The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-08-21
THE MALAYSIA FAIR. A LITTLE TWISTER.
Whirling Wind Storm Does Con.
siderable Damage.

An ominous cloud that gathered in
the northwest Tuesday evening broke
upon the city little before z O'Clock,
with whirling wind that came as
near being cyclone as anyone would
care to experience. 1t took down trees,
chimneys and carried away anything
] that was loose.
The storm seemed to pick out a mar
row path through town, extending
from the Fair grounds southeast past
the court house. One of the two
branches of large tree, each one of
which was ten inches in diameter, was
picked up bodily and carried a dis
lance of so feet. 1t was thrown across
the street in front of the Downing
hotef and the branches extended up to
the side walk. A man in a buggy,
passing at the time barely escaped the
big timber At the same instant that
the tree fell, the three front doors of
the hotel were all bursted open. The
latch on one was broken, and trunk
sitting in front of it was pushed sew
eral feet across the tile floor. To. add
to the terror of the moment the cleo
trio lights went down. The dining
room and Office were full of guests and
many of them thought the end had
come. Several rushed to the cellar,
while others rushed back into the
building in an effort to find shelter. 1t
was all over in a minute, however, and
then of course nobody was scared.
AT the Reynolds home west of the
Iowa Yearly Meeting house, the fam
lily received bad scare. A large null
berry tree was blown over against the
house. II struck tall brick chimney
which came down on the fat-roofed
kitchen, splitting the wood work and
Earring the plastering of the ceiling.
Great holes were knocked in the roof
and the rain that followed the wind
went through by the bucket full.
The large cement coping on the cor
ner of the Oskaloosa National bank
building was raised by the wind and
hurled to the side walk below, where
4r was broken into a thousand pieces.
--e slab weighed probably three hun
dred pounds, and so far as known was
securely fastened before the storm.
An electric light wire in front of the
Royal Cafe was either broken by the
wind or burned across by the lightning
ana one end fell down across Home
telephone cable. For nearly fifteen
there was a display Of fire
works that would do credit to any
Fourth of July celebration and then |
the cable was also undone. The cable |
contained so wires and supplied all the |
business houses east of Market street |
on the south side of First avenue.
Splicing the cable was a big job and
1t took all day to make repairs.
The wind cut several queer capers. |
In the alley between Hamilton's hard |
ware store and Cruzen's grocery it |
picked up a cracker barrel and lodged |
It above the second story windows on |
some electric ! light wires. 1t took |
down the flag from the court house in |
a jiffy and spread it out on wire just |
south of the Oskaloosa Shoe Com |
Jany's store. IN front of the DR.. Clark |
on First avenue west 1t broke /
a limb off tree, which turned over
and suspended itself on a wire. The |
'nb was then shot along the wire like
a cash basket for half block.
Trees and branches are down all
llong the path CT the storm, and flower
gardens ano bushes Of all kinds suf-
Tered.