The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-09-15
Patriotic Shrine in Library
Park Crumples Under
Force Of Bolt.
WAS PATRIOTIC SHRINE
Many Prominent Men of City
Had Contributed Funds for
Erection of Wrecked Pole.

The most spectacular freak of light
ming known in ,Kenosha in years was
the destruction of the big flag pole
in Library Park which was struck by
lightning during the heavy storm of
early Sunday morning. The lightning
splintered the big pole from peak to
foundation and tore a great hole IN
the foundation of concrete. The force
of the lightning was so great as to
crush the fibre Of the wood and the
splinters the big flag pole fell like
rain over wide territory surrounding
libary Park. Some splinters were
thrown more than two hundred feet
from the pole and imbedded in the
ground for distance of more than
foot. The crash Of lightning which
wrecked the pole shook houses all over
the central portion Of the city and
scarcely any of the residents of the
city were able to sleep through the
storm. In many of the homes about
Library Park the force of the light
ming was felt and lighting fixtures were
put out of commission and telephone
wires burned out. The big flag pole
standing like a sentinel in the park
evidently took the large force of
the electric discharge and it was com
pletely wrecked.
Thousands Gets Souvenirs.
Thousands of Kenosha people who
went through the park on Sunday car
ried home souvenirs Of the wrecked
flag pole, picking them up all over
the park. The destroyed flag pole was
one of the historic patriotic institu-
tons of Kenosha. 1t was erected
nearly sixteen years ago through con-
tributions from people OF the city.
The movement for the erection of the
flag pole was under the direction of
the members of the Kenosha Chapter
of the Sons of the American Revolu-
ton and contributions for its erection
were secured from many men who
have been we'll known in the city. A
copy of the original subscription
paper for the erection of the flag pole
was found this morning and it-showed
that donations to the fund were made
by E. C. Theirs, S. C. Newman, Frank
Slosson, W. w. Strong, Samuel S. Sim
mons, George Hale, E. L. Grant, Rus
sell H. Slosson, Eugene R. Head, G. H.
Ripley, H. B. Robinson, A. H. French,
H. M. Baldwin, w. H. Purnell, G. Z.
Remer, w. H. Saunders, Charles G.
Brown, F. II. Lyman, @. W. Allen,
Nathan Allen, N. A. Pennoyer, William
M. Farr, Peter Fisher, Walter j. FROST.
To Replace Pole at Once.
It is expected that the board of com
nissioners of the library will arrange
at once to have new flag pole erect
ed. The flag pole has been a sort of
patriotic shrine in Kenosha and it lis
expected that it will be rebuilt to the
same height as the pole which was
DESTROYED. 1t is believed that the
pole will be replaced without it be-
ing necessary for a private subscrip-
ton to be taken up.
The storm was general throughout
Kenosha county and while the light
ming disturbed the sleep of many peo-
pie no other serious results we're re-
ported. The rain fell in torrents dur
ing the early hours of Sunday morn
ing flooding the low lands in the city
to the wire service of the city but the
damage Of the storm had all been clear
ed away before noon today.
Cold Bolt Strikes House.
During the storm "eold bolt"
struck the house at 464 Grant street
and the house was slightly damaged.
No fire followed the lightning striking
the house. Two families reside in
the house and they were badly fright
ened. The damage as a result of the
house being struck was light.
The city fire alarm system was out
of commission for ten minutes as q
result of the storms havoc and tele-
phone communication was seriously in
| terfered with on account of the fact
that the switch board was splitting
| fire" to such an extent that it APP
peared dangerous for operators to
work at it. The interruption Of serv-
/ iea was only for few minutes.