Cyclone at Angola

Territory in Steuben County Swept By Destructive Storm
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 Buildings Are Lifted From Foundations, Roofs Are Swept From their Holdings

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 (BY KIST NEWS BUREAU)

ANGOLA,Ind. July 16 - At about 2 O'clock this afternoon a small sized cyclone struck Angola blowing down dozens of shade trees, wrecking buildings and doing considerable damage to property.  The course of the storm was from the southwest to northeast, but it was not to exceed a quarter to half a mile in width.  It had been threatening and rained once or twice during the afternoon.  About 1 0'clock the clouds began to thicken and a storm threatened.  Rain began to fall and there was a heavy downpour, when it grew still darker and the wind began to blow increasing until it became a veritable cyclone.  Persons in a position to observe the gathering tempest describe it as a black funnel shaped cloud which approached the city from the southwest.  There was a roaring sound and the air filled with leaves, twigs and small branches of trees.  The storm struck the city some distance south of the college, passing through Cambridge Addition and reaching the business portion in the vicinity of the courthouse park.  It went nearly north to Dolly Varden Street, thence east.

Before reaching the city a barn and a house on the Menges farm were blown down, also a barn belong to Dr. JE Waugh, of near Fox Lake, was blown from it's foundation and the bank barn of S.A. Mose, of near the Leavittsburg Ward School was totally demolished.  The residence of Vinde Ball near the college had a narrow escape, as a large oak tree fell near enough to break the cornice and crush the porch at the kitchen door and the top of another tree damaged the front porch.  Near here a number of       chimneys were blown from houses, two or three barns were wrecked, a porch from the Gilbert residence and out hothouses picked up and scattered about promiscuously.  Jacob Mountz's chicken house was carried across the road and against JG Chasey's residence breaking two windows. Many fruit and shade trees in the path of the storm were blown down and in a dozen or more places the street were blockaded with the fallen trees.  In Court House Park seven or eight of the huge maple trees were broken down.  The Hendry Hotel hack, which was going to the 2:04 pm train , was caught in the storm and turned over, the driver Ellis Obetholtzer escaping with some serious bruises.  Harry K Scott who was on the street was struck by a piece of board and slightly injured. Fortunately there were no fatalities so far as learned.

The residence of William Miller on Dolly Varden street was blown four feet from its foundation and badly wrecked.  A portion of the foundation was also broken. The barn of William Paske in Scott Township was uprooted by the wind.



Fort Wayne Journal Gazette July 16, 1907