The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-14
A TERRIFIC STORM.

DESTRUCTIVE STORM OVER wAsHINGToN-
ITS APPEARANCE AND THE DAMAGE DONE.
A special to the Cincinnati Commercial
from Washington says: On Saturday even
ing, about a quarter of o'clock, this city
and vicinity was visited by the most terrific
and disastrous wind storm ever known in
this section of the country. 1t swept across
the district like hurricane. leaving a very
disastrous trail behind. Houses were leveled
with the earth, others were unroofed,
trees uplifted from their bed, windows
smashed, and sign boards hurled indiscrim-
inately about the street. After the wind had
teen minutes the fall of water WAS very
heavy. Showers were repeated during the
night, and the storm did not finally pass of
until O'Clock this morning. Nearly all
the telegraph wires running cut OF
the city were blown down and rem
dered useless for the transmission of dis
patches. The following graphic description OF
the storm will appear in to-morrow's Ma
tlonal Republican: ga few minute s after Z
o'clock on Saturday night, several gentle
men were seated m front of police headquar-
tiers, apd their attention was called to the
active motion of the clouds. Two storms
appeared to be approaching each other.
Deep black clouds skirted the horizon on
the north and east, while others ofs lighter
hue were rising between the north and
west, and as they increased in size, from
those TO the north sprang white clouds re-
sembling immense balls of snow, that
rolled and tumbled in a furious manner.
moving first in one direction and
then another. 1t was predicted that if they
met, the result would be disastrous TO the
city. The two storms drew nearer each 9TH
er. There were apparently two strong cur
rents at work, for one storm appeared to be
crossing directly over the other. All of a
I1o,, fI<cn lob, IL
and began spreading. As they did so they
grew thinner and finally disappeared. While
this was TRANSPORTING, the two clouds that
had appeared to be moving in opposite di-
rectinns seemed to have become united and
formed dense
IMPENETRABLE MASS OF DARKNESS,
which was rapidly rising over the city. A
gentle zephyr-like breeze was at that time
felt coming from the direction of the clouds.
Soon there was seen to rise above the house.
tops yellowish and suspicious cloud that
kept rapidly in front of the dark and sterner
one. 1t required no guessing to discover
that this was dust. and that the storm was
so quickly approaching that it would soon
be over the city. and, from the threatening
aspect presented. would either be powerful
with wind or deluging with water The
streets and porches were abruptly
deserted, and safety sought within
doors. The storm came on, and a more
fearful hurricane this city never experienced
1t lasted probably twenty minutes, but in
that time did an immense damage. The
dust was so strong and binding that even
grown persons were unable TO travel with it
and although only short distance from
their homes. were compelled to seek the
nearest place of refuge. House tops were
lifted off, even the cornicing, in some cases,
with them taken away-some of them set
down in a strange locality. the occupants
of the dwelling not knowing where the
roof had gone. and the owner Of the prop
erty where it slighted from whence it came.
Trees were dragged from the earth and taken
into the streets, where none had been seen
before, while branches were scattered in
every direction. Business signs laid around
promiscuously, as If in search of an owner or
lost from home. The great trees in the Cap
itol grounds. and those about the White
House and in the parks. were bereft of their
foliage and the street piled with the broken
limbs until thew became almost impossible"
Several excursion steamers loaded with pas
sengers were caught on the Potomac, but
weathered the storm without accident or Sc
rious damage. The total loss of property in
the city by the wind and rain is variously
estimated at between a quarter and half
million of dollars. There are quite a num-
Der of miraculous escapes from death of per-
sons whose houses were unroofed.