Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-09-14
ELECTRIC STORM
UNUSUALLY HEAVY
OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN
FALLS-DAMAGE is
CONSIDERABLE

= Last Thursday afternoon and dur
ing the night following WausaI and
vicinity were visited by one of the
most severe electrical storms of the
season. Late in the afternoon, the
dark clouds came from the west ac-
companied by considerable wind.
On account of the intense heat and
closeness of the day, our people
feared something in the shape of cy-
clone or hurricane, but after the first
gust which stirred UP everything that
was loose in the city, such as paper,
leaves and dust, things quieted down
and deluge of rain fell. The streets
were full of running water and the
sewers in some instances were unable
to carry it off which resulted in some
flooded easements. Nearly an inch
of rain fell in a few hours.
There was cessation for an hour
or more and another downpour fol-
lowed. This was the order of things
during the night. While the rainfall
was not as heavy each time, the cleo
trical disturbances increased until
three o'clock Friday morning when
there was bombardment of the heav-
lest aerial artillery-crash after crash
startled our people. Balls of fire
played tag on our streets, but with
1t all, there was comparatively little
damage done.
Lightning struck the Wausau Laun-
dry on Jackson street. The bolt en-
tered the building and left it by way
OF the electric transformer. Emil
Braatz and family occupy the second
hoor and their son gave the alarm i'm
medlately after the building had been
struck. The department got there in
few minutes and the building was
saved, the damage amounting to $500
or $500, including machinery. Other
places were struck, among them the
residence OF Charles Jojaade at which
considerable was done to the roof and
front, but fortunately did not set it on
flre. Several electric transformers
were put out of operation, one on the
west side near the Rubber Products
company, another near The Pilot and
a third on McIndoe street shutting
these sections off without power for
brief periods.
In the county a number of slight
damages were reported. or most i'm
portance was the destruction of Carl
Fiebke's barn in the town of Halsey
which was full Of this seasons har-
vest, including 120 tons of hay, 600
bushels of oats and seven fine Guern-
sey heifers.
Near Stevens Point lightning struck
a large barn on the farm of Frank
Peoria, burning it to the ground to-
gether with its contents. Two resi-
dences were struck at the Point At
Fremont, Wis, the storm was in the
q nd
were unrOofed and crops damaged. At
Marshfield the fair was in progress
and considerable damage was done to
tents and exhibits on the grounds.
The afternoon races Friday had to be
ca He'd off,
The storm put about 500 telephones
out OF commission in and around the
city of Wausau. All of the county
lines with the exception of three. were
out OF service. The cause of this was
the burning out OF fuses. Wherever
there happened to be a crack in ca
bles, the wires Ind packing were
dampened to such an extent that all
such connections were useless. These
places had to be located, the cables
dried out and cracks closed up. BY
night and day work, however, these
phones were quickly put into opera
ton again.
The Wisconsin Valley Electric COM
pany also experienced its difficulties,
which have been mentioned. The
emergency was met by its men with
an energy that restored normal con-
ditiOns rapidly.
Altogether over two inches of rain
fell, including Fridays storms. At
Tomahawk the fall was over three
inches, at Amigo about the same as
at Wausau and at Merrill about one
inch.