The San Francisco call., 1901-12-28
Continued From Page One.
fling, hot electric wind and smothering
sand.
Citizens Slightly Injured.

Several business houses sustained
broken plate glass. windows and every
awning and sign in town were blown
away Several persons sustained minor
injuries by being hit by flying debris. A
woman going against the wind on Fourth
street, pushing a baby carriage, was
overcome by a sudden strong gust of wind
and knocked down. The carriage was
forced against a telegraph pole and de-
molished. Fortunately the child escaped
without injury and the woman was only
slightly bruised.
The telegraph and telephone companies
are badly crippled. The Western Union
Telegraph Company has only uncer-
tain wire and the telephone company is
temporarily out of business. The electric
light plants wires are all down and the
city is almost in total darkness. An cleo
trio light wire set a shade tree on fire in
the center of the residence part of the
city at SO clock tonight and. but for the
prompt work of the electric light COM
pany in shutting the current off and of
the fire departments quick response a
serious CONFEDERATION would have no doubt
resulted: 1-- --
Tree Smashes Roof.
The residence of John Gerken was badly
damaged by, a large tree falling on the
roof, and Frank Saunders house. in the
suburbs of the city. was destroyed by fire
by the wind blowing sparks from the
chimney, .entailing a loss of $1,000, with no
The ratlroads also felt the effects of. the
heavy blow All trains were DELAYED and
the train to RiyeTslde vas vas abandoned & on \
having piled sand on the track in that
vicinity The Southern Pacific morning
train to this city from Los Angeles had a
close call from being wrecked a few miles
east of this city. Several trees had been
blown across the track, but fortunately
the engineer discovered the obstruction
and succeeded in stopping his train just in
time to avert what might might have been
a serious accident It is also reported
that a Santa Fe train came near running
into bank of sand that had drifted upon
the track south of here.
Fruit on the Ground
The orange crop which is about ready
to be picked, has been blown from the
trees and scattered in all directions.
Orange growers who were glad to observe
the first signs of the wind which would
rather have taken chances with a heavy
frost. Whole orchards are devastated and
many valuable trees have been blown
down.
What the extent of the damage to fruit
will be orchardists in this vicinity can
make no estimate. 1t will depend upon
how much of the fruit can be picked off
the ground. a conservative orange grow
er here says the storm will probably
cause q loss of $4,000 in oranges alone.
Lemons also have been blown from the
to the extent of the orange crop
Although this storm is still unabated, so
far it Will be the SeVereSt blow orange
growers have sustained in many years.
In this vicinity the damage to property
will exceed $4,000.
Reports received by telegraph from
Pomona say the storm was most severe
there, the velocity of the wind reaching
ninety miles an hour at one time. The
orange trees were knocked down and the
fruit blown away all wires are down and
the electric light system was put out of
business. 1t is expected here that the
wind will continue for another twenty
four hours and then be followed by heavy
rains