The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-21
Rain and Wind Do Consider
able Damage at lola.
Several Homes and Factories
Quickly Destroyed.
ZINC PLANT is FIRED.
Great Bend Orchards Are Badly
Damaged.
Emporia and Junction City In.
jured by Lightning.

ever
passed over the city last night at Z
o'clock. 1t came suddenly from the north
and in an instant the streets were filled
with water from a cloudburst The
rain was accompanied by fierce wind
that blew down outbuildings. wrecked
several houses and factories. and in
jured two persons. The damage will
amount to several thousand dollars. but
cannot be closely estimated this morn
ing. The heaviest damage was to the
Aurora foundry and machine works,
and to the plant of the New Jersey
Zinc company. At the former factory
the pattern room, the foundry building
and several smaller structures were
blown down.
At the New Jersey Zinc company's
plant two blocks of furnaces were
blown down and they caught fire. For
time the entire plant was threatened
with fire. The distress signals were
few could reach the factory because OF
the high water. East OF the factory.
a house was wrecked. Across the
street from the foundry a lumber yard
was blown from the track Just north of
the United Chemical company's plant.
A coach of the baggage car was wreck
ed One man, passenger, was in
jured. All telegraphic communication
on the Katy and Missouri Pacific is
interrupted. A conservative estimats
Of the damage done would be $4,000.
The rain was the heaviest the county
with water and in many places deep
enough to cwirn horse Fears are
felt that the river will be out of its
bottoms again. At the fair grounds.
where the gas belt reunion Is in ses-
sion. every one Of the sixty tents was
blown down and the occupants who had
forced to stand in the driving rain for
an hour. The street car line is out OF
business. In one place the roof of
building was blown across the wire and
blown across the railroad line and trains
are delayed.
Reports from Neosho Falls are that
the city suffered severely Every avn
ing in town was blown down and much
other dam age was done.
GREAT BEND.
Rain and hail fell here doing consid-
cradle damage to late gardens and corn
South of here, the storm uprooted large
trees, and several orchards, were ruin
ed. Considerable damage was done to
| houses, barns and wheat stacks, the
wind whirling them in every direction.
| In the afternoon another rain visited
| this portion of Barton county, giving
the ground soaking, coming down
| more slowly than in the morning. The
| ground is now in good condition for fall
| blowing, of which there has not been
much done yet, it having been so dry.
EMPORIA.
| A severe electrical storm swept across
| this county Wednesday afternoon. For
| two hours business was at a standstill,
and all the streets were filled with
| streams of water. An inch of rain fell
and the lightning was terrific. In EN-
! poria the two-story house of Stephen
| Henderson was struck and set on fire,
| and numerous trees were splintered by
| the lightning. The farmers are again
| crying: TOO much rain"
JUNCTION CITY.
| 4eary county has had four heavy rain
| falls since Wednesday morning, and
| more than three inches Of rain has
fallen, making a total of five inches this
| week The rains were all accompanied
| by terrific electrical storms, and in
! Junction City four buildings were
| struck, but none burned. The Republi-
| can and Smoky Hill rivers are begin
| ming to rise. Corn and hay were in
| need Of rain.
| MANHATTAN.
| A heavy rain. accompanied by severe
! electrical storms. Nearly two inches of
| water fell. This was one Of the heat-
| lest rains Of the season.
| OTTAWA.
| With the rain that fell Wednesday.
| the rainfall for the month amounts to
| more than two inches here.
HUTCHINSON.
| This city was visited by a severe
electrical storm, which began about 6
| o'clock last evening. The wind did con-
| siderable damage. A great quantity of
| water fell. The rain was badly needed.