews of men @haying on Rush
lake marsh report thrilling experiences.
One crew was buried under a haystack
and extricated with difficulty. Two
brothers, John and Joseph Deyoe, are
missing, their team being found some
distance from the hay fields where they
were working. Robert Craig, a farmer
living on the Berlin road, had an almost
miraculous escape from death. He is
employed as collector for the Koro
Creamery company, and sought refuge
from the storm at the farm of Henry
Foote near Rush lake. He was between
his horses quoting them when a bolt
struck one horse, killing it instantly.
Craig was knocked to the ground insen-
sible, but revived later.
Roofs Blown Off at Berlin.
Berlin, Wis, July THE wind and
rain storm was terrific. Many roofs
were blown off, including Wright's mill,
Truesdells tannery and the grandstand
at the fair grounds Several business
blocks on Huron and Broadway streets
also lost roofs. The entire front of the
Owen livery was blown out and many
streets about the city are blocked with
shade trees that We're blown down.