The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-05-30
Storm of Tuesday Afternoon
Accompanied by Almost
a Water Spout.
CELLARS FILLED WITH WATER
Big Tent at Zion City Wrecked by the
Storm and Followers of voliTa See
the Working of Divine Providence to
discomfort Their Enemies

All Kenosha went to work this morn
ing with a disguised look on its face
and it was all due to the state of the
weather. One of the worst, if not the
worst, rain storm ever known in Ke-
nosha was pulled off late Tuesday af-
ternoon and it will be several DAYS be-
fore some parts of the city get away
from Che deluge Of water that fell.
Cellars were filed up with surface
water and in some places buildings
were flooded. The rain and hail came
from the northeast and was blown
along by a wind which approached the
velocity of a cyclone. In some parts
of the city windows were broken by
the wind and rain and hail and the
partially restored telephone and tele-
graph service was again crippled by
the storm. All over the county the
water fell copiously enough to make
a water spout. The streets of the city
were strewn with debris after the
storm was over, but no great loss was
reported from the work of the water.
It is certain, however, that new crop
of petitions for sewers will reach the
council at its next meeting as a re-
suit Of the floods caused by the great
downpour of rain. The overhanging
clouds made it so dark in the city that
lights were in use in. offices and in
the down town stores and while the
storm continued for less than an hour
lit is thought that more than an inch
Of rain fell in that time.
A terrific windstorm descended upon
Zion City yesterday afternoon sent a
big tent crashing down upon 400 of
Wilbur Glenn Voliva's enemies, and
accomplished what Voliva had been
trying to do for forty-eight hours.
'fIt is the hand of God, uplifted
against my enemies" modestly re-
M tked Voliva when he saw what the
storm had done. SIT is the fulfllment
of the Scripture
The victims Of the storm were men
and women, who, in defiance of Volt
vas orders, had attended an after
noon meeting held by the "Milleni-
um Evangelists.
The evangelists had invaded Zion
City in spite of repeated warnings
from Voliva's followers. Voliva adj
vised that everybody in the town re-
fuse to feed the visitors and refuse to
talk or listen to them. He said that
they wire invading the chosen city
and had no right there. He added
ominously that much harm would come
of the visit.
It appeared to the faithful to be in
great storm cloud lowered over the
ely when the evangelists opened their
p.eeting. A high wind was bowling
through the canvas as the first hymn
was concluded.
DR.. G.. A. Reminger representing the
independents of Zion City, had just
finished an address Of welcome when
there was a roar of thunder as the
storm struck the tent. Then there
was ripping of canvas and the center
pole crashed in upon the worshippers,
to be followed moment later by the
tent itself.
Women and children screamed and
struggled to escape from the wreckage.
In the midst of their struggles a tree
was torn up by the roots and blown
over on the struggling mass of hui
mainly.
After a few minutes several men
escaped from the mass of rope and
canvas and began cutting women and
children out through openings in the
tent. Half an hour later everybody
was free. With the exception of mum
erous scratches and bruises no one was
seriously injured
The Voliva forces, however, were
iubilant last night over what was re
ceived as divine act. They insisted
that no greater proof of the danger of
the coming of the evangelists could
have been found than in the accident.