The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-06

Immense Damage Done to Property-Large
Number Of Houses Unroofed, Stecpies
Ruined, Trees Uprooted and People In
jured-Lives Supposed To Be Lost

rOOnng WhOle DlOcks OF houses, uprOOtlng treeS'
scattering vegetation, swapping iron awning
frames like slender bits Of wood, and completely
destroying all Geographic communication with
other parts OF the country.
APPROACH OF THE TORNADO.
The day had been remarkably pleasant gentle
breezes making the July heat tolerable Toward
evening the northern heavens were banked with
heavy clouds, deepening to stormy blue. when
suddenly, about eight O'CLOCK the base OF
the vaporous formation became intensely
red, the sky suddenly darkened, and
in an instant, without warning, the tor
nado had struck the city. Its advent was
in the northern central part of Washington, in the
nelghborhood OF the State Department. The first
row which disputed the force of the angry wind Is
located on Connecticut avenue, not far from the
boundary. The rim roofing cornlce and boarding
were swept up and let down in confusion fifty feet
from the dwellings. On street, corner OF FIJI
teenth, is a block of two story dwellings. Eight
OF the houses parted company with their roofing,
while the chimneys were tossed or as though but
a feathers weight. Passing In still southeast
ery direction One-nalf OF the roof OF brick dwell
ing was suddenly hurled against the plate glass
OF the parior windows OF dwelling
the opposite side OF street. smashing the
glass and sash to pieces. The inmates were
hardly aware Of the terrifying event when the
whole block OF fifteen residences in the row was
unrooed. Continuing in It's mad career one-half
of the fine dwellings in Corcoran street. next be-
low street, were maze rOOness Tin roofing
rolled up like paper, and was left to rest in the
street or the back yards OF the unfortunate prem
ises. The wind gratded Itself by hank move
ment ana made q three story house two stories
high with greater promptness and neatness than
any work done by the Board OF Public Works IN it's
tornado ravages through Washington.
THE PATH OF THE FURIOUS WIND
next lay against the State Department. The
fencing was ruthlessy torn from It's base and
sGrewn about the ground like drlftwOod. but the
building escaped unframed. Down Fourteenth
street. with more fury than wild bull, the tor
nado took delight In playing pranks VITA the pa
latial mansions on Vermont avenue, dsregarded
the hallowed precincts OF the Lutheran Memorial
church, crossed over to the house of Senator Nor
rill, OF Vermont, tore the brick facing from his
dwelling, darred down narrow pathway and
made lumber pile OF the rOOs of eX.MayOr Bow
ems and Rear Admiral Bailey's, DR.. Bliss and
John o. Evans residences. The wind then veered
to the northeast, passed along street, un! oOnng
many Of the finest dwellings, in that locality, until
it reached the central part OF the city, paying its
compliments to the elegant residences OF Justice
Bradley, Of the United States Supreme Court; Judge
Macarthur, OF the District Supreme Court, and lis
reckless career did not omit its spite against the
residence OF j. G. Holland OF the Associated Press
The path OF the tornado then changed to q south
westerly direction, ripping of the tops of houses
cleaner than q planIng machine does the rough
side OF bOaru until it struck the lofty KelsO spire
on the Metropolitan Methodist church, wnere the
President worships 1t must have been violent
struggle between
THE POWERS OF DARKNESS
and the finger of devotion. The latter would not
bend nor break, but tile wind succeeded in top
ping its base enough to make 1t unsafe, so that
the lofty splre VIII have to be torn down for
salety's sake. Along Pennsylvania avenue neither
awnings, housetops nor bay windows were ex-
empt from damage. In South Washington the
wind skipped and played fantastic tricks with a
hundred roofs, and thence to Capitol Hill, where
the finest dwellings IN the eastern section OF the
city were uncovered.
DAMAGE OUTSIDE THE CITY.
The path Of the tornado was about twelve miles
wide, but owing TO the severity oil the storm and
the interruption OF Geographic communication
until late hour to-day but little is known OF the
damage done outside the city. The Episcopal
church was totally destroyed and the Methodist
church at Beltsvllle Nd, par daily destroyed. The
former Is but pile OF bricks. Between that
point and Washington vegetation and the iruit
trees are totally lost, and all along the path Of
steamers were struck between one and ten miles
from the city; but all arrived safely though far be-
hind time How many sail and pleasure boats
were cap5ized no one has been able thus far TO as
certain. The tornado passed into Virginia across
Alexandria, doing much damage to the shipping
and dwellings, and sped its way southwark, still
carrying destruction in its path. The steamers
which lett Baltimore yesterday for Point Lookout,
to rem Orce the Sixth Maryland infantry encamped
at the place, were tossed about like tiny boats and
compelled to keep astream fearing TO land.
THE SCENE OF DESTRUCTION.
With the storm came sudden darkness. All the
the dust and loose dirt about Washington were
suddenly caught up in cloud and hurled over the
city. 1t swept down the principal avenues and
streets, knocking down broadchessed pedestrians,
upsetting venIcles and making the credulous be-
leve the comets tall had really struck the EARTH
In Uniontown, near Washington. great trees were
twisted OF in the middle Of their trunks and
thrown against frame dwellings, crushing In the
roofs and tearing down chlmneys. Following the
DELUaE OF RAIN.
so to the loss sustained by the tornado came the
double loss of having the ceiling and walls OF the
dwellings ruined by water, to say nothing OF the
extensive damage done to furniture. AS yet there
have been no
REPORTS OF LOSS OF LIFE
though many persons were more or less injured by
the falling Of timbers. To-day hundreds of me-
chanics have been employed In making the shat
tered houses tenantable. Careful estimates have
been made of the damage done in this section and
the loss Is put down In round numbers at
MILLION OF DOLLARS
This appeared as extraordinary when first an
nounced, but survey OF the field and the extent
OF the damage done by water in connection with
that done by the wind fully justines the estimate
given.
Storm ut LewistOwn.
HARRISBURG, Pa, July 6, 1874
The storm at Lewistown yesterday was more OF
the nature OF a tornado. The roofs OF the Coleman
House In the town and the lower hotel at the de-
pot were blown OF and several other houses were
damaged. The steeples OF the Lutheran and Pres