Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-06-21
ICE HOUSES DESTROYED.
Armour Company Suffers Loss Of
S250,O00 at Pewaukee.
STARTED BY LIGHTNING
Much Damage Is Done by Lightning and
Storm in Southern Part of
Wisconsin.


would have been considerably larger but
for the bucket brigades formed by Pc
waukee people and summer resorters,
and the help sent from Milwaukee, fire
started by lightning last night destroyed
the Armour ice houses on the lake. A
great mass of blackened ice is all that is
left.
The great building, in two sections,
valued without contents at upwards of
Slo0,0OO, was struck by lightning at 8
O'Clock. No fire could be seen until
twenty minutes later, and then the struc-
ture was doomed. The flames could be
seen for miles around.
Explosion Spreads Flames.
The ice house was built in compart-
ments, and six of these were empty to
afford protection against the ice melt
ing into one big lump. The lightning
struck one OF these empty rooms and
the pine chips inside and gases exploded
hfteen minutes later, sending the cupola
ana mass OF flames high into the air.
Then the two big water tanks on the
roofs, furnishing the sprinkling system
IN this the most up-to-date establishment
OF its kind in the west tumhled in and
all water supply was cut off. 1t was i'm
possible to go near the fire from any
side because of heat.
MllWaukeeans Fight Fire.
Meanwhile everybody for miles around
mad gathered and excited bucket brigades
were formed. The Hases, Meyers,
Luedtke and others homes at the lake
were emptied and the occupants turned
out to work side by side with DR.. Par
fridge, Frank Clark and other prominent
people from the village. They saved the
boarding house in part and other neigh
boring buildings
At 3 a. N. a Milwaukee fire depart
ment engine which had been sent for
arrived and this morning 1000 feet of
nose came from the Cream city. A pump
was established on a scow and water
poured into the ruins today
The Milwaukee road tracks running
near by are being protected, so that
train service is not hampered. Ten out
OF forty boXcarS on a siding were burned
last night. The others were showed to
safety.
Supt. Morrow's family was warned by
" atchman Miller at once. The superin-
tendent lived in the cOmpany's boarding
house and some Of the rooms he occupied
were burned soon after the family was
taken to safety.
Valentine Feels Loss.
2. \. Valentine of Chicago of the Ar
mour company, who occupied a summer
home at Oconomowoc lake, was notified
later and was deeply moved when he
heard Of the loss. Hundreds Of contracts
Tor ice will remain untitled, especially for
southern points, as the ice still left is
unit for uses intended.
Charles johnson, an employee, filled his
trunk and others carried it out of the
boarding house. Then. somehow, the
whole things was dropped into the lake
An hour later the soaked contents were
spread out on the grass to dry
Not only was the va Ina hIa ica M xino
machinery destroyed, but the electric
hghtlng system, with three dynamos, was
made entirely useless.
To Rebuild Plant.
Whether or not the plant will be re-
built is not known, but it is probable
that new structure will go up before
next winter. Over 600 men were en-
pioyed in the plant last winter
Small Cyclone in Waukesha.
/ Waukesha, Wis, June 49, Special
"A miniature cyclone passed through the
town Of Waukesha, several miles south of
this city, Saturday afternoon, doing con-
siderable damage.
At the farm of George Lindner q large
barn was completely RACED and two yaIu-
able horses killed. The farmhouse was
just out of the range of the storm and
escaped. Nearly all the trees in a forest
near the Lindner farm were blown down.
At the farm Of John Pierner, a $500
barn, barely completed, was blown down
with some smaller buildings. At Napo-
leon MerrilFS farm large trees and some
outbuildings were RACED and a large shed
On the farm Of Julius Love was blown
down. The McFicker district school was
struck by lightning, the cupOia being
knocked off and the roof badly damaged
Lightning Via Telephone.
A peculiar incident occurred at the
home of Dr.. Granger on Barney street
Lightning followed telephone wire into
the house and followed the water pipe
to the sink where a domestic was en-
ployed, who received a bad shock. A
woman on College avenue was knocked
down and rendered unconscious for some
time from shock received from a tele-
phone.
Madison Has Flood.
Madison, Wis, June 49, Special. /
An enormous downpour of rain last
night was accompanied by a heavy wind.
The streets were flooded with 9 inches
OF water in some places. Sidewalks were
carried away, by the flood and many
cellars are filled with water.
Reports from the surrounding country
are that thousands of dollars damage
was done by the storm. The chief dam
age was by hail, which covered the
ground inches deep. Fruit trees were
completely stripped. Corn and tobacco
crops are almost a total loss.
Floods caused by the enormous down
pour of rain leveIed the hay crop in
many meadows. Livestock and much
poultry was killed.
A number of persons caught in the
storm were badly injured.
Child Burned by Lightning.
Jefferson. Wis, June 10 Special. /
The courthouse tower was struck by
lightning last night for the second time
IN week. A small son of Mr. Luedtke,
who was playing on the grounds, was
shocked and his left arm badly burned.
John Haag's building was partly de-
molished. The storm latest few min
utes only, but was one of the fiercest
Of the season.
e.af's'. Steamer Caught in Storm.
! La Cross, Wis, June 19-The steamer
j. S.. with 1000 eXcursionists from La
Crosse aboard, was caught in a terrible
storm between Winona and La Crosse
last night. 1t arrived at La Crosse an
hour late.
Glen Mill Dam Out.
Chippewa Falls, Wis, June 19.-TSpe-
cial. 1.-The Glen mill dam on Duncan
IL l,c