Perth Amboy evening news., 1917-07-16
9nei Zion Institute in Fayette
Street is Almost Totally
Wrecked by Wind.
WINDOWS ARE BROKEN
Several Injured by Flying Glass
Damage in TottenviIIe
and Keasbey.

In the worst storm and hurricane
that has struck this city in many
years. damage running into thousands
of dollars was done at about $50
o'clock Saturday night. The Bnei
Zion Institute in Fayette street. for
mer7y the First Baptist church, was
completely wrecked, the steeple being
completely overturned Roofs were
torn off two other buildings in F'ayette
street. a score of plate glass windows
broken In stores about this city and
adjoining places, trees were uprooted
and various other damage done. Ten
persons were severely Injured as a re-
suit of damage done by the storm.
The building most severely dam
aged was the Bnei Zion Institute in
Fayette street, which was recently ac-
quired by Bnei Zion Camp, No. 20,
Order Of Bnei Zion, With a crash
that could be heard for blocks the
steeple of the institute, about fifty
feet high, was torn from it's fasten-
ings and hurled over, the pointed top
lodging in the ground next to the in
stitute and standing completely in
verted, next to the building proper,
hut detached from 1t.
Roof Demolished.
The tin roof of the institute was
likewise demolished, portions being
thrown clear OF the building. The
large brick chimney fell to the west
ward considerably damaging the
building used as q school and chapel.
Portions of the chimney toppled into
the institute, breaking through the
roof and into the body of the institute,
where it broke seats and furnishings,
scattering plaster and lath about
Water poured into the building wet
ting the interior and causing the
plaster from the ceiling to fall in
many places. +
The front of the institute was a
wreck. Broken beams and boards
j9tted from tho "a oil iiffce where re the es stes-
pie had been nnIayan % onto the churcn, oa,
frn erenodrns ago. He Ropes werEi
: fand put the namelong Faystte
Co.. one Of the Iarg nesA tlantic %, g.,
atty firms, on his sc Done. ,u.st
Pogown name. ne falling steeple
fell a1he he'the building, until recent
Iy occapied by Petty & Applegate as a
feed and grain store, cutting a large
flag pole smashing windows, and do
ing other damages to this structure.
Word of the phenomenal damage
spread throughout the city, and peo-
pie -hocked to the scene on Saturday
night, and all day yesterday a stream
of people visited the place with scam
eras.
The authorities of the institute were
uncertain yesterday as to whether or
not their damage is covered by insur-
as to rebuilding the institute.
Many Are Injured.
Numerous injuries resulted from
cuts from broken windows and glass
strewn about by the storm. Ten per-
af AT a
office of DR.. G. w. Tyrrell, in State
street. Other minor injuries were re-
ported also.
Mrs. Laskey, of 104 Fayette street,
was the most seriously injured. A
blood vessel in her left arm was cut
by glass from q broken window.
Frank Belenti, of 189 Fayette street,
was also cut In the left hand. blood
vessel having been severed. Joe Vine
gard, of 336 State street, received a
scalp wound in the back of his head,
and was likewise cut on the ring fin
ger of his right hand. B. Cohen, of
$50 State street, received two cuts
on his right hand, and Jack Christie
pher, of 73 Washington street, was cut
on the right leg by glass.
Mrs. Margaret Hunt, of 63 Wash
ington street, was cut on the right
side of the forehead, and her daugh-
ter, Annie was cut on the right hand.
Three others also received attention
at the office of DR.. Tyrrell.
The storm seemed to center about
the district bounded by Smith, High,
Commerce and Maple streets. Not only
was the city affected, but places In
Staten Island in the same path were
wrecked.
The portion of the main office of the
Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Com
cfd nf
near Center street, used as q library
and file room, was very seriously af-
fected when the roof was completely
born off, being thrown across the street,
where 1t struck tree. The tree was
broken off from the force of the con-
tact The water inundated the inter-
ior of the building, running many rec
erds and volumes. Work was imme-
diately started to clear up the dam
age, and a force of clerks and others
worked all day yesterday. clearing
up the books and papers which were
soaked to pulp by the rain. The
roof was temporarily repaired to pro-
fect the office from further damage.
Concrete forms on building being
erected in the plant of the chemical
company were likewise blown c"er.
Other Roofs Torn OF.
The roof of the building at 130 Fay
ette street, owned by ]. Phillip Gold
smith of State street, and occupied by
Samuel Katz, was torn off, like paper,
the tin roofing being thrown backward,
leaving tho building roofless. The
water poured through the building,
soaking the walls and furniture in the
apartment on the second floor, occu-
pied by the Katz family.
Adjacent to the building at 1872 Fay
cite street. plate glass window was
blown out In the butcher shop of Harry
9iegel
Tha roof OF tho building at 202 Fay
cite street. owned and occupied byI
Samuel BaMn, was torn clear from the
rest of the building, and thrown by the
wind into a shed next door, Bricks
and beams were torn away byl
the force OF the wind, and the rain,