Roof blown off of No. 1 tank building at Hemingray

STORM DAMAGE IN

LOCAL OIL FIELD

Much Smaller Than Many Operators Feared —

Comparatively Small Number of Tall Derricks

Are Up — Muncie Felt Force Gale.

The gale of yesterday afternoon and last night not only proved damaging to property in the city, but in the country, especially in some sections of the oil fields. The Norton Oil company reports that two big derricks on one of its leases in Hamilton township were blown down. The wind seemed to have created considerable damage in this particular section from the fact that the Niagara Oil company had one derrick blown down in the immediate vicinity, as did the Ohio and the Mt. Joy companies.

The Old Glory property stood the gale in safety, all the derricks standing the storm, although they were within a short distance of the field where the greatest damage was wrought.

The fact that only a few big derricks are up in the local field no doubt saved a heavy loss. Most of the derricks, as a result of the falling off in new oil operations, are of the stub variety, and they were not damaged.

The roof of the portion of the Hemingray glass works covering the No. 1 tank, was blown off, and the workmen were forced to quit work. The repair work is now under way and the tank will resume operations within a day or two. No other damage was done there. None of the men were injured, they leaving that part of the factory when the roof was torn away. A number of chimneys and trees were blown down in the city, as well as several of the glass windows in the fifth story of the McNaughton building.