The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-20
TERRIFIC GALE
VISITS VILLAGE
Disabled Wires Leave Brat
tlebOro in Darkness on
Busy Night
NUMEROUS LARGE -
TREES UPROOTED

About 40 Telephone Circuits Put Out of
COmmissien-BIOw Comes Unheralded
and NeceSsitates Resort to Candles,
Lamps and Lanterns.
Brattleboro was not quite blown off
the map Saturday evening, but it had its
narrowest escape in recent years. a ter
rife windstorm sweeping down the Con-
necticut valley at 6 O'Clock with such
violence that it whirled things about
promiscuouSly. uprooted large trees,
broke down many limbs and telephone
wires. put the electric lighting system
ont of business for the entire evening
and made people think what real cy-
clone must be- Nobody was injured and
the property damage was not heavy. but
the blow was a ''pippin' while it lasted.
and the resulting loss of electric light
service and reduction of telephone serv-
ice caused not little inconvenience
The wind came up almost without
warning. and while there were a few
dark clouds the sky was not black and
only small amount of rain fell. 1t was
most severe near the river and was not
noticed particularly more than a quarter
of a mile on either side of the river The
first that was noticed in this village was
a cloud of dust that filled Main street so
fun that one scarcely could see across
the street For a few minutes it in
creased in intensity, and people had to
take hold of things TO keep on their feet.
In a short time calm was restored,
and then it was discovered that the
streets were Uttered with both dead and
green branches and that many telephone
wires were broken down by falling trees
and that the electric light service was
crippled.
Merchants were not especially pleased
| that the storm came on Saturday night,
but they looked at the matter philosophi-
caly and resorted to tallow candles and
any other kind of candles that could be
procured. Lamps and lanterns also
| were lighted. while some We're fortunate
! enough to have gas connection. Busi-
ness was conducted after a fashion on an
old-time basis, but most of the stores
closed earlier than usual The moving
picture theatres were unable to do buSi-
ness and refunded money to purchasers
of tickets. 1t was amusing to specta-
tors to see the BARRIERS trying TO work by
| lamplight, but not very pleasing to the
| BARRIERS.
At the power plant of the Connecticut
! River Power Co. it was said that broken
| insulators also a tree on the line between
| the Vernon dam and Brattleboro, made
! il impossible to furnish current for Brat
! tIeboro or Hinsdale. The Twin State
! Gas & Electric Co.. furnished light a
| few minutes from the West DummerstOn
tplant. but it was found that only a part
| of the system was working. so it was
! shut off for repairs. The light was fur
nishcd from the Vernon power plant
about 80 o'clock that night.
About 40 local telephone lines were
broken down, but most of them have been
| repaired. 4 tree blown down near the
t Episcopal church carried down a tele
phone pole on Main street near George
III. Clamps house. 4 tree near the po
lice station on Elliot street broke dowr
and carried with it telephone wires. while
! other wires were broken by trees fall
ing in c. A. Boydeu's yard on Linder
| street. the lower road south of Linder
| Lodge. and near NJ. NJ. fuckers house
on Chase street \ large tree at tn,
second green of the Country club course
was blown down. None of the trunl
lines were broken.
Between l and O'Clock Sunday morn
ing Chief of Police George Wilson saw
! that Vaughan & Burnett's jewelry stor,
i was full of smoke He notified Mr.
Vaughan, also the fire department, an'
the fire truck went out. but was no
used. 1t was found that the switch TO
the motor in the optical department ha,
been left on and for some reason th
motor became stalled. No fire resulted