Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-15
Heaviest Wind and Ralr Storm Ever
Recorded There.
MAN KILLED NEAR SPRECKLES
Great Damage to Property, Par
ticu|ar|y to Telegraph Lines.
W II OLE COAST SW E P T

SAN FRANCISCO, December 15.-The
heaviest wind and rain storm in the history
os the state ragged for half an hour yester-
day afternoon The damage to property will
be considerable. The telegraph and telephone
companies suffered severely, and for sew
e1al hours service was completely suspend
ed. Even at midnight communication with
the outside world was badly handicapped.
The greatest damage done to the wires was
between this city and Benicia, where the
wind from San Francisco bay had full
sweep. In places the telegraph and tele-
phone poles for several hundred yards
were blown down. The few tele-
grams received from outside points show
that the storm extended quite generally
over the central and northern portions Of
the state
John Jenkins was instantly killel near
Spreckels by being blown from the tank
of d windmill where he had gone to throw
the mill out of gear and save 1t from
damage.
Heavy thunder and lightning accom-
panied the storm. In this city the wind
blew at terrific velocity ana the rain de-
scended in sheets High fences and bill
boards were blown down, lampposts were
twisted, signs were thrown to the sidewalks
and plate glass windows were broken.
Trees were blown across car tracks, and
the roofs and fronts of frail buildings were
Carried away. All Oiu HbuSt Oh Dbl tlcll
street was torn down, and its occupant,
Mrs. Kate Ramsey, seventy years old, Sc
riously injured.
The Storm In Oakland.
In Oakland the greatest force Of the wind
did not exceed a period of over twenty
minutes. but it made its presence felt every
minute.
On the Oakland Mole twenty poles went
down and telegraph connections with San
Francisco were effectually cut off until late
last night. At Adam wharf heavy planks
We're dashed about and some were blown
into the water. At the Judson rolling mills
one of the big smokestacks was blown
down and n part of the works was
rooted. Long wharf resembled a scene of
collision between two building material
yards. Lumber, barrels and material were
scattered everyWhera. Four empty coal
cars caught the full force of the wind and
Were driven off the end of the track into
the bay.
At Berkeley, st. Mathews Episcopal
Mission Church was entirely demolished
A house in process of construction was
blown over. siX-room house in West
Berkeley was WrenciIed out of shape
Many other structures were badly strained
and minor damage to property was wide
spread.
St. Mathews Church. on Grove street
near Russell wrecked beyond repair.
Many trees were uprooted.
The Storm Outside.
Meager dispatches from outside points
show that the storm covered considerable
territory. At Vallejo several persons were
injured by flying debris. Several thousand
feet of lumber were blown .nco the bay
large section Of the roof of the Wilson
House was carried off by the wind The
large coal she Of the Vallejo Gas Company
was demolished and the electric and telephone
systems were badly damaged. The storm
lasted half an hour. In Fairfield some
houses were blown down. In farming and
orchard districts outbuildings and fencing
were damaged. Havoc was played with
garden plants and trees were uprooted
reports received today from Rio Vista.
Cordelia and Elmira to the effect that
the storm inflicted much damage especially
in demolishing sheds. Poles on the line OF
the Bay Counties Power Company in the
Tule land, show the effects of the storm
and are leaning over. In the vicinity of
Napa trees were felled. One partly wrecked
the office of the Sawyer Tanning Company
Ihe roofs of several barns were blown
off and the schoolhouse at Soscol was
moved two feet.
On J. b. Morris ranch, at Aqua Caliente.
n large gum tree was pr0strated by the
nigh wind and wrecked the Morris resi-
dence. Fortunately the inmates escaped
injury. Chimneys, fencing and outbuild-
lngs were blown down in different parts
of Sonoma valley. At Dixon barns and
Windmills We're completely demolished Tel
egraph wires north and south were blown
down.