Monday Windstorm Called Worst Here Since 1938 Blow 'Be Kind To

&*f :-j **: ' **•* vV * (fc.fcW^M' » •*« -^ * * M *f* * «*' ' ' . W* V- •. »7 •O' ' •* %#** QUOTE "No sooner said than 25 * done—so acts your man of fur copy worth." —Quintus Ennius tUwa ONE HUNDRED-FOURTEENTH YEAR—No. 48 CHELSEA, MICHIGAN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1984 18 Poges This Week Monday Windstorm Called Worst Here Since 1938 Blow What a veteran Chelsea village care of downed electrical wires quickly as we can," he promised. employee and resident called and threatened fires. Four of the "There's a lot of it out there, "the worst windstorm we've had alarms were sounded during a maybe a couple of hundred truck- here since 1936" caused a lot of little more than an hour between loads." trouble but surprisingly little 2:59 and 4:04 a.m.. and kent Victims of the storm included - - - * r "\A - half a dozen large, old trees that serious damage Monday. firemen continuously on the run. Charles Hafner, superintend snapped under the pressure of the None resulted in severe loss. wind. "Most of them looked to be ent of public works, said the Adding to the storm-caused storm was unusual because it sound," Hafner said, "but they confusion was the fact that had weak spots and gave way. lasted so long. village residents had piled large "Normally, when we get high "We're lucky. If this storm had amounts of trash on curbs in happened after the trees were winds around here, they blow for anticipation of the annual spring maybe five minutes out of a leafed out, we would have had pick-up which started yesterday. them down all over the place." thunderstorm, and then they are A lot of the junk wound up in all over," Hafner said. "This Large trees that blew over new places as the high winds were reported on South, E. Mid storm was different. It just blew scattered it all over. and blew for about 24 hours." dle, Park, Washington, E. "It was kind of like driving Summit and W. Summit Sts. *5I; Gusts In excess of 60 miles per through a snowstorm with all that j&pT^^R^WI.v'- •' •- f-^ - ' : :\ ," ';V'-;,<-' V-1-; ;.'-:>,X^'#-j/ ^ >T«sX,*'^iJJ'i*T - . ., hour were reported in west Otherwise, there were prob "**• .'5aw>?-^¾ £ -; ^-SiBfc. ^:¾¾. ->v^>' .- .., • .-.^,^,1 $ trash blowing around," Hafner fc'•&,<T_.v,',. -v / - • . , ••,;'\v:i4:4.Ty'' ' a Washtenaw county during the lems with shingles blown off fc-5 *;bvAri,&• ,, '•:-.--.-•' t>>f/*L?-§JqV -¾ said. "There were times when it roofs, siding ripped off houses, :^?^^.\M^^f^^:- £,¾¾ _„„ ...._, 1¾¾¾¾^^^ :%"• •• • • • vPmw%7l:'-',u ri storm, which began shortly after was dangerous because you TREE TOPPLES: A big tree blew down on E. Middle St. during midnight Monday and continued and various other nuisances. All village crews cut it up and hauled it away. The public works depart v couldn't be sure what might come through the da until subsiding r*t tIAIi «s%er~ " things considered, it could have ^Monday's windstorm, temporarily blocking one lane of traffic while ment was very busy all days late in the evening. a\ juu IICAI. been worse. •BgSFf-'^'iy •<; • •-. •;; y. >«$ffi$}?£ii- S ;•'>.'•, ',>••:.:""': i There were scattered electrical Hafner added that residents The wind finally calmed early power outages ranging from a were co-operative about going Tuesday morning as utility crews few minutes to more than an out and retrieving the lost junk and private citizens went about ^/:.0^:--^^^, hour. The most serious occurred and piling it back in front of their the business of cleaning up the i. '. '••• •'>'•'•• ••': ".-• . "£f, •:••. • • "• <'i homes. "We'll collect it just as debris. ^1 W^r:.^'->/:••*•:* *>* in the southeast quadrant of the village. A fallen tree knocked down a primary line and cut off electricity to several dozen homes for about 90 minutes. "Most of our problems were in that southeast section," Hafner said. "We had about 30 calls on power failures, and most of them came from there. Except for the one primary line, they were generally individual households where tree limbs had fallen and knocked down wires coming off the main lines into homes." A transformer on Jefferson St. shorted out during the storm, adding to the electrical problem, but Hafner said he did riot believe that incident was storih-related. "It was one of those things that was going to happen, and it did. It could have picked a better time to do it." Hafner credited a crew from Kent Power Co. of Muskegon, which has been contracted by Chelsea to provide electricity to TRASH ALL OVER: Village householders had done a thorough the Sibley Rd. industrial park, WIRE DOWN: If you look closely, you will see an electric wire job of collecting their junk and putting it out at the curb for the with giving valuable assistance running through the top of this tree limb that was broken off by annual spring pick-up, when Monday's windstorm hit. A lot of the to village crews struggling to Monday's high wind. About 30 such damage calls were received by trash wound up in the streets and on neighboring lawns as the wind cope with the wind damage. Chelsea's public works department during the 24-hour gale. picked it up. "They had men and equipment here, and they pitched in and helped. We would have had a lot WILL CONNELLY of the Chelsea Semicentennial committee more delays in restoring service exhibits two historical books now on the printing press. On the left if they hadn't worked with us. is the 125th anniversary book published in 1959 and now in process Believe me, we'll help them of republication. On the right is a paste-up of the forthcoming Ses- finish their job on Sibley Rd." qui book, authored by Connelly. Michigan Bell Telephone Co. reported scattered residences temporarily cut out of service because of downed lines, but no Sesquicentennial major breakdowns. Service was generally restored within minutes. The most serious dollar Book Being Printed damage was done to three motor "Chelsea's First 150 Years," a vehicles. There are chapters on the commemorative book of the com- origins of Chelsea and its pioneer A second-floor window blew out munity's sesquicentennial years, followed by other of the Sylvan township hall, 112 celebration, has gone to press segments on such topics as our W. Middle St., and fell on a car and copies should be available by churches, education, the com owned by Ina P. Howard of 449 June 1. Written by Will Connelly, munity hospital, government ser Railroad St., breaking the auto's the book is based on historical in vices, organizations, industry, rear window. formation, advice and sugges sports, agriculture, local centen A large tree limb came down on tions from more than 100 area nial farms and the community two cars near the intersection of persons and sources. fair. South and Congdon Sts., causing "The 1959 book," Connelly said, The centerfold is a panoramic extensive damage to both. The "is regarded as a community map of Chelsea in 1881, reproduc cars are owned by Deborah A. treasure. Copies of the 25-year- ed under the sponsorship of Diedrich of 6825 Hashley Rd., old book are so scarce that the Chelsea Milling Co. Manchester, and Sandra K. Cole Sesquicentennial Committee is The book will publish, for the of 16840 Kilmer Rd., Chelsea. having 2,000 reprints published. first time ever, a list of all known The Chelsea fire department The 1984 book makes no effort to Chelsea war veterans who have RETIRING: Last week was "Be Nice to George Week" at Prinzing, who will retire next month after more than 29 years as a responded to five calls to take repeat all the historical informa died during or after American Chelsea High school as teachers and staff members honored George teacher of social studies. tion printed in the 1959 edition. In wars since 1812. The veterans list Blood Donor stead, 'Chelsea's First 150 Years' consists of more than 500 names. 9 offers brief summaries of the It is considered far from com earlier years and then takes ap plete by the author and its preciative glances at what has researchers, Linda Montgomery 'Be Kind to George Week cSsiated transpired in the past 25." Saturday (Continued on page five) Area residents are reminded that the Red Cross blood drive, Chelsea Bands Honors Retiring Teacher sponsored by the VFW, will be held Saturday, May 5, from 9 Last week was "Be Nice to He graduated from Chelsea High have gone to Chelsea schools. His willing to put another person's a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the VFW Hall George Week" at Chelsea High school in 1937. son, Glenn, will graduate this schedule ahead of his own. on Main St. Continue Tradition Prinzing served in the U.S. school, sponsored by the staff June. Two of his children have New courses in the social As of April 30, more than 100 development and school improve Army during World War II from "Your performance of this Reed, director of orchestra at followed in his footsteps. His son, studies department were intro members of the Brothers of the piece of great band literature was Eastern Michigan University, ment committee. 1941-45, and has used that ex Paul, is a teacher, and his duced after Prinzing invited Brush and Chelsea Belles •George Prinzing will retire at perience to entertain his social outstanding! I have heard only a Prof. Elizabeth Green, of the daughter, laurel, is the media students to come in before or chapters had already signed up to very few high school bands come University of Michigan and the^nd of this year after teaching studies students with many real specialist at south school in after school to study new topics.

Load more