Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-07-10
BIG STORM IN WISCONSIN,
Wind and Rain Does Great Dam
age in the State.
BUILDINGS WRECKED.
Circus Tent Torn to Shreds-PeopIe
Take Refuge in Gene
terry Vault.

LcTy v au1Is
Oshkosh, Wis, July 7.-[Special. !
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
eIlng clouds began TO gather. The wind
was high and blew the storm toward the
city at a RAPID rate. At 4 o'clock the
sky was darkened with clouds and a
CHASTITY yellow light prevailed. A ter
rlhc gust of wind announced the arrival
of the storm about 4:13 o'clock. The
rain poured down in sheets. There was
httie thunder and lightning, but the wind
was fierce. The binding sheets of rain
beat against the buildings and it was
Impossible for a 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 a general scramble ensued
to ascertain the extent Of the loss. Tho
roof of the building occupied by the
Frank Leach Hardware company On
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. +. Several
dozen tubs were placed on the floor as
soon as possible to catch the rain. The
company guns were taken Tut of the
way before the water touched item. About
twenty square yards Of roof was taken
M Of = ho off ho 7
ton hotel was carried away by the wind
and lodged against the side of an adj
Jacent building. The roof OF the skylght
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 large
one and the tin roof was removed from
It's lofty resting place with considerable
difficulty. The iron smokestack of the
Schmidt Milling company was blown
down. Part of the stack rested on the
roof of the boilerroom. The part that
remained standing was broken into
pieces The large stack of the Morgan
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 a building occu-
was blown out. The spire of the city
hall was bent to an angle Of about 40 de-
grees by the force of the wind. A large
plate-glass window Of Wilson Brothers
Carriage works was blown out and a
plate-glass window belonging to Emil
the Oshkosh Plating works was blown
down. The roof Of Crawford's icehouses
was partially torn away by the wind.
The cast 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. \ 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 flying tent pole A
boy named Frank Daniels, who was
helping the show people house their
horses, was struck ON the head by
flying bough while riding a pony. He
was rendered unconscious and was taken
to his home in the ambulance. The cir
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 lemained under cover nm
til after the storm
The streets are Uttered with boughs
Numerous shade tres: were uprooted and
carried long distances.
Reports have not yet been received
from the surrounding country, but it is
believed crops suffered greatly from the
hail and strong wind.
Man Hurled 100 Feet.
Waukau, Wis, July THE soutb-
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
mile south of the village, was leveled to
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 in a serious condition
Barns of Henry Henshaw, w. X. Serb
ner and ]. 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 soma
distance from the hay fields where they
were working. Robert Craig, 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 quieting 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