River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-07-11
ELECTRICAL STORMS
SPECTATORS AT A BALL GAME
SEE ONE OF THEIR NU:A-
Der FELLED.
TORNADO DAMAGE DONE.
Tornado Does Much Damage at
Various Points-chicaso Reports
Electrical Damage of
100000.

stantly killed and seven others were
injured in a remarkable electrical
STORM which hit Grand Forks. Charles
Lunder was the victim of the fatal
bolt, and he was killed in full view of
hundreds of spectators at the Duluth
Grand Forks league baseball game,
which was being played on field
adjoining the ball park when he was
felled. Adam Scmitz, walking at his
side was stunned but regained con-
seriousness in a moment. Many pea
pie in the park were affected by cleo
trical shocks.
Only two bolts seemed to have
worked the havoc that was wrought
One spread in such manner as to kill
Lumber and injured two women and a
boy. second bolt struck in the
Great Northern yards.
Mrs. Bliven, wife of Grand Forks
police officer, and Mrs. James Ed
wards, We're seated on porches of their
residences on opposite sides of the
same street, when the bolt that killed
Lunder rendered them unconscious,
and they were not revived for half
hour
Cleary Maloy, aged 13, had his arm
paralyzed by the same bolt.
The other bolt hit the Great North
ern roundhouse, coming into the build
ing over telephone wires, and shoot
ing blue flame across the office,
about 20 feet wide, and striking j e.
Myers and H. B. Myers, knocking
II IL, > -.
and burning both.
George Anderson, an engineer walk
ing in the yards near the track, was
thrown to the ground by the same bolt
and was unconscious several hours.
Cyclonic conditions prevailed. The
wind mounted to the speed Of 20
miles an hour for a brief period.
Some hail fell, but no damage was
done in Grand Forks.
AT Northwood, 40 miles southwest,
hail stones measuring five inches in
diameter fell but the fact there was
no wind, saved the grain crop from
complete destruction.
Chicago. Damage aggregating
100000 was caused by an electrical
storm here.
Twelve houses we're struck by light
ming and AZ alarms were received by
the fire department. Many Easements
were flooded, especially in the down
town business district
In the Ghetto on the West side hun
dreds of Easements were flooded and
families were driven into the street by
water Lightning struck large tene-
ment house and 20 families were driy-
en- into the street by the fire that fol-
lowed
Winona - BY far the most
severe wind, rain, electrical and hail
storm which visited this section in
several years, played havoc in this
city, uprooting and damaging shade
trees in all sections and paralyzing all
wire service Reports from the sur
rounding country are meager because
of the scrippling of the telephone serv-
ice.
Few connections in the city and
none outside can be made. The Sat-
urday night crowds when the electric
left in darkness when the electric
light company finally was left with
out wires with which to supply the
current to the greater part Of the city.
The wires were tangled and twisted
by the storm. Many OF the city
streets are blocked by the trees and
fences which were strewn about by the
cyclonic wind. The fact that the city
was protected by the hills on either
side, undoubtedly saved it from des-
truction by the winds. In the half
hour the storm prevailed, there was
an inch of rain.
Destructive storms tornado in ma
ture, passed over several sections OF
Minnesota and North Dakota. A cy-
clone cut a swath through farm coun-
try seven miles east of Brainerd, and
great damage is reported to have
been inflicted in Redwood county.