Smyrna times., 1924-07-02
SEVERE WINDSTORM LEAVES
MUCH DAMAGE IN ITS WAKE
SOME STABLES AND BARNS UN-
ROOTED AND TREES UPROOTED
Storm Especially Severe in Middle
tOwn-Odessa NeighbOrhOOd While
at Wilmington Most Severe

Storm Especially Severe in Middle
tOwn-Odessa NeighbOrhOOd While
at Wilmington Most Severe
Smyrna got off comparatively lucky
last Wednesday afternoon from dam
age by the wind and electric storm
which did so much damage up coun-
try, especially the City of Whining
ton where two were killed, several in
Jured, 900 or more homes were un-
rooted and damage to the extent of
one million or more dollars was done.
Almost without warning, the storm
broke down on Smyrna and vicinity,
tearing off limbs of fine shade trees,
blowing some trees down, tearing
some awnings into shreds. In the
country district around about Smyrna
the roofs of several buildings were
partly torn off; fruit and shade trees
were uproOted, thousands of bushels
of apples and pears were whipped
from the trees, wheat was fattened
to the ground, and the public dirt
roads were converted into seas of
mud. Here and there hail fell. Apart
from poles and wires being snapped,
the Vineyards escaped serious injury.
Several Telephone Lines Blown Down
Between Cheswold and Dover the
storm was especially severe and much
damage was done. In one short
stretch of the DUPONT Boulevard six
large telephone poles were snapped
off. The loss to Kent county farm
ers and fruit growers will run into
thousands of dollars. 1t is said that
one day early last week a representa-
tives of an insurance company went
out into the fruit district selling
storm and hail insurance to the fruit
growers. He placed policies aggregat-
ing $4,000 and thought he had done
a remarkable good piece of business
for his company. There also was
damage of varying sort at Woodland
Beach, kits Hammock and Bowers
Beach.
Home of Lee Sparks, Odessa, Wrecked
An automobile from fredericksburg,
Nd, who stopped at a Smyrna garage
early in the morning, reported that
the storm had been exceedingly severe
in that section and that much damage
had been done to fruit, tomatoes and
other growing crops. Several people
were injured by falling debris when
the storm struck Odessa. The home
of Lee Sparks, situated ON a hill, near
the AppOquinimink River, was wreck
ed,. and outbuildings were swept from
the ground into the river. The roof
of the Presbyterian Church was COM
pletely blown off from one side.
MiddletOwn Suffers Much Damage
Middletown suffered considerable
damage. The telephone and electric
light wires were blown down and the
town lost in darkness that night. A
falling limb caved in the roof OF
James L. Collins. A large maple tree
was blown down in front of the resi-
dence of Mr.. Benjamin Boyles. This
tree fell on the main cable and feed
wire, and put the lighting plant Out
of commission, and the town was in
darkness during the night. In the
schOolyard many of the limbs were
torn from the trees, and large tree
was blown down in front of the resi-
dence of Mr.. Joseph C. Jolls on North
Broad street. The large garage in
the rear of Mr.. Harry Smiths resi-
dence on Lake street was moved from
its foundation, and the trees on botf
Lake and Cass streets were badly
damaged, and in some instances blowT
down by the heavy windstorm. Al
the home of Mr.. c. Malcolm Cochran
on South Broad street, a twO-story
garage about 2Ox40 ft. was moved
from it's foundation more than Il
inches, and the chimney of his home
blown off.