Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1854-11-25
From the Buffalo Democrat, Nov. 14th.
G reat Gale at Buffalo.

Yesterday was one Of the days that Rave
given Buffalo wide eminence as a windv
town. All through the long night the tenn
pest would rage, while the gathering of signs
and the slammirg Of shutters, and the crash
OF broken windows made up the mournful ac-
compartment.
In the lower part Of the town there were
sorrowlng and suffering in plenty. The wa
ter has spread over s'the fiats,n and families
were driven from the shelter of their tene-
ments to seek charity among strangers.
Houses were often uprooted from their foun-
dations, and drifted Off upon the boiling
flood. Domestic animals, and BUILDINGS
fences, furniture, lumber, and piles of wood
set ahoat and went with the current. WHEREBY
er chance and the gale determined. The cell
lars and lower floors of more substantial
buildings, within reach of the devastation.
were submerged, and property was DESTROYED
to run0us extent.
1t was pitiful sight to see the members of
these poor families who had oeen suddenly
visited by the Hood, standing in their nicht
CLONES or with such scanty raiment as they
had been able to seize Mt the moment Of
alarm, running hither and thither amonp tie
WRECKS, endeavoring to save their little store
from destruction and loss, while the cruel
WIND Tapped their covering to shreds. and
the cold water stiffened their limbs.
NOW and again weeping child might be
seen gathered about the body of some drown
ed friend, just extricated from cellar or
basement, where death had intruded so sud-
denly as to leave no chance Of escape. or a
group OF curious spectators, watching the CT
forts OF charitable few who vainly attempt-
ed to restore to life an unknown. namelass
one, VIII" had met his fate in a barn or nm
der sack or pile of lumber, having crept
there IN q drunken moment and gone to slean
forever.
The vessels Mt the docks had parted their
moorings, and getting foul of each other. had
stove their bulwarks. torn away their rirpino
and shattered their spars. Shreds OF canvas,
BITS OF bunting, the frayed ends of rope were
huttering In the storm, and long pieces of
rigging, with blocks attached, were swinging
like pendulums, threatening with death any /
one who approached to secure them.
An occasional schooner, with but mer.
stitch OF canvass set. with her topmast and
|lbboom splintered, her bulwarks gone. and
her hull and shrouds encased in ice. would |
make the harbor, while others less fortunate.
ay stranded on the beach, above and below
he mouth. Crowds of men, with spy glass
-, swept the foaming surface of the lake and
reported vessels under Point Abino. riding
ut the storm, and others scudding for dear
ne farther away upon the expanse of tum-
bling, angry waters.
In the streets, sign boards and tin roofs
oiled and crumbled like paper; conductors.
lipes, branches of trees, paris Of chimneys.
hingles and lumber, impeded wayfarers. and
ave evidence of the dastrucf;on tha to,,,,os.
al wrought. Business was suspended; none
hought OF buying or selling; merchants sat
yer their stoves and cracked nuts or Wit
led, while the ladies kept at home add felt /,
) blue as they had mind.