Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-01-26
WIND CAUSES MUCH
DAMAGE TO TREES
Limbs Are Blown Off and in Number Of
Gases Trees Are Uprooted, But
No One Is Struck.
WIND ESTABLISHES NEW
RECORD FOR THIS WINTER
Some Expected to See Willamette
Bridge in River, But 1t Survived
Strenuous Night.

The local atmosphere was shattered
into million pieces again last night by
the tail end of big blow originating
somewhere south of here, and it was so
much more active that the one visit
ing the city before was but a little
whiff in comparison. An open window
last night after O'Clock meant
paneless one this morning, loose gate
a wreck and even shingles on the
houses experienced great difficulty in
remaining in place.
Sturdy oaks, big frs and even small
er and less top heavy trees suffered
from the blasts. One of the mighty
oak trees near the John H. Albert place
in Yew Park succumbed to the wind
early this morning and went crashing
to the ground A big fir almost in the
center of Marion square toppled over
and is now lying with its long roots
sticking up. Two strong locust trees on
North Church street fell for the play
full breezes, while many fruit trees
were either broken down or blown over.
Has Speed Record
It is said today by those who were
compelled to be out last night at IL
o'clock that at times the wind sailed
through the Salem streets at the rate of
go miles an hour, and it was with diff
ficulty that pedestrian could walk
facing it.
The danger lights which were set up
over open excavations and other places
where the streets are torn up, were
plucked from their respective resting
grounds and rolled norhward. The
street and residence lights winked,
fretted and at times went out for a
short while, but were not put out Of
commission for good,
1t was fully expected by some that
the Willamette river wagon bridge
would be down in the water this morn
ing, but the old structure is still stand
ing, and, with the exception of a few
telephone wire twisted and wrapped
about the steel girders by the wind, it
is apparently in the same condition as
always
The lookout in the little house on top
of the railroad bridge thanked good
ness that the workmen had done good
Job in securing the shelter last night.
He declares that the wind shrieked and
beloved all night, and that the river
was thrown in big, choppy waves by the
gusts.
The water gauge at the Oregon City
Transportation company's dock this
morning showed the Willamette river
to be at the 15.foot, S-inch mark, This
is a record stage so far this season, but
the water was falling at noon, and it
is expected that the river will return to
its normal height within short time.
Unless the recent rains have dis
lodged the snow in the foothills up the
valley, no great raise of the river is
predicted.
Library Building Crushed.
A monster oak tree which stood south
of the employees library building at the
Salem Woolen mills blew over last night
and striking the building crushed it to
the ground as though it had been an
eg shell. Fortunately no one was in the
structure when the oak dropped and
the only damage was the complete de-
moEshment of the library,
Waiting Room Moved.
The station at Hazelau, on the Ore.
gon Electric, two miles south of Salem,
was blown to the edge of the river
Wires held it from topping into the
river.