The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-20
T OUR Die AS
STORM TOLL
over indiana
Men Struck by Lightning
Beneath Tree Near
Bloomington.
WIND CAUSES DAMAGE
Losses at PendIeton, Plain
field, Walton and
Richmond.

Richmond.
Four men are dead, several
buildings damaged and crops
harmed as the result of heavy wind
and rain storms accompanied by
lightning over several sections of
Indiana.
The deaths occurred near Bloom
ington Tuesday evening when the
four men were struck by lightning
The victims are Otto Hacker, 40;
his brother, Thomas Hacker, So;
Kenneth Deckard, SO, and James
Holt q. Harry Hobbs, who was
with the four men when the bolt
struck, after they had taken refuge
under a tree from storm, was
badly shocked.
All the men were employed at
sodding ground occupied by the IN
diana University water works. With
the exception of Deckard, whose
home was in Sullivan, all lived at
Bloomington.
Woman Injured
Mrs. Horace Swindell suffered
crushing of her legs when a chicken
brooder was blown over on her at
her home two miles south Of New
castle.
Passengers escaped injury when
lightning struck the Hoosierland
Flyer, fast interurban car, stalling
it near Kingsland. The bolt en-
tered the car after striking the
trolley wire. Traffic was delayed
two hours.
Two State institutions we're dam
aged by wind. Electric wires were
blown down and buildings damaged
to the State reformatory at Pendle~
ton. The roof was torn from a
barn and carried 200 feet. Some
residences on the edge of the town
we're also damaged. Trees were
blown down on grounds of the
State Boys School at Plainfeld
Wheat and rye crops in the Plain
field community were damaged and
the hangar of the national airport
five miles east of the town, was
wrecked and a plane in it damaged
The Wabash River has over
flowed into Tippecanoe County low
lands, Tracks of the Terre Haute,
indianapolis & Eastern Traction
Company we're washed out at Day.
ton. Water stands on several high
ways. Farming operations are at
a standstill as a result of rainfall
which in the last few days has
reached a total of nearly three and
one-half inches.
Walton School Damaged
A wind storm of great velocity
wrecked one side of the high school
building at Walton. Damage also
resulted at the homes of DR.. John
st. John and Ralph Flusher. Tele-
phone and electric light wires were
blown down.
A storm at Richmond wrecked a
garage belonging to G. A. Haisley
with several autos. Loss of $500
resulted wien the residence of
Harry Maule was swept from its
foundation. Heavy rainfall caused
flooding of many Easements. A
number of buildings north of the
city we're damaged.
The Muncie Meteor, fast Union
Traction Company car due in Mum
Gle from Indianapolis at 6:45 p. m,
did not arrive until early today,
having been delayed by power inter-
ruption caused by the storm. There
was heavy rainfall and violent cleo
trical display in Muncie, but no
damage resulted.
City Clears Wreckage
Damage resulting from the ter
rife storm late Tuesday was being
cleaned up in Indianapolis today by
public utilities and the street COM
nissioner's department.
White River and its tributaries
were not reported in dangerous
condition as result Of the heavy
downpour late Tuesday.
Few lowlands of the city we're COW
cred with water, following the .7S-
inch rainfall Tuesday and during
the night.
White River stood at 3.3 this
morning at the Riverside station o1
the Indianapolis Water Company
The river rose about five feet eight
inches Tuesday, but remained al
practically the same stage for the
last few hours. Heavy rains NORTH
of the city would swell the stream
during the day.
Traffic Tied Up
The food stage when White
River flows over its banks IS abou
seven feet.
Downtown motor and trans
portation company traffic was tiec
up during the downpour about
D. m. Tuesday. Superintendent
Ernest Pflumm reported city-widt
service tied up for ten minutes a.
result of power trouble at the st
Clair sub station.
The damage from lightning wa
repaired in a few minutes allow
ing cars to start soon. BrightWood
Columbia Ave. and Pennsylvania st
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