The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1954-07-15

Possibly one of the heaviest loss
es was at the Spoerlein chicken
farm where the wind tore off a
section of roof and caved in a
portion of the second floor of a
large chicken house where 4,500
broilers were awaiting shipment
At least half of them were dead
this morning.
Barns destroyed by fire from
lightning included those of S. B.
Cooper at Red Oak, Troy Smith,
between Ferndalc and Deer Park;
Otis Cuppett in Pleasant Valley
and one near Rud's Service Sta
ton at VindeX
One farm residence that of Gro
ncr Calhoun, south of Oakland,
was moved completely from its
foundation and a nearby barn COM
pletely demolished.
The wind whipped the roof from
Owen Martins barn south of
town. and twisted the building on
its foundation and partially
destroyed it. Other barns blown
down included those of EIwood
Martin, Sunnysidc; Elmer Mersing,
Crellin Cara Weber, south of
town. Barns of Ernest Gortner and
Forrest Gortncr also were dam
aged The barn roof of John Holt
schneider. Kings Run, was blown
away.
Two garages of Mervin Barnard,
near the Owen Martin farm we're
destroyed and the roof laid over
the highway Inside one of the
garages was a late 1858 Plymouth
automobile
Rain to depth Of 16 inches
fell during the night and the rush
Of water in the business section of
Oakland was more than the storm
sewers could take care Of Con-
sequently Hinebaugh's restaurant
at the corner of Second and Green
had inches of water in it during
the height of the storm. Wilson
Greek was up to flood level for
time
Cumberland had a rainfall Of
SO inches but the storm there
was minus the violent wind that
swept through many sections of
Garrett county At Crellin also the
wind took the roof from all but
two rooms of the home of Frances
Friend, and demolished the porch.
The storm was less violent
around Deep Creek Lake and as
far as could be learned this morn
ing there was no extensive dam
age there. There were uncon-
firmed reports that Thomas and
Bayard, W. Va, were hard hit, but
telephone service to both points
was still out this morning and
nothing definite could be learned.
One person reported thirty fam
lilies homeless in Thomas and that
several houses had been blown
down in Bayard.
Electric power was off in the
Oakland area for over an hour and
in some areas of the county was
still out. West Maryland Power
company officials said the two
main lines out Of Townsville, w.
Va. had failed but there was no
communication with the substation
there. Electric and telephone line
men were up most of the night
clearing the lines of fallen trees
and debris. Trees blocked U. S.
2l9, south of Oakland, Cherry
Creek road, Pleasant Valley, SwaI-
low Falls and other secondary
roads.
The storm was reported to have
covered territory stretching as
far as the Ohio river to the west,
and beyond Cumberland to,thc east.
Temperatures reached the 100 mark
in many points yesterday outside
the county. At Oakland the gov
eminent station at Wcber's listed
90 on Tuesday and "a yesterday.
Lightning was seen almost in
cessantly for more than a two-hour
period, with the brunt Of the storm
around midnight lasting over one
half hour. Hail fell in Oakland, Mt.
Lake, and other sections of the
county.