The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-08-19
KenOsha Proved TO Be Center Of
Great Storm That Passed Over
Wisconsin on Saturday
TREES AND WALKS TORN OUT
Rain Falls in Torrents for More Than
an Hour and High Wind Accom-
panying it Does a Great Deal
Of Damage in the City.


four O'Clock which worked havoc in
the city and brought many hundreds
of dollars damage to property. The
storm was not general throughout the
county and in fact in some parts Of
the city it was not accompanied by
the high wind which characterized its
appearance in the down town district.
While the wind attained the velocity
of a tornado on Main street, mile
from this part of the city there was
scarcely any wind at all. In some
parts Of the county rain did not fall.
during Saturday afternoon, but in some
parts of kenosha it is declared that
more than two and half inches OF
rain fell between four and five o CLOCK.
Several places were struck by light
ming during the storm but there was no
serious damage. At the South Side
bakery on Exchange street the light
ming followed the wires into the build
ing and played havoc with a now soda
fountain In other places chimneys
were knocked from houses.
The greatest damage was done by the
wind especially in the residence dis
trict just south of Wisconsin street.
Along these streets trees which had
stood for fifty years were torn up by
the roots and the wind tore them out
with such violence that in score of
places the concrete sidewalks were
torn out with the trees. The wind
shifted two or three times during the
continuance of the torrent of rain and
at times the rain was coming from
opposite directions. This was one OF
the most unusual freaks of rain
storm ever seen in Kenosha. There
was small amount of hail fell in
Kenosha but there was not enough TO
do any damage to growing crops. 1t
seems that the path of the storm III
the city was about a half mile in
width, running from north to south
and less than that running from east
to west.
The land along Jerome creek was
completely covered with water, but
none Of the culverts along the creek
was washed out. Many cellars along
the creek were filed with water as a
result Of the backing up of the sewer
and it is declared that cellars which
have always been dry filled up on Sat
urday afternoon so that boats could
have been used in them The sewers
were inadequate for the demand made
upon them and many Of the streets
on the south side resembled great lakes
During the storm the home Of Ed
ward Letsom on Ashland avenue was
struck by lightning, the chimney being
twisted off the house. The Hartung
home in the Gonnermann subdivision
in North Kenosha was struck by light
ming and Mrs. Hartung who was just
putting some bread in the oven in the
Kitchen Of the house at the time of the
accident was badly shocked by the
electricity. The home of j. O. Bus
well in the town of Somers was struck
by lightning and damaged, but none of
the members of the family was injur-
ed. Three times during the storm the
big steel stack of the Chicago Brass
Company was a target for the light
ming but it was not badly damaged.
Minor accidents are reported in all
parts of the city this morning as a
result Of the storm and the streets are
strewn with debris. The telegraph
wires were not badly interfered with,
but the telephone company had the
usual amount of trouble Two of the
motors in street cars were burned out
by lightning during the storm and the
company was forced to stop traffic for
half an hour on account of the wind
and rain.
AhC OAIlCld1 IGpOIU 1IOuH inc UlHC6 OIL
the Kenosha Home Telephone Company
this morning is that some 800 phones
were put out of commission during the
storm, but most of the trouble was due
to falling trees striking the wires. A
large force of men was put to work
Just as soon as the storm was over and
ethe service was restored in most places
by Sunday morning. The trouble
gang at the telephone office has had
lots of work to do this year, but they
have managed to maintain unusually
good service considering the large
number of bad storms.
1t reported that the yacht Black
Eagle with crew of three boys has
been missing from the local port since
last Friday afternoon and some of the
1riends of the boys on the boat seem
TO be little interested as to their
present whereabouts The life saw