Omaha daily bee., 1905-09-16
STRIKES ARLINGTON BLOCK
TREET CARS ARE STOPPED FOR A TIME
As Usual During HiRh winds BILL
boards Are Blown Down and
Lives of People En-
danEered.

Lives OF People En-
dRngered.
Omaha and surrounding country were
treated to another souse from the rain god
last evening. 1t was a million-dolla rain
marked down to about two-six-bts.
Conditions during the day were such as
warranted the Oldest Inhabitant and the
Careful Observer in agreeing that rain was
likely, and along about . o'clock in the
evening the clouds broke loose. with mo-
mentary lapses the deluge continued until
nearly II o'clock. No accurate measure OF
the amount OF water that fell could be OBJ
tained last night but II was certainly the
heaviest and wettest rain OF the season
locally. Numerous meetings throughout
the city were broken up by the storm,
which was most vigorous about the time
folks were getting ready to go out. Shortly
before II o'clock another terrific downpour
ensued, apparently exhausting the supply
for the time at least for then ensued the
longest time between showers of the even
ing.
During the early part of the storm the
wind varied from southwest to south, but
the latter end brought the rain from the
north on the wings of gale. and dashed
1t with frightful fury against all exposed
objects. Along with the rain was a most
impressive display of lightning, accom-
panied by deafening peals Of thunder, the
whole making the storm a terrifying spec
tacle.
Travel was greatly impeded by the storm
although the trolley cars were kept going
back and forth on nearly schedule time
except for a short time. Not many people
ventured out. and they were drenched in
defed raincoat and umbrella alike.
The unpaved streets suffered quite a
little from washouts. Excavations for
buildings were flooded, ana quite little
minor hurt was done In this way. The
telegraph lines to the east OF Omaha were
seriously interrupted at times by the light
ninG.
Dodge Hotel UnrOofed.
The roof of the building occupied by the
Dodge European hotel. Thirteenth and
Dodge streets, was almost entirely blown
off, and people occupying the rooms OF the
hotel We're compelled to fee for their lives.
The fire department was called and the
police put up ropes around the building
as 1t is feared the structure will collapse
The Megeath Stationery company suffered
the loss of a large plate glass window in
the front of its place at 1921 Farnam street
l ne WlnuOW on the 6lNteentn SlOe OF the
Sherman & Mcconnell Drug company. Six
teenth and Dodge streets, was blown in
and a considerable amount OF goods dam
aged. The windows of the Omaha Pack
age Creamery company and the Omaha
Tent and Awning company also suffered
the loss of plate glass. The Huteson
Optical company is also the loser of
plate glass window, and the Red Lion sa-
| loon at Fifteenth and Dodge streets is out
a window. A large window was also
blown from the MiIlard hotel barroom
while the door of the Moran saloon at
Thirteen and Dodge streets was blown in.
At the NJ. f, Smith & Co.'S shirt fac
| tory at Eleventh and Douglas streets sew
! eral windows on the north side were broken
by the wind and rain and considerable
! damage done to goods
The large sign of Joseph Frenzer, jeweler
at Fifteenth and Dodge was blown down
and narrowly missed a pedestrian.
| on Cunning street between Twenty fourth
and Thirty-fourth streets, sign boards,
trees and other things Uttered the streets.
Mud on Car Tracks.
! OF the car lines perhaps the most serious
damage was to the Harney line on Thirty
| third between California and Cunning
! streets, where the rain washed mud over the
tracks making the line at this place almost
impossible. The mud on the track was
fully four inches thick and II was with
dificulty that the cars we're finally able TO
proceed Out on North Twenty-fourth
street cars were stopped by trees and signs
blowing on the tracks. The Dodge line on
| North Thirteth and on Lake street west
Of Twenty-fourth was abandoned, and cars
were not run over this line until after
midnight.
Nearly browns in BED.
Mrs. Marguerite Dillon, an old woman
who lives in a hut down hollow near
Thirty-third and Cass streets, had the
novel experience Of being nearly drowned
in her own bed while she lay sleeping after
the storm last night Mrs. Dillon is "A
years old and says that she has lived in
this one house for over eighteen years, but
the rain Of last night was too much for
the unsubstantial little shack The water
came into her house and stood fully four
feet deep on the outside, the water literally
floating the bed upon which Mrs. Dillon
lay Some OF the neghbors ran to the
place in the thickest OF the storm, but Mrs.
Dillon absolutely refused to leave her little
home Some one telephoned TO the police
station and Oficer Davis was sent 70 In
vestigate. When the of1cer arrived he
found Mrs. Dillon peacefully sitting on the
edge OF the bed and absolutely refused 10
be taken away. Oficer Davis waded into
the water and carried the woman out and
she was taken to the police station, where
she Is being cared for. The old woman
fought the officer and said that she would
not leave her home, She is "a years old
and makes a living by raising chickens
Court House Flooded.
At the courthouse the rain flooded the en-
I frances to the basement and poured In
under the doors until an inch Of water
! stood on the floor The clerks in the as
sessor's ONCE were working at the books
when the water began 20 cover the floor
When the storm was at It's height the cleo
trio lights went out and left the building In
, total darkness. The clerks and the watch.