The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1920-06-18
"TW|STFR" Brings
DAMAGE TOCOUNTY
CUTS 3O-FOOT PATHWAY
Rainfall 2.94 Inches While Storm in
PrOgress-Damage at Normal
Not Yet Estimated.

A twisting" wind, which struck
Conway from the west Thursday
afternoon between $3.50 and o'clock
did considerable damage to the ad-
ministratlon building of the Arkansas
State Normal School and then turn
ed slightly to the southeast and
wrought havoc on a barn on the John
Lachowsky place south Of Conway.
A heavy rain, which appears to have
been general all over the county, fell
yesterday afternoon and last night
and was continued internationally to-
day, Aside from the damage at the
Normal and the Lachowsky place, only
slight damages accompanied the high
wind, SO far as could be ascertained
today.
Unusually heavy rains were re-
ported from Vilonia, Guy and Wooster
with a wind of high velocity, not
strong enough, however, to carry
trail Of damage in its wake. East of
Conway, near the Holmes store, the
rain fell in torrents and was more
than enough to relieve any fear of
| drouth for the present. Leaving
Conway, the "twister" appears to have
struck around the icinity of Gold
Lake, and the heavy rains washed out
bridges, obstructing traffic and hold
ing several parties of fishermen back
until the waters receded Several
trees in this section were uprooted by
the force of the wind, which reached
the velocity of a high gale.
Rainfall recorded up to 7 o'clock
last night was 2.94 inches, according
to Prof. E. E. Cordrey, local observer
for the weather bureau. It's fall ex-
tended over only a brief period of
time and was intense. Streets and
pavements in Conway in places were
flooded to one foot or more in depth
while the deluge was in progress, and
some time was required for it to drain
off. Store buildings not having good
! elevations were flooded and many
roofs leaked badly. The heaviest part
of the fall was between the hours of
and q with scattered showers later
Many residents in the west side of
Conway saw the high wind forming
black on the horizon. 1t travelled fast.
Striking the State Normal, it hit the
silo on the Normal farm, badly bend
ing it but not having force to over
turn it. Further examination today
shows that the damage to the build
ing was less than at first esti-
mated. Leaks in the roofing and in
lets left when doors and windows were
blown away let in vast amount of
water, and extensive damage was done
to the floors, walls and ceilings of five
rooms in the southwest corner of the
building. An outside door was blown
in and ventilator on the roof, asi
we'll as a small piece of roof over al
gable window, which was also smash
ed, and left openings for the en-
trance of the volume of water which
continued to fall for about one hour
after it had struck Rooms on the
northwest corner Of the building were
also damaged in the same way
President B. W. Torreyson said this
afternoon that he could not estimate
the extent of the damage to the new
building. The damage to the rooms
inside can be readily ascertained, but
detailed examination of the roof will
be required to determine the extent to
which repairs will be required
At the Lachowsky place in south
Conway, a big barn was moved from
its moOrings and smashed against the
Lachowsky home. John Lachowsky,
Jr., who was watching the effects of
the storm from a smaller outbuilding,
felt secure until he felt the rocking
to and fro of the building in which
he was. He moved and dropped fiat
on the ground in the open for safety.
Several large cedar trees in the front
yard were uprooted. A single was
blown hard against one of the Win
dows of the residence and a pane of
glass shattered over an infant child
on a bed near the window. Fortu-
nately, the child was not injured by
the flying glass.
Another point in Conway struck by
the wind was the plant of the Con-
way Compress Company, where a
| smokestack was blown over. Other
places south and southeast of the
city were struck for slight damages,
mainly to small outhouses. According
to some residents who watched the
course of the twister, it cut a path
from 20 to 80 feet wide, its intensity
making it easily discernible.
Few places in the county outside of
Conway felt the force of the strong
wind, Col. j. f. Little had reports
from his farm on the Arkansas river
today at noon that only heavy rain
fell and that no damage had resulted.
Crops generally were in need of rain,
| IL e