The Penn's Grove record., 1911-06-16
A Tornado Struck PENIS Grove.
Houses Damaged. Trees Uprootes

iIOuSSc D"SSu. AAcSo OpToutSus
After a hot sult.y Sunday, at 100
o'clock last Monday morning a much
needed rain came on a heavy gale of
wind, accompanied by hail. 1t was
heavy enough to soak the ground we'll,
and put an end to the drought during
May.
At 7 O'Clock Monday evening another
heavy dashing rain came on a fierce gale
with whirlwindS which did considerable
damage 1t was the most destructive
tornado in thirty years. The most de-
structive wind struck the Borough near
the river. A dozen trees, some over two
feet in diameter, and of fifty years growth
in French's grove were torn from their
rooted beds and also broken. Five of the
largest in front Of the hotel were broken
down. They had to be cut up and cart
ed away. So much shade was torn from
the grove that the hotel can now be seen
from the river. n
The large poplar tree more than two
feet in diameter, also a maple at the foot
OF Main street were blown down.
A large maple on Harry J. Blohm's
lawn was broken at the butt, blown across
the street and INSTRUCTED travel until
cut up.
A large poplar i'll front of Rebecca ].
Divers house OH franklin street was
blown against a tree nearby which kept
it from falling. The cement walk was
badly damaged by the tearing up of tile
tree roots. A poplar tree was blown
across Harmony street and two panels
OIL the iron fence on the school
ground was broken. Three large poplaIs
OH Railroad Avenue, at State Street, were
uprooted. A large poplar at the corner
OF Pitman and Morris streets was up
rooted and blown across the fence Which
was mashed. Large limbs were broken
off the trees in front of Abigail Kidd's
house at Union corner and hung sus-
pended on the telephone wires.
Numerous other trees were broken or
DlOMH QOWH Iii ulACICHU PQI 10 VI ViC
Borough and small buildings overturned.
1t will cost the Borough about $3.50 to
clear the streets of the debris and private
parties as much to clear their premises.
The telegraph and telephone wires were
broken and the service was not repaired
Tor three days.
The greatest damage was done to S. r.
Leaps barn and double house adjoining
Odd Fellows Hall. One of the whiTl-
winds which came from the west struck
land below French's grove. After pick
ing up a cabin six by ten feet from a flat
car and dropping it top up into Leaps
meadow, the roof was taken off the south
end of the barn at the rear of Odd Eel.
lows Hall. The tin roof on the double
house next to the Hall was torn off and
rolled into Main street. Rain poured in
torrents through the house and destroyed
all the wall paper in the second and
third stories. 1t will probably cost Mr..
Leap $500 to repair the damage done to
his property.
The gale was very Obstructive to Chin
neys. The chimney on Robert kidd's
house tenanted by William G. Lawrence,
was blown over. 1t fell through the tin
roof into the kitchen. The chimney was
blown off OF Emmanuel Church. The
one on Harry Davenport's residence
went down, also four IN two OF William
A. Sacks double houses. The one on
William P. Denny's blacksmith shop fell
and broke roof and plate badly, All the
above mentioned are along South Broad
Street. Mrs. Anna Stanton's chimney
OH Franklin Street went over, also two
OH Odd Fellows Hall.
Because of the low tide little damage
was lone to boats along the river shore.
The lines of the steamer Ulrica broke from
Penn's Grove wharf and she was blown
aground III front Of Barber's wharf. When
the tide arose she vent back to the wharf
and made her usual trips on Wednesday.
During the evening hail fell in some 10
c~alities. John M. Bevis reports his white
potato vine and early tomatoes badly
damaged by it.
A BARN BURNED
The tempest was also accompanied
with terrific thunder and startling light
ming. The barn OH the James Thompson
farm in Pilesgrove township, owned by
Mrs. Damon Humphreys, and tenanted
by Thomas Flanagan, Jr., was struck by
lightning and burned down. Mr.. Elan
igan lost a COW, a calf, harness and sew