Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-11
BARRE SWEPT BY
SMALL TORNADO
Store and Rectory Unroofed and
City Damaged to the Extent
Of $4,000.

Barre. july IA wind ana thunuer-
storm, which passed over Barre about
six o'clock last night, unroofed the a.
+. Abbott dry goods store and a portion
of the home Of the Rev. w. J. NJ. Beat
tic. rector of the Episcopal Church, tore
down telephone and electric wires and
many trees. causing damage estimated
at upwards OF $1,000 The torrents of rain
filled the lowland streets to the side
walks. The cutters being unable 10 AXE care
Of the water The storm lasted barely 10
minutes and appeared to center on Main
street. Although there was considerable
lightning. no damage from that source
Is reported in the city. Coming at the
end of a period of ~ hours of intense heat
during which the thermometer has reach
ed % In the shade. the storm swept upon
the city. did It's work and passed away.
The two-story brick Abbott building
received the full force of the wind and
half OF the roof of the structure was
lifted from the walls and dropped INTO
the street. which was fortunately de-
serted. Telephone and electric wires were
carried down and large transformer
was wrecked in the fall. The wires held
the mass of wreckagc and prevented 1t
from smashing the large glass window
of the Dodge jewelry store in the ad-
Joining building.
The heavy downpour soaked through
the second floor and caused heavy
damage to the goods In the Daylight
store. one of the largest dry goods es-
Establishments in Barre. The interior of
the building and its contents were
I
all replaced.
WITHOUT ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
| Men were put at work clearing up
the wreckage in the street as quickly
held up about an hour and through
damage at this and other points. cleo
trio light systems were out of use
nearly all night while many telephone
circuits were blown down on both the
New England and Orange county
systems
The Beattie house on Highland ave-
nue. lost part of the roof, which was
blown into the garden. Rain pouring
, into the upper rooms damaged the en-
tire interior of the house heavily.
The house of William Mcdonald on
Park avenue was badly damaged 10y q
falling chimney.
| on Blackwell street, a tree was
blown down and fouled the trolley
wire. which was carried DOWN A
two horse team belonging to H. A
Smith came along soon after and the
horse and driver we're severely shock
ed by contact with the wires
I,
woodsheds were unroofcd trees blowr
down or dcnulei of limbs AMI muci
damage done. The large coal hand
ling plant of Morse e. Jackson. In tn,
north end of the city, was unroofeC
and damaged to the extent of Owe
$1,000.
The damage to the Beattie resi- lenc,
is estimated at close to $4,000. Man,
people were on the street when thu
storm broke and more We're on tn
way from Montpelier, AS soon as tn
wind and rain ceased sishtsenr
swarmel about the wrecked Abbot
building and the other places wher
damage was done.
MONTPELIER NOT DAMAGED.
Montpelier was deluged With rain 10
about 10 minutes and the display of high,
ming was brilliant but there was no win
or other indications of the tornado-lik
, storm.
At the Nelson farm about three mile
north OF Montpelier toward Middlese
there was a bare sprinkling of rain an
at MiddlescX not n drop of rain fell. RI
ports from other outlying sections ind
\ cate that the storm covered an area
only "A few miles. Mirror lake In Berll
, was In the path Of the storm ana the raj
fell in sheets. while the wind whippe
n the lake into Il fury. scattering boa
r broadcast. No damage was reported