The San Francisco call., 1901-12-27
8 Q

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denness that was startling An apparent
" calm, warm morning was transformed
in almost a twinkling into a bowling biz
Zard. The snow descended rapidly, while
the wind ragged. The storm lasted almost
an hour, and since then there has been
high wind. During the storm the wind at
tained velocity of forty-five miles an
hour The storm came from the north
west and was general over Western and
Central Montana.
Blown From His Train.
NISSOULA, Mont. Dec. 26.-Word
reached this city late this afternoon that
Conductor Charles King was killed last
night just across the line in Idaho. Con-
ductor King, who had charge of a freight
train, was blown from his train while try
ing to reach the caboose. King had been
helping a brakeman, and started to the
rear of the train when the disaster oc-
CURED. His mangled body was found at
the bottom Of a deep gorge, having blown
from the train while almost in the center
Of a trestle.
From Fort Benton come reports of the
fiercest storm known in years Big win
dows of the courthouse were blown in
ana other minor damage done.
Disastrous Gale at Astoria.
ASTORIA, Or, Dec. 26-The worst
storm of the winter prevailed along the
coast last night and to-day, doing consid-
cradle damage to property. During the
night two Of the three barges used by the
contractors at the Sylvia de Grasse reef
broke from their moorings and were driv-
en- against the railroad trestle in East
while the other was badly damaged. The
total loss will it is thought reach $4,000.
During the day shipping was tied up.
Houses Are Blown Away
SEATTLE, Dec. 26-Thursday night S
storm did much damage and endangered
many lives in this city. Along the north
end of the water front, where wind and
IA a
breakers washed away eight houses.
Floating driftwood battered these to
matchwood. The occupants barely es-
capped. On North Broadway a little cot
tage was overturned. No one was in
jured. High water on the Duwamish
River added to the compleXity of the sit
uation. Wires are down all over the city.
The highest velocity of the wind reached
at 2:S0 this morning was thirty-fve miles
an hour.
Storms Damage in Walla Walla.
WALLA WALLA, Wash, Dec 26.-
Wind blowing at the rate Of forty-five
miles an hour caused considerable dam
age in this section this morning. Tele-
graph lines and electric light wires were
tossed about and poles fell in dangerous
proximity TO buildings. The residence of
G. S. Bond caught fire from a live wire
and small fire was caused at the home
Of Allen H Reynolds by the. crossing of a
telephone and a live arc light wire. Weak
ened by the strain of the wind the barrel
l4uulc lcduluB 10 the power plant OF the
Walla Walla Light and Power Company
exploded at noon to-day and a column Of
water shot skyward under a pressure of
thirty pounds to the square inch. For
more than an hour steam spouted sixty
feet into the air at the power plant, and
II was not until a late hour tonight that
repairs could be made sufficient to supply
power The city is still in darkness.
Fast and Furious in Utah.
SALT LAKE. Dec 2s.-The storm which
has been raging throughout the northern
lnter-mountain country to-day struck Salt
Lake at 4:30 o'clock this afternon with a
suddenness and fury that startled the res
idents. From a dead calm the wind in
creased with remarkable rapidity, and
within few moments had attained a
velocity Of fully fifty miles an hour
bringing with it binding snowstorm
which ragged with the fury of a blizzard
Tor over two hours. The storm came from
the northwest, and although of compara-
lively short duration was one of the Sc
Verest felt in this section for years No