The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-05-04
Electric Storm Passes Over Keno
sha Friday Night and Damages
Simmons Big Chimney.
RAIN OF BRICK AND MORTAR
Lightning Also Strikes the Resi-
dence of c. A. Dickhaut, and Te1e-
phone and Telegraph Ser
vice Interfered With.

The first severe electric storm of
the spring passed over sKenosha Fri
day night just before o'clock and
reports from different parts Of the city
and county show that considerable
damage was done by the lightning.
The new Simmons chimney, said
to be the highest in the state, was
damaged to the extent of several
thousand dollars; the residence Of c..
"A. Dickhaut, north Of town, was dam
aged to the extent of 500; sheds at
Central park were shattered; the troll
LEY wire of the M. R. & K. railway
near Central park was snapped like
whip cord by the bolts, and the tele-
graph and telephone companies suf-
fered considerable damag during the
storm.
The greatest damage was sthe great
hole torn in the side of the chimney
at the Simmons factory. Just before
IL O'Clock the men employed at the
factory heard sharp report of the
thunder and instantaneously it was
discovered that rain of brick and
mortar was descending over the south
end Of he factory buildings. The
men kept within the building until the
storm was over and then an investi-
cation was made and it showed that
the bolt Of lightning had ploughed a
great hole in the north side of the
chimney.
The assure made by the bolt was
more than sixty feet in length and
varying in width from thirteen to
thirty inches. The crack seems to ex-
tend clear through the great mass of
masonry but it is impossible to tell
the extent of the damage at this time.
There is absolutely no danger of the
chimney topping over but it is posi-
BILE that largesamount of the upper
portion will have to be taken down
and rebuilt.
Crowds gathered at9the factory last
night and this morning to see the
damage done by the storm.
AS soon as the fires are allowed to
go out masons will be sent to the top
VI lAC Cl11IluCy " dSNOl ld4A lAAO ia LII
age done. In the meantime the COM
pany cannot estimate the loss.
The switchboard in the Postal Te1e-
graph company's office was struck
by a vagrant bolt and the service of
the company was crippled pending
the insertion of new fuse. The te1e
phone company had trouble during
the entire evening but the lines are in
working order again today.
The storm seems to have been even
more severe just north of the city and
the residence of Charles Dickhaut
was struck Just before clock. The
lightning tore hole in the rear part
of the house, causing damage to the
amount of 500. The same bolt struck
several of the buildings at Central
Park, but the loss here was inconsi-
derable.
The passengers on the north bound
M. r. & K. car which left Kenosha at
GAS O'Clock had quite scare for just
as the car was nearing Central Park
the trolley wire was struck by light
ming, and it snapped like whipcord.
In short time workmen of the COM
pany managed to patch up the break
and the car pulled into Racine half
hour late.
The heavy ra n which fell seems to
have compensated for the other dam
age done and the farmers are in high
spirits this morning.