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Wausau Daily Herald from Wausau, Wisconsin • 1

Location:
Wausau, Wisconsin
Issue Date:
Page:
1
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

15 Cents Vol. 69 No. 232 4 Sections Wausau-Merrill, Wis. Thursday, Sept. 1, 1977 36 Pages 1 4 ir-.

Tornado touches down in Rib Mountain Slowly moving in from the southwest at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, a near Marathon City, followed the Big Rib River to Rib Mountain, then Wausau by free lance photographer, Kirk Kolpitcke. The twister left tornado destroys homes, fells trees and scatters debris in the Town of skipped across to the southwest area of Wausau and on to the southeast millions of dollars in damage in its wake. Rib Mountain. The twister was sighted first at Fenwood, touched down area before moving on.

This photo was taken from Reservoir Hill in Photo by Kirk Kolpitcke ornado slams Wausau area Tornado's path through county Wausau i take shelter. Warnings also went out over area radio and TV stations, but literally thousands of people chose to watch the storm advance. It headed northeast and numerous sitings were reported in the Marathon City area, where some barns and ginseng farms were damaged. First touch down came about 7:40 in the Town of Rib Mountain. After cutting a path of destruction there, it continued eastward, causing extensive damage to sheds and lumber at Schuette's One Stop Building Center and Kolbe Kolbe Millwork on Wausau's Uth Avenue.

Damage to a farm and homes in the area known as the "hollows," near Lake Wausau, was also reported. The whirling black cloud again touched down on Wausau's South Fifth Avenue, where the area closed off to prevent sightseers from interfering with clean up. Marathon County Sheriff's Deputy Nick Rochon, 1903 Falcon Avenue, was credited with warning neighbors to take cover. When he returned to his home, it had been destroyed by the twister. First reports of a funnel cloud in the Fenwood area, about 20 miles southwest of Wausau, came into the Emergency Government Office about 7:15, according to Fred Middlestadt, director.

It traveled at tree top level, downing some barns in that area, but not touching down, according to Middlestadt. With that early warning, officials set warning sirens wailing in the Wausau area. Police streamed up and down city streets, blowing their sirens and warning people to Mrs. Sandra Roll, 1310 S. Filth was injured.

She was treated at Wausau North with lacerations and then released. From there, the storm apparently jumped east, across Lake Wausau. The funnel lifted and danced at tree top level until it touched down on (Jrand Avenue, near WSAU TV. Huge elms, spruce and pines were downed along Grand Avenue and Town Line road and several side streets that intersected. It blew windows out of homes, lifted garages and tossed them hundreds of feet away, leaving a tangle of downed powerlines, trees and debris throughout the area.

The Jack and Jill Nursery School, 10th and Manson streets, was totally destroyed. Portions of the building were thrown across the street. Nearly every home along Manson Street, east of 10th Street, received extensive Schofield r'T I ri XP.S Rib Mountain 1 Marathon By DAILY HERALD STAFF An arbitrary monster called a tornado ripped through portions of Marathon County between 7:15 and 7:50 p.m. Wednesday night, causing massive destruction, but' miraculously sparing people of serious iniury. Marathon County Emergency Government officials said damage will total "at least $1 million and probably more." The most serious damage was north of Highway NN, in the Town of Rib Mountain, where the tornado touched down in the Partridge Addition.

Fred Raymond, 1903 McCaw was one of the homeowners to lose his home. He suffered a "minor coronary," according to Wausau Hospital officials, but was released early this morning. The storm left an eerie scene of destruction in an area bounded by Thunderbird Lane on the west and Partidge Avenue on the south in the Town of Rib Mountain. Officials estimate that about 15 homes were totally destroyed in that area. An approximate 30 homes were also severely damaged.

A gas line was severed in that area and sheriff's deputies closed off the area. Gas lines were shut off almost immediately, but officials still have Edgar Rothschild Extra copies available O' Fenwood Scott Wausau, WI 54401. Extra copies are also available, while supply lasts, at Circulation Department counter for 15 cents. Mosinee II The Daily Herald will mail extra copies of today's paper, with coverage of the tornado, for 50 cents each to any point in the United States. Mail or bring your order to Wausau Daily Herald, 800 damage.

Destruction continued as the storm jumped to Mcintosh Street, east of Wausau's city limits. It ripped up homes along 20th Street, south of Mcintosh and then jumped to Linden Street, where it destroyed barns and sheds before lifting and apparently dissipating. See TORNADO, Page 10, Column 4. Good evening Stratford 1 This lawn chair was wrapped like a pretzel around this post when a tornado cut a swath of destruction through Rib Mountain Wednesday Night. Herald photo by Rob Orcutt Today's chuckle Someday schools will automatically get the funds they need and the Pentagon will hold cake sales to buy tanks.

On the inside WAUSAU Tornado hits area; houses leveled but no serious injuries reported. Stories and photos on Pages 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8. MERRILL School board tours facilities to determine needs. J-PQ' -SSV r18 0--: ess. re k.S Zas Aerial photo tells the story Page 3,22.

30 31 24 4 12 Horoscope Movies Obituary Picture pages Sports Weather 13 20 10 2, 5,6 19 10 Area news Business Classified Comics Editorial Family Living This aerial photo taken this morning shows the path of hit there about 7:40 n.m. Wednesday. AnnrnimntPlv 15 nH in th i h. destruction cuiT by a tornado in the Partridge Addition, north homes were destroyed and another 30 were severely Marathon City and Fenwood areas. Miraculously, no serious of Highway NN in the Town of Rib Mountain.

Tfce tornado damaged in that area. The storm also caused damage on injuries were reported. -Aerial Herald photo by Ray Welnkauf.

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