Retrospect: Storm slammed Jay

Fifty years ago this week a strong windstorm blew through Jay County, injuring one man and knocking over several trees.

The winds swept through the night of Feb. 15, 1967. The man injured, Joseph Smith of Lafayette Street, was using an emergency rope to come down off the crane he was operating when the winds caught him about 6 feet from the ground. He was listed in “satisfactory condition” at Jay County Hospital a day later.

Trees suffered the brunt of the damage in the storm, with five being knocked over or uprooted. The picture at left shows a tree uprooted whole on Wayne Street near Arch Street.

Several businesses’ signs were affected, causing an estimated $1,000 damage around Portland. And an out of commission drive-in movie screen outside of the city valued at $6,000 was blown over. Adjusted for inflation, those totals would be $7,500 and $43,115 today.

Randolph County reported tornado winds, and 1,000 homes lost power for three hours in Indianapolis. Wind gusts of 61 miles per hour broke store windows in downtown Fort Wayne.