Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-08
WIRES DOWN
EAST OF CHICAGO
Windstorm Does Extensive Damage
in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky.
SEVERAL DEATHS NEAR DETROIT
Two Boys Reported Blown Into
River From Dock.
CLEVELAND ALMOST ISOLATED
Navigation on Lake Erie Made Dan
gerous by High Seas.
FACTORIES DAMAGED AT TOLEDO
Score of Persons Injured in Vicinity
of wabash and Peru, Ind.--
Man Killed in western
Kentucky.
Two Boys Reported Blown Into
River From Dock.
CLEVELAND ALMOST ISOLATED
Navigation on Lake Erie Made DAN
gerous by High Seas.
DAMAGED AT TOLEDO


oago as far as Pittsburg went down rapidly
in todays gale, according to the telegraph
companies Wheeling, w. Va, reported
every wire down east of that point. or
the numerous leased wires running east OF
Chicago, but one was working this after
noon and conditions already said TO be
growing worse.
In this city by far the most freaking
whim of the storm was to give a perilous
ride to Samuel Holland, an elevated rail-
road conductor. Holland was seated on the
runway of box car on the Metropolitan
Elevated when the roof was lifted up by
the gale. 1t maintained horizontal posi-
tion and Holland went whirling away like
a fly on piece of cardboard. lie lit over
100 feet from the starting place, none the
worse for his experience. The roof settled
to the ground with comparative steadiness,
considering its weight Friends among the
train crew insisted that the conductor
must be internally injured and took him to
a physician, but the latter confirmed H9i-
lands statement that he was unhurt.
Several Deaths in Michigan.
DETROIT. Mich, April IA severe rain
and electrical storm. which swept over
lower Michigan early last night was fol-
lowed by a wind storm OF unusual violence
and many accidents and two deaths have
been reported.
Near Ionia, lightning shot into farm
house along a telephone wire and killed s.
year-old Benjamin Helmer and severely
shocked two other children, while the
family was sitting at the supper table.
Interurban traffic out of Grand Rapids
was delayed by the storm. Dozens OF
barns In western Michigan were struck by
lightning. The wind has averaged from
fifty to sixty miles an hour.
One child was severely Injured In Michi-
gan avenue here by falling sign.
At Brighton Ray Miller was killed and
his brother, Guy. was severely injured by
being struck by the roof OF house which
blew off today while the boys were driy-
ing by
Two boys reported TO the police that
they saw two other little boys blown into
the river from a dock on Belle Isle.
Late this afternoon It was reported that
three Hungarians had been drowned in the
river off wyandotte by the capsizing OF
their boat in the high sea that is running
on the river.
Cleveland Practically Isolated.
| CLEVELAND, o., April 1.-The storm
which prevailed in northern Ohio today
| practically isolated Cleveland from com
munication with the east The slxty-fiye
mile gale made sad havoc in all direc-
tions The telegraph and the telephone
wires were reported down throughout the
state. The damage was confined to the
wires according to early reports. Navl-
| CATION on the lake was made hazardous
by the high seas
The barge Norman Kelley is reported to
he adrift off Kelley's Island with four
men and woman on board. They have
no power or provisions and are in imm-
nent danger o fleeing wrecked Other boats
have not succeeded in reaching the craft.
Smaller craft upon the lake were COM
PEELED early to come into hsrbor. Many
minor accidents were reported in and about
the city
Factories Damaged at Toledo.
| TOLEDO, O., April 7.--Hundreds OF men
out of work thousands Of dollars damage
done and many persons slightly injured
are the results of a hurricane that visited
Toledo and vicinity today.
The wind attained a velocity Of sixty
nine miles an hour In this city The roof
Of the plant of Masslon Bridge company
$50 by 400 feet ripped off and hurled
into field and 800 men we're thrown out
OF employment until the damage can be re-
paired.
Pedestrians were injured by falling signs
parts Of roofs, chmneys and limbs of trees
Many women were bowled over by the
wind.
In small towns near Toledo considerable
damage was done. Many houses were
struck by lightning and the occupants
stunned. but there are no reports Of fatal
tiles.
Tornado AT wabash.
WABASH, Ind. April THE only tor
nado Wabash has known in twenty-five
years hit here last night. inJurinE a score
OF persons and doing thousands OF dollars
worth OF damage. The storm struck the
city at o'clock, passing through the north
east section of the town. A dozen houses
we're demolished.
Mrs. James Hayes and four children
were pinned beneath the wreckage Of their
home. which caught fire. The mother was
badly burned and will die. The children
were seriously hurt. William Shepard, wife
and two children. were held beneath fallen
ruins until neighbors extricated them.
Wires went down and the city was In dark =
ness throughout the night. The entire sec
ond story OF the dwelling occupied by Will
liam Hines was carried away, leaving the
family I'm their beds exposed TO a drenching
rain. The wind was followed by a cloud
burst and the river rose. flooding low
lands, Many bridges were washed away
The streets are impassabie this morning
owing to fallen trees.
PERU. Ind April IA tornado struck
this town at o'clock last night and de-
stroyed four factories and several school
, buildings and wrecked many small struc-
lures. Samuel Cornes was caught under
the wreckage when his dwelling collapsed
, He has three ribs broken. a fractured arm
! and internal injuries. but may recover.
Z Man KILLED In Western Kentucky.
! LEXINGTON, KY, April 7.-DispAtches
say great damhage was done in western
Kentucky by a tornado which swept oyeI