The New York herald., 1870-01-20

From the 81. Louis Republican, Jan. E.l
The weather which has been alternating from
qring W winter Tor the past few days brought Its
nNciuatlo1s " climax early last night by 1erifc
ssrsl 80 sudden and Jury 30 great as,to create q
universal Alarm. rne damage done IL not ~ serious
mSat M ne Dns the Storm was sccomps
We viii preface some particulars by few worda re-
spectng the character OF this singular elemental
Saturday night was one OF heavy rain, and the
morning OF sunday was dark and cloudy; during the
forenoon the sky cleared partially and the atinos-
pnere was mid and fresh. AS evening approached
saere was no apparent indications OF anytning IN
usual except that 1t became warm and quite sutry.
Between seven aud eight O'Clock iull moon sned
ms radiance over the city, and slivered the light
clouds which rested IN the SKY, andthere was hardy
breath OF WIND.
nItle past eight O'Clock the symptoms OF change
began TO pe EVIDENT. To the soneh ana westward
the horizon grew black and threatening. 1t too
dark TO see the shapes in which volumlned vapor
came rolling up, put the pale moonlight suone on the
banks OF sonu Dlackness,
Rolled masses dark and sweging,
As proud to be the thunder's dwe.iny,
And now and tnen ftlul Illumination OF lightning
exhibited q tumultuous conflict ol awful shapes.
1ne gloom ueepcned ana the moon disappeared.
me heavens we're invisible, ana yet indistnct
mutterlng in tae abyss tod or the fierce forces
gathered for an outburst. storm has always
prelude, either IN sound or appearance and even at
night. between the Intervals vi thunder aad light
mug, all observant people abroad can leIl OF It's
com ng SO At the tIme we spek oi pedestrians began
TO hurry along the sidewalk ana there was y general
movement TO seek shelter and safety. The churches
were filed with evening congreg ations, and other
places OF public gatnerig different IN character mad
ther usual number OF spectators and amusement
seekers In fact everything was as II usually is on
aquet sunday evening. and consequently IN an ex.
ceAent position 10 be suddenly thrown INTO coufu-
aAon by ANY startling event. Now the noarse below
ing IN the heavens grew more frequent. Great
round heavy drops of water fell IKE pellets OF lead,
snd little eyre-ilke gusts lifted here aud there and
vanls1ed-sound and stiffness aternaled general
wierdness pervaded The city and peopIe-even good
peope-who were atithat moment on their marrow
bones IN prayer, began 10 feel decidedly uncomtorr
able. Things beiagthus maze ready, the magnificent
drama of the tempest openei, wiLn thanier. llgnt-
ming and with ram. An lncessant Illumination
serng rioooIs lightning, while the thunder. the
rush Of the rain torrent and the wind formed the
% % n sacaea r u once u,e com m
marvellous short time, and probably IN
Ten or fifteen minutes mad passed ITS Gil.
max. The wind first blew from the SOUTH but
appeared 10 veer little round 10 the west and from
t.i's POINT tsouthwesD came the MAN iorce OF the
ssorm. IL mad not fne charscerstlcs OF cyclone,
but came IN tremendous gusts, varying point or
TWO IN dlrecnon. At nrst a deluge OF rain accom-
panied The Wind, and, olown into spray, filled the
and swept IN tlows through the streets. Then. for
. lew minutes, han ensued, but fortunately aid not
hast long, and was not very heavy-suflicent. how
ever, to cause some damage HAD slen wind
''welded the nai OF the siasng mai" ior any length
Of Tune. the destruction OF property wouid have been
SCENES on THE STREETS
Could one have been abroad as the storm burst
out, the scenes In the streets would nave
highly exciting and amusing. so sudden were rne
wind gusts tnat hats parted company with heads In
In vain were the attempts TO pursue recspture.
Like whip OF cords The ram smote the face ana
against edch other, and ieil over curpstone5 and
rolled ln the mud. Women were blown OF NOR
cnliaren, where there were eA any abroad. o were
bSwled along the streets until deposited against
some iInmuvable substance. Horses ran away
Signs blew down. Chimneys tunbled into rum;
boards ana shingles ana tin roofing, and ot1er
things, really too numerous 10 mention" were
sucked into ttie Invisible vOrticeS OF the whiFwnd
and danced and dashed about as II possessed by an
animate orinclp!e or swept aang the streets like
charge ol cavalry Lamps were blown out while
here and there the dreadful fingers OF the wind
wrenched massive beams In pieces ana burst in the
large windows. thousand fantastic tricks
were played by the imps OF Eur0clydon. In
many instances men were caught up bodily ana car
rled distance TO Ial on the slippery ana muddy
street or 10 he banged Dreathless against wall
trlct, AYERS this happened to Elm. although he
received no serious injury, and various simfar re-
ports were made. But while tins dlaboica din was
gOSng on In the streets let what effect
Ht those places where there were large gatherings OF
people. In TWO Instances we have heard Of 1t was
really appalling, for II produced sudden and fear
ful panic. We Will first mention
THE vARIETIEs-wHAr OCCURRED THERE
Ths theatre, as our readers are aware, Is open
every sunday night, and invariably draws largo
ana exceedingly promlscuous audience, sfted from
the sdfs cfNOttes and the dentInC1de ana every
other class IN the community. Last night there
aiul assembly Wnen the storm burst down upon
me city Toe rush OF the rain and the sound OF the
wind and thunder soon broke the spell or the per-
1ornance. r1en as the wind increased and the
furious gusts shook the building, and there
heard fhe strainng, creakng sound caused by great
pressure men began to look inquirlngly AZ each
other, the play oegan TO drag, and husn per-
Finally there came savage blast; the theatre
guiding seemed to shlver and the audience became
Startled aud alarmed. At tins moment a fearful
crash sounded-a crash al OF q yielding wall aud
breaking beams II was part OF the theatre In q
second arrested attention was meiamoiphosed into
tne widest panic, and tnen came the frantic rush
for escape there being all that desperate struggle
and unreasonabeness OF effort winch generally cha
fhnnfr nnlv fnr
himself and how 70 get out OF the falling building.
The approaches to the doors became cnoKed by q
while those who were fortunate enough to be nearest
the doors rumDled down stairs headlong any
OUTSIDE. But as Ii always the case the numper
behind In the building tnat could not get out was by
nr e russ was sq name or s ana
men jumped over into the parquet and made their
way 70 the stage. The side windows opening on the
alley were ourss open and men precipitated
themselves down 70 the ground, q height
s.. q fifteen or twenty feet, win perfect reck.
tried 10 provide u ladder, but he was pitched one
Ede the more expeditions method OF jumping being
preferred; and so the window for quite time con-
nnued to vomlt forth Its living stream OF fright.
cned men. But it was at the main exit doors and
Jam perfectly fearful and numerous injuries are
reported. Men were thrown down or fell and
Iamp.ed upon by the insane, panic-stricken MOB
or broke. ~ the case might be. Women
tainted, and reached the open air they knew
ASos noW, Ing bCCuo 10 ucsCfDSu Dy eye VIII
nesses as really awful, but most fortunately, 30
lar as heard FROM was not attended by any loss Of
Nle. Inc police state that several were heard
10 complain OF broken rios internal INJURIES but
none were SO injured az not to be able make their
way home IL Ii singular 30 violent panic was un-
attended oy more serious results and the prOpre.
tori OF the theatre have reason TO Congratulate |
themselves on sustaining only a trining damage |
several women are reported To have been carried nnt
unconscious and taken into saloons In tne vcinIty
The cause OF the panic was the falling of q CHIN
Dey IN the rear. The building not at All enoan-
gered ana, as Is oiten the case Lnere really no
adequate for the terrible terror that sprung up
SCENE AT THE OLYMPIC.
The gathering at the Olympic theatre was OF a |
religious character, there icing preaching by the
Rev. John w. Monteitn. AS customary, and par.
Lcu!arly as this was really The last sermon by Mr.
Monteith, there was crowded audience, nignly
respectable IN character.
Tue thunder and storm broke rudely in upon the
stream OF devotional exercises ana the cougrega-
ton soon became aware tnat something Gnusnal
was going on outside. one gust came and shook
TIE buNdlng as with the nand Of q Titan. Tlere