Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-27
-, the Peoria Transcript, May l5.I
pain and destruction of Life
3D. i'' and Property.

IFba' H'' and Property.
e,I hurricane, accompanied by hail
ieD''r p;s;ted this city and vicinity yester-
ID fam am,meucing just before six o'clock in
5H conm c.noon and lasting about three QUARTERS
be ai,tl". For fifteen minutes previous to
.an hom, oancpment the sky was thickly overcast
!; coIISp IL Green clouds, and the city presen-
rt1 GAN amb2e r and gloomy appearance, which
I'd 5VniT iforeboding of the terrible catastrophe
e'neu " 90 ,S soon to overtake it In the stores,
a'i nas '.s rooms and other places of business,
ta7''p5 rss lighted, and the crowds of people
be gS g.tied through the streets seeking shelter
BOT ln, n tn the Iurid light like so many spectres.
o'Sa S,.asp % came from any quarter on the
70 U,tr q wave rippled on the trees not a
j: oUt Got+ared All nature seemed hushed-
81 na,'u nnougbt but gloomy green in the city
ot u" ua' Silence. In the midst of this scene
2sJIb ~ Haze of lightning shot up apparently
WI" .,rr W. onarter of the horizon, and for
sH s,'ti fonr minutes was accompanied by no
fT e.. " Suddenly, however, the city was
l1lI,, y by loud and heavy clap, and instantly
70 ,,:;caDe commenced, sweeping through
'l,',b ~ nitb terrible power from the St.
..S y; !, came the rain in torrents. We never
D% l,.b deluge of water In less than three
-, ~, tbe hail-stones, as large as hickory
'',. ,,.,mmenced beating down like leaden
Il a., and the hurricane, meantime, increased
il ,.btful mower.
~. r5' scene was now terrible. Hundreds of
.u",vs W. in every direction were twisted off,
14l; No bricks sent crashing through the
-, and over on the neighboring roofs
Y =, ~ jrr = roods boxes were picked up and hur-
sT1 s,-o,S7 through the air until they struck
a,,- some immovable object awnings and
NJ ~ we're torn from their fastenings violently;
Nj =, biIIpts of wood, stones, brick--every-
N ,2 :, movable, in short, went flying through
III ,,pets and over and against buildings ;;
+, at the wharf, becoming perfectly un-
XXI .-,-aabe. were tossed over the waves to
VI rno,;te shore, and to sure destruction
a. Imlnent the terrible gale seemed to have
w .;ts fgry but it was only for a moment.
in i swept through the city, and this time
rfe sinews of a giant. Church steepleS
ranDed off, and went crashing through
~of exposed frame buildings were fairly
j from their foundations and crushed into
Ian Of ruins roofs were torn up and
stored into fragments, and large brick
# fcs in process of construction, were
N M over upon the roofs of smaller adjoining
mg, WMle this description of deStruc-
Vas going on, the large hail stones, falling
H. we're driven with great noise and
nee down upon the city, and were doing
r,e damage, People rushed from their
ps and places of business out into theStorm
,r Of their lives women tainted, cows
3d wildly and believing with pain through
streets. and, with the pelting rain and hail,
M vivid flashes of lightning, the terrific claps
fuHder. the roar of the hurricane and the
M Of falling chmneyS and buildings, the
M s was one of great terror. At one
4. &c. when the gale was at its height, it really
aad as if the entire city would be laid in
N The storm continued, with more or less fury,
abo1t three-quarters of an hour. The wind
lbatcd its violence, the dark clouds in the
w at iacd gradually, and a mellow, golden
m cleaned down upon the city, strangely
contrast with the darkness that had only
~ minutes before wrapt it in such gloom.
antered out into the street and mixed
.Lc anxious frightened crowd. Every
'a we're evidences Of the destructive power
II lie storm. The streets were filed with rub
N ruins were met with on every side. All
windows upon the west side of every
F. through which we passed were more or
W. broken. RumOrS of ruins and accidents in
TquaFter were abundant upon every mans
.1e and had the city been stormed aud
VIZ lyed b! an invading army, it would not have
. state Of greater terror and confu-
The storm was as furious out upon the
a'S as it vas in this city, and the destruc
both life and property will be immense.
tG:e standing unprotected upon the prairie
iaSiSt for moment such powerful gale
nli Of yesterday. The train of the Peoria
Ol1aka road was near Cruger station
At the hurricane swept past. One of the
wager cars, baggage car and the tender
loSted bodily from the track aud turned
lto the ditch. Cruger village, which
rated upon the prairie eighteen miles east
3s city, is in complete ruins-ercry butld-
II 1n.ld 70 tc grouad, including tie statioH-
&C. Washington, aplace of some fifteen
'.a inhabitants, located eight miles this
o' Cfuser was saved from complete des-
on 9T being situated where it is protec-
I! The woods and hills. 1t did not escape
Z. damage, however.