Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-06
MARCH CLUSTERED IN
Rain, Snow and Freshets in
the West.
LIGHTNING'S WILD FRANKS
Worst Snow of the Season Now in
Wisconsin.
MUCH DAMAGE BY WASHOUTS
Floods Make Many Men Idle by the
Waters Of the Wabash-Houses
Are Destroyed.

CHICAGO. March 6.-March showed ns
PAGES yesterday throughout Chicago
darkening the city with a gray, blustery.
rain-beaten canopy. Gage Park, lying be-
tween 47th and list streets and South
Western avenue and South kedzle ave-
nue. was inundated with water from'one
foot to six feet in depth last night. In
many Of the dwellings the residents were
compelled to move to the upper floors.
One house f1oated from its foundation.
Many narrow escapes from drowning were
reported During an electrical storm at
Whiting. Ind, lightning struck cot
tage occupied by the family of Michael
Sofek q laborer in the Standard Oil Com
pany's plant. The bolt caved in the
roof on Sofek his wife and three children
and the ruins caught fire. At the same
time another lightning bolt struck the
fire department headquarters and started
the fire ALARM bell ringing.
The whole town turned out and set to
work digging the Sofek family out of
the burning ruins of their home. All the
members of the family were unconscious
when rescued, the father and mother be-
ing badly bruised. The children were un-
harmed.
Heaviest Wind in Years.
The highest March wind felt in Chi
cago- for three years began early today
from the southwest and wrought much
havoc in the downtown district.
The gale, which at times reached We
locity of fifty-five miles an hour, blew
down chimneys and smashed in several
store fronts in the business section.
In the suburb of Gage Park, which is
flooded with water on account OF the rapid
thaw of the last few days. the wind drove
the water into waves which rolled into
the first floor of residences, driving the
tenants to the second story. funeral
at West seth street and Campbell ave-
nue. was interrupted by the apparent I'M
possibility of carrying the casket from
the house to the hearse. 1t was Iounu
necessary to procure stones and timbers
and build a bridge thirty feet long be-
fore the hearse could be reached. Much
damage was reported to trees and shrub
berry in and about Logan Square In the
northwestern part Of the city.
Snow in Wisconsin.
NEW RICHMOND, Wis, March 6.-The
worst snowstorm of the season is raging
here. 1t has been showing since midnight
Wednesday, and the snow is nearly a
foot deep. but trains have managed to
get through OH fairly good time.
Washouts in the West.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio, March 6.-For the
third time in as many weeks walls were
washed out and great damage has been
done the Big Four railway yards by the
washing out of tracks. number Of
factories were unable to operate this
morning because of flooded conditions and
damage to plant. Drift forming levee
with a small ridge saved many small
houses in Murray and Section streets
from being washed away when Mill run
formed a new channel. Traction lines
suffered greatly from washouts.
Floods in Indiana,
PERU, Ind. March 6.-Nearly one thou
sand men have been rendered idle and
seventy-hve homes are damaged by the
high waters of the Wabash river, which
is out of its banks. The river is rising
one inch an hour and it is expected that
South Peru will be submerged before
night.