The Van Buren press., 1902-03-15
'A Y[R|IAB|E HURRICANE.
Omaha Swept by a Northwest
Storm, Monday Night, Do
ing Much Damage.
PARK ME-. CHURCH BLOWN TO RUINS
The Coliseum Building Badly Dim"
nara, md Fully Half IL Hundred
HuiIdinrs Badly Shnttcreu-'"e
The storm struck Elkhorn, re"
Miles Distant.


buildings Badly shnttered-'"e
The storm struck Elkhorn, ZEN
Miles Distant.
Omaha, Neb., March l2.-The hcaV-
lest wind. rain and hail storm in the
history of the city visited Omaha ana
Douglass county at two O'Clock yes
terday morning. 1t struck ohaha
near Monmouth park, in the northern
edge of the city, and moved south
east, the greatest severity being eN-
perienced in the neighborhood OF
Tbirty-third and Larimore streets.
Althoughperhaps fifty buildings we're
more or less damaged, nobody vas
seriously injured, Two policemen
who were caught in the storm had
narrow escapes, and Mrs. Amanda
Geary, who lives at Thirty-thlrd
street and Grand avenue, PROBABLY es-
capped death by being absent from
home. Her house was picked up ana
scattered over square of ground,
bis of the furniture being found in
a neighboring field Several street
cars were caught in the path OF the
wind. but remained on the track.
Telephone and electric wires in the
Dath of the storm were streWn over
the streets, and a great number OF
poles were torn out.
Franklin school one Of the largest
in the city, had to be abandoned
temporarily \ large chimney was
blown into the roof, which caved in
and demolished the interior OF sew
eral rooms. Small buildings were
blown about in an easy way, and sew
eral barns were torn to pieces.
The Monmouth Park NJ, Z, church
was literally torn to pieces. Several
greenhouses were wrecked by the
hail.
Emmanuel hospital was badly dam
aged 10y large chimney being blown
through the roof.
The several nearby towns i'm this
county report the worst storm for
years. 1t was particularly severe at
Valley and ElkhOrn, and at the lat
ter place Union Pacific train was
struck by falling coal chute and
considerable damage done to it, al
though no one was injured. At Flor
ence. three miles north of the city,
and where the city water works are
located, the storm twisted several
buildings from their foundations, but
the waterworks plant was net Affect
ed.
In Central park, lightning struck
several barns, and was one of the
elements that contributed to the hav.
oc in this city.
The effects OF the storm were
made more apparent with the break
Of dawn. and it is now known that
half hundred buildings were dam
aged more or less. Cumming street,
from Eighteenth 20 wcnty.fourth,
and Twcnty-fourth street north Of
Cumming are strewn with debris
from damaged buildings, signs and
fences. Nobody is thought to have
been injured, but Bicycle Patrolman
Dan Baldwin had narrow escape,
The storm struck him before he had
dismountcd. and the force Of the
wind threw him heavily to the pave
ment. but he managed to get to a
place Of safety,
The coliseum building is the worst
wrecked Of the larger structures, II
was directly in the path Of the storm,
Nearly all Of the skyIights are gone,
and the roof Is badly twisted. The
high board fence surrounding the
building was also carried away. AM
dcrson's match factory Immediately
east Of thc coliseum, was badly
wrecked, and row Of flats across
the street were twisted and all the
windows torn out.
Five large plate glass windows in
raggart's undertaking parlor at 1924
Cumming street, were blown out, and
the furniture and interior wrecked
The storm created considerable cX'
ctcmcnt for n short time, and
aroused the entire population in the
north part Of the city,who thought
the town was in the grasp Of n real
twistcr.
The storm moved southwest after
leaving this city, striking Elkhorn, a
village Of 800 people, ten miles away
Half dozen Of the dwellings In that
town were badly twisted, and several
small buildings blown down. The ele.
VAtur and cribs Of the Omaha cleyn.
tor company received more damage
than any other property, The storm
came up suddenly, and lasted but a
few minutes,
All day Monday the temperature
registered from GO TO 6S degrees. and
the weather bureau reports that the
storm Is the result Of the unsenson-
able heat, which caused II 20 form
over this section.
SAVED the WHEAT CROP.