Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-25
A FIERCE TORNADO
Chicago Suburbs Visited by
 Electrical Hurricane.
THREE HOTELS, MANY HOUSES DOWN
One Killed, Twenty-Five Injured at Indiana xzarbor-Pnrt of Steel Plant Blown Ovcr-Railrond
 Cars Overturned.

SHE@ OVGrtuEhGOs
 t, 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 at least one person Las been killed and twenty five injured there. Widespread dam age was done 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 northward to Evanston and Thorn ton and then bounded over toward Grand Rapids, Mich:
 The storm was accompanied by ter rife thunder and lightning, and the rain descended in torrents for couple of hours. Along the lake front south east of south Chicago the wind blew hurricane. At Indiana Harbor three hotels were wrecked, q 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 razed. 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 a dry goods store, was killed, and fif- 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 the ruins of their homes.
 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, Greens hotel in particular being badly wrecked. One two story frame building was entirely turned over.
 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,- 900. Business houses were unroofed, and the city tonight is in total dark ness.
 So many of the electric light wires were 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 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, 6 number of buildings were wrecked, freight cars blown about the yards and the tracks of the railroad covered with debris to such an extent that the majority Of incoming trains were compelled to call upon their passengers to assist in re- moving the wreckage from the tracks so that the trains could proceed.
 storm at Grand Rapids.