The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-07
TREES UPROOTED
BY HEAVY WIND.
ELECTRIC LIGHT POLE FELL
ACROSS PORCH OF Ex-ALDERMAN
JOHN w. SMITHS HOUSE.


No One Was Injured, Though the
Heavy Pole Fell Directly Across
the POrch-Next to Former Homo
of Mamie Bell, Who Was Killed
Recently by a Falling POIe-Up-
Rooted Trees Delayed Isle of Hope
and Montgomery Cars-Car
Tracks Flooded on West Broad
street-Wind Moved City of Mem
phis From Dock.
The heavy wind which accompanied
the thunder storm of yesterday after
noon, snapped off an electric light pole
on Berrien street, between Montgomery
and West Broad, and with a crash the
heavy pole fell to the porch of ex-
Alderman John w. Smiths house.
That the pole fell without hitting
anyone is due to the fact that the wind
was driving the rain in all directions.
There was nothing to indicate that the
pole was about to fall, until the snap
that marked its breaking off. 1t broke
off flush with the ground.
Almost the entire weight struck the
railing about the porch of the ex-al-
derman's home. The light barrier was
not sufficient to stop the fall of the
pole, but it crashed through and lay
across the porch. The rain had driven
every one indoors, and it is probable
that this fact alone saved some of Mr..
Smiths family.
The noise of the falling pole attract
ed the attention of many in the neigh
borhood Patrolman Brown was among
the first to reach the spot. An exami-
nation of the base of the pole showed
that it was rotten in the center, max
ding its destruction by the wind a
comparatively easy matter.
peculiar circumstance, and one
that caused considerable comment, is
that the pole struck the porch of the
house Immediately next to the former
home of Miss Mamie Bell, the young
lady who was almost instantly killed by
being struck with a falling pole near
Christ Church several weeks ago. Both
poles were the property of the Savan-
nah Electric Company.
Moved City of Memphis.
The strength of the wind which the
instruments at the Weather Bureau
show to have been blowing from the
southwest with velocity of thirty-six
miles an hour, was sufficient to move
the City of Memphis of the Ocean
Steamship Company.
The vessel was moored to the COM
pany's wharf, and the action of the tide
had caused it to move in close to the
dock, thus leaving the mooring ropes
slack. The wind seemed to come with
full force and without an instant's
warning.
1t caught the Memphis fairly and
there was a slight raising movement
and then the big vessel shot out into
the river. the mooring ropes drawing
taut with snap. The strength of the
wind was not sufficient to break the
ropes and no harm resulted.
new taxpayer roof which is being
placed on one. of the buildings of the
Ocean Steamship Company was torn
loose by the wind and hurled in all
directions. Some of the heavy mate
rial chung fast and for time the
sound Of the Tapping and ripping of the
toughened paper caused many to think
that the damage was more serious.
Trees Were UprOOted.
The force of the wind was sufficient
to tear up several large trees by the
roots; though all of the damage of this
character was in the country where
there were no buildings to break the
force of the wind. Two large trees
were thrown across the tracks of the
Electric Company on the Isle of Hope
road, just beyond Sandf1y, delaying
traffic for more than an hour.
To add to the trouble the wire was
torn loose in one place, tying up cars
beyond the break. A force of men was
hurried out at once and the damage
was soon repaired.
A large tree was also thrown across
the Montgomery line track, delaying
traffic for nearly an hour on the line.
The parcel car was caught just be-
yond the obstruction and held up un-
til a force of men could be carried
out.
The West Broad street cars were
held up at Harris street The heavy
rain which was falling was too much
for the sewer to carry off, and the
water washed dirt and sand over the
tracks, obstructing traffic. It was nee
essary to pump off the water and
scrape the tracks clean before the
cars running on West Broad street
could complete their circuits.
Wires were reported down in all
parts of the city, and many tee-
phones were out of commission. All
of the breaks were repaired. however,
before nightfall.
No Damage mt Resorts.
The resorts lying outside the city,
as rar as can be learned, escaped
without danger The Yacht Club
was compelled to call of its races,
which were scheduled for the after
noon. The yachts were on the river
preparing for the starting, but for
tunately the approach of the squat
was seen in time to allow all to get
back to cover and to haul in sails
At Isle of Hope no damage is re-
ported, save the uprooting of several
trees along the bluff.
At Tybee there was a heavy rain,
but the wind was not as high as in
Savannah, and, as far as can be learn
ed, there was no damage there.
That there were not more serious
results is probably due to the fact that
the wind lost It's strength within a few
minutes. Twelve minutes after the
first heavy gust the wind had died
down to the ordinary rain wind. Dur
ing that time that the wind was at
its highest .35 OF an inch OF rain fell.
The total rainfall for the day was 20