The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-26

Janice Williams, II, whose
right arm was cut badly and
who lost so much blood that
it was feared Friday she
would die, survived an opera
ton and her condition this
morning was considered good.
William Holder, IA, suffered cuts
on the face and head, and received
serious chest injuries.
Aileen Duvall, IA, had a broken
shoulder and cuts and buses.
Others Hurt Badly
Others injured seriously we're:
Harriet Kitchel, 10; Maude Houser,
IA; Lawrence Weller, Is; Ruth
Daugherty, ID; Margaret Van Etten,
II, and Aaron Lindley, principal OF
the high school.
Although skies over eastern In
diana had been gray all day, there
was little warning of the cyclones
approach.
Principal Lindley saw the twister
reach like a long tentacle from a
black cloud, and heard the storms
roar as it swept toward the school
building.
He ran to the auditorium, where
large group of the students were
collected, shouting a warning.
The pupils Stampeded toward the
front of the building only an in
slant before the twister struck.
Pupils Marched Out
Another teacher saw the cyclone,
and herded her group of pupils out
of room that minute later was
filled with debris.
The structure quivered under the
storms shock, and then, as pupils
and teachers later described it, with
ripping sound like a lightning bolt
striking nearby, the timbers and
roof began to give way.
Bricks, stone, and dry mortar
toppled out of the walls, and
crashed to the floor, filling the
rooms with dust.
Principal Lindley, having warned
the group in the auditorium, was
standing beneath one section of
ceiling that gave way, and the fall
ing bricks struck him to the floor.
The storm also lifted roofs from
the Methodist Episcopal church. and
the Masonic temple, and destroyed
telephone and telegraph lines. It
cut path 200 feet wide through the
town, unroofing several other houses.
Word of Disaster Spread
Several hours passed before COM
munication with the outside world
could be established.
Roy Johnson, formerly employed
in Richmond, who was near Bos-
ton on his way to Lexington, KY.
when the cyclone struck, was first
to take word of the disaster outside
of this town.
With his auto loaded with the
children he found most seriously in
jured he sped toward Richmond
shouting to motorists and farmers
along the road:
GO to Bostonl"
Within a short time after his ar
rival in Richmond, fire apparatus,
nurses, and doctors were in Bos-
ton, clearing away wreckage of the
school building, and attending to
injured pupils, most of whom were
sent to their homes after cuts and
bruises were treated.
Other Places Struck
The storm did not assume eycIonic
proportions in other sections of this
part Of the state, but Liberty. Con- .
nersville and Rushville also were
hit badly by wind.
At Connersville the wind tore
limbs from trees, and Easements
in the business district were flooded
with heavy rains.
A large barn on the Walter Creek
farm, near Liberty, was DESTROYED
by fire after lightning bolt hit it.
In RuShville several buildings
were unroofed, and damage of 500
BOO was suffered on the Wallace
Simmons farm, east of Boston.
Fire departments of Liberty and
Eaton, O., joined the R::-hr~ond fra
men in Boston aidirg in clearing
away wreckage.
Boston officials today began con-
sideration of plans for repairing and
rebuilding the school building. and
the grade school structure nearby.