Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-03-25
A FIERCE TORNADO
Chicago Suburbs Visited by
Electrical Hurricane.
THREE HOTELS, MANY HOUSES DOWN
One Killed, Twenty-Five Injured at
Indiana HarbOr-Part of Steel
Plant Blown Over-RaflrOad
Cars Overturned.

Plant Blown Over-RaflrOad
Cars Overturned.
CHICAGO, March 25.-One of the
most severe tornadoes that ever swept
over this part of the country wrought
enormous damage in western Indiana,
northern Illinois and eastern Michigan
last night.
The number of casualties cannot be
stated with any accuracy, but reports
from Indiana Harbor are that ut least
one person has been killed and twenty
five injured there. Widespread dam
age was lone at Hammond, Ind, the
first spot where the wind, rain and
lightning worked their havoc. North
of Chicago, at Evanston, where the
Northwestern university is located,
Rogers Park and Thornton report by
telephone, through circuitous routes,
that the loss of property was attended
by loss of life, too, though details are
lacking.
After striking Hammond the storm
swept down on Washington heights,
southwest of south Chicago, then leap
ed n%orthward to Evanston and Thorn
ton and her bounded over toward
Grand Rapids, Mich.
The storm was accompanied by ter
rife thunder and lightning, and the
| rain descended in torrents for Il couple
of hours. Along the lake front south
| east of south Chicago the wind blew
a hurricane. AT Indiana Harbor three
hotels were wrecked, a large general
| store was demolished, and eighteen
residences were blown down.
The extensive freight yards and
packing establishments at Hammond
were damaged to the extent of thou
| sands of dollars, and two men are re-
ported to have been injured. Freight
cars were unroofed and blown over on
their sides, and the plant of the Re-
public Iron and Steel company was
practically RACED. The city is in utter
darkness.
The town of Indiana Harbor, twenty
miles southeast of Chicago, on the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern
railroad, was the heaviest sufferer.
One man, L.. Barker, the proprietor of
| Il uIy SOOuo SLOlCy vas hiiiChs diiu III
teen persons, who were in his store
when the storm struck. it, were injured,
some of them seriously, although none
is expected to die. In all, twenty-five
persons were injured.
Barker's store was entirely demol-
ished. Eighteen residences were blown
down, and several persons were hurt
| IN fha y,,;pc of t1oi. hnrncC
The wires of the electric lines were
knocked down and the power was shut
off, making it impossible for anybody
to reach the place save on the regular
trains of the railroads.
All three of the hotels in the place
were badly damaged, Green's hotel in
particular being badly wrecked. One
turned over.
II The storm created havoc in the town
of Hammond, Ind. Several residences
were badly damaged, and two persons
were injured, but not fatally. One
end of the large plant of the Republic
Iron and Steel company was blown
down, causing a loss of at least $25,-
OOO. DuSllCSS AOuSCS NClC ulllOOISu;
and the city tonight is in total dark
ness.
SO many of the electric light wires
We're blown down that the authorities
compelled the company to shut off all
power, because of the fear that lives
might be lost through contact with live
I wires. In the freight yards of the rail
roads running through Hammond great
damage was done. Many cars were
unroofed, blown over and the yards in
many places piled with wreckage.
In Grand Crossing, eight miles south
of the center of the city, a number OF
buildings were wrecked, freight cars
blown about the yards and the tracks
of the railroad covered with debris tc
such an extent that the majority OF
\ incoming trains were compelled to cal
\ upon their passengers to assist in re
i moving the wreckage from the tracks
L so that the trains could nrocnod