Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-27
WIND STORM WORKS HAVOC
Gale of Unusual Severity and Duration
Strikes Omaha.
Ex-MAYoR BEMlS HAS ONE LEG BROKEN
Thirteen-Year-OId Boy Seriously In
Jured and Numerous Minor Acct
dents Reported from All
Sections Of City.

NORTHWEST FINuhg hlltl w wan III M0Ag
respects phenomenal, and brought varieties
OF weather ranging all the way from sun
shine and balmy air to snow, all in the
space Of about six hours. At IL O'Clock
the thermometer stood at rs degrees
and then declined at an almost uni
form speed until 6:45 1t stood at SO de-
grees a fall OF 80 degrees. The wind rose
until its speed rate reached forty-six miles.
This was accompanied by rain and splitting
snow. At 5:45 o'clock the snow fell for
a few minutes in big flakes, although not
thickly enough to cover the ground. At 5
o'clock in the evening the strength Of the
wind declined and the rain stopped falling.
The cause Of It all was that centering
In Omaha was an area Of low barometer,
the reading being below that in any other
part Of the United States. The fact that
Omaha was In the center resulted In the
comparatively warm and bright weather in
the forenoon. This area OF low pressure
moved northeastwardly to the lakes, and
It was after the center had passed into
eastern Iowa that the high wind began to
make its force felt and the rain increased
in volume.
Catches People EnrOute Home.
Not a great deal Of attention was given
w a. - bhNAA III AZ AoN0 1--WE
when the sidewalks were crowded with peo-
pie going to their homes. Then everyone
realized that the gale was not a laughing
matter. Umbrellas we're jerked to pieces,
hats went sailing high in the air, and peo-
pie discovered they could not walk without
danger Of being thrown down. Signs were
blown down and loose objects Of various
kinds were hurled through the air, making
walking a hazardous undertaking to those
who felt strong enough to force their way
along.
In many parts Of the city tin roofs were
torn up and hurled in great rolls to the
street. Plate glass windows In a number
Of stores broke with a crash, l~ittering the
sidewalk.
The electric wires began breaking from
their fastenings at a large number OF
places and the telephone and telegraph lines
were special sufferers. In a number of
instances 1t became necessary to place ON
GERS to guard the live wires. The police
alarm system all over the city was disabled.
Several People Injured.
The first accident occurred on Military
avenue. The wind turned over a large
section of the plank sidewalk and struck
Robert Maxwell, aged 10. He re-
NVlNCu u uCVP Nul ONGI u lelI eye anu
his front teeth were knocked out. He
was insensible when picked up and carried
to the house of Louis Jonkowski, at 1920
Military street, with whom the boy lived.
When examined by the physicians 1t was
found that the blow on the head had caused
serious injury. Young Maxwell was taken
to Clarkson hospital this morning and the
physicians expect him to recover.
Lawrence McTaggert was injured about
$50 on Thirteenth street between Harvey
and Howard. His wounds were dressed at
the police station and he was sent home.
His injuries were not serious.
While ex-Mayor George p. Bemis was
walking on Farnam between Eighteenth and
Nineteenth a large billboard gave way.
MIR. Bemis tried to run across the street,
but had taken only a few steps when the
falling debris caught him, pinning him
down. He was released by several men
and carried into Hahn's drug store. where
1t was discovered his left leg was broken.
He was severely bruised. He was later
taken to the Clarkson hospital.
show Blown In.
Two large, plate-giass windows in the
front Of the Peoples store we're broken
into small pieces and considerable damage
NSaS W INV oNSNh 4
windows in schaefer's drug store, corner
Sixteenth and Chicago; in front Of the
Mawhinney & Ryan company at POI South
Fifteenth street we're broken by the wind.
A flag pole over the Turf saloon on Doug
las street fell and plunged through a large
window into the saloon, hurting broken
glass In every direction. Thu large window
in front of a saloon at the corner of Four
teenth and Dodge was broken. The win
dows in the Jewish church. 1113 Dodge,
were all broken. A large transom window
in the store of e. H. Sprague & Co., cor
ner of Eleventh and Farnam, was blown
in. A number OF the windows on the
Douglas street side Of the building occu-
pied by NJ. e. Smith q Co.. corner Elev-
eDth street, were also broken.
The tin roof on the building at 111C
Douglas street occupied by ]. p. Ely q
Co. was blown completely OF and a large
section OF It was carried to the south side
OF the street. The Drexel hotel roof was
partly blown away. A section Of the ROOT
on the Young Mems Christian association
building was torn loose. The fiat at the
corner OF Sixteenth and Webster was
nearly stripped OF its roof. The roof ovei
Crane & Co.'S building, corner Eleventh and
Douglas, was badly damaged.
The roof dome over the elevator shaft II
the McCague building was partly destroyed
A building at Twenty-eighth and Farnan
was blown down. The front of the build.
ing at ll1S Harvey was blown in. Tn,
rear porehes on the LANCE hotel building
Thirteenth and Jackson, were destroyed
and the chimneys blown down.
A large tree was blown across Seven
teenth street south Of Cass, blocking al
traffic.
Large billboards at Eighteenth and Far
nam, Fifteenth and Chicago and Twelfth
and Douglas were thrown down.
onncers we're placed on guard over loos,
electric light wires at twelve points.
Alarms During storm.
The FIRE alarm system was disabled, bu
the breaks will not be located until today
Two alarms were sent in by telephone dur
ing the storm. One was at 4:S0 O'Clock
a small blaze caused by hot ashes at SO
Pine street. In the dwelling OF Allen Ser
geant. The services OF the department
were not needed. An alarm at $40 wa
due to the crossing OF two electric ligh
wires at Sixteenth and Davenport.
One Of the large covered wagons OF III
United States Express company was over
turned by the wind at the corner OF Tent
and Jackson streets. No damage was don