The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-21
A TORNADO IN ELIZABETH.
ROOFS TORN orr. 1ND HOUSES MOVED
FROM THEIR FOUNDITIOys
A harm Lifted as Though It Had Hcen q
Mere B"iioon-Devastation In the Track
of the storm-Trees Snapped Like Txxlrs

harm Lined ne Though It Had Reen n
Mere BaIIoon-Devastntion In the Track
Of the storm-Trees Snapped Like Twigs.
One OF tho severest and most Destructive
tornndoes that ever visited New Jersey swept
over Elizabeth on Thursday. A few persons in
the lower wards. looking away to the south-
ward. saw the tempest sweeping over the fields
ana forests with extraordinary velocity In an
instant the air was filled with the remnants Of
broken house tops. dsmanted and ruined
barns and outhouses. overturned chimneys and
nylng birds, pieces OF fences. ralings and oyer-
turned roofs. All day the sky had been over.
cast with thick, dark clouds. and from ths
zenith soft dropping showers fell through a
leaden atmosphere. The shower was OF unprec-
edcnted power and 1t was said by many resi-
dents in the city that never before had thev seen
such tremendous waterfall in so short "A time.
Soon the rain ceased, and only few large
drops battered upon the pavements and tina
strcets. Every one thought that the storm had
died away. In n moment thereafter persons in
the street looking upward. saw the dark storm
clouds gather, and u lurid glow shone over tho
mass OF clouds. In an instant heavy, rolling,
rushing sound was heard in the far southwest
the forests toward Staten Islanl Sound bent
low. and whrlwini of mud and broken tree-
branches and living shingles We're hurled
through the lower wards Of Elizabeth
ly time TO run hustily to their DWELL
ings before the whirlwinl rushed over
them. The tornado passed almost in n mo-
meut and in TINT time n scene of devastation
and ruin was left IN its track. The course oi
,hr IN tempest was not more than 100 or 800 feed
~ wlith. and It's course from Staten Island
Sound to Newark bay was less than five miles
IN extent In the woods great trees were
snapped ike ,wigs. and huge branches were
torn away and swept through the air Fields
2l grain were borne off and scattered IN clouds
Tor several miles.
Az the storm approached the southern limits
ol Elizabeth. IL wrought its greatest havoc Al
NE house OF John Doran. car driver. at 62s
Elizabeth avenue. the tempest passed between
the house and the rear yard. tearing the fences
INTO pieces. coop Of fowls in the extreme rear
within u distance Of a yard or two was broken
into splinters. At the residence of Mr. Myers,
next door. n small rear house was broken and
carried away, and clock in the kitchen was
borne from the mantel and shattered against
,he opposite wall; Several windows were also
Moor. looking glass was smashed into
"The storm" said Mr.. Doran. "cameun John
street from TIE southeast. md the first thing
that II did, as noticed, WAS to take off tho rool
of John NOau's barn. which l. about 3O1 feet
from here. The whole building was carried
completely away. and fragments OF the roof and
me posts ana n1Hrs We're scattered all along tina
rolled up into "A ball. crashed over the tons OF
several houses and landed in the centre of my
orchard IL struck on one side and then turned
somrfsnut ana struck against my piazza.
knorking the floor into acoeked hat and smash-
ing the posts into kindiing wood. 1t swept all
my line pear trees and garden truck. and you
could almost wade knee deep in pears and
green grapes aitcr The roof struck. You can't
form any idea Of the force Of that roof. Won
der II didn't take away the whole house. That
roof must have been 25N3O eet II q mcnsions.
1t took eight men. ths morning. To INT il OF my
feet feet ano,e the housetops. It was shlnge roof
Al the Eer House. at High hh"Sf Stree, and Eliza
,lrtn u'' ldr, tnr wind swept through the front
htil, n, and, striking heavy psnelied oakcn door
pl"r,. Not q piece foot in length could DO
Iomnd after the Storm.
nlnirei i"'t away was torn away, and the ny-
in bricks were hurled IN every direction for
ON every de. uenr the Ellcr House. buildings
hdd been ralsei from their foundations IL and
twisted in all lire tons. Hundreds OF men
were employed, yesterday with Jack screws
ana other proppiug irons IN putting them bnck
- u'.r .1l.nal luundn'ipns frd Lind's
tniuod around from It's Hte. but not "a beam Or
post uf rdlt 'r wns ui~uia. "d. Mr.. liud's barn
was smashed il.to Alndl nS wood. ana tine pieces
w,re isl'rard oV, many hundred foot.
When Mr.; Nolan - barn roof went on. several
perions Who saw sailing away inta I de-
III 'hS an ~ nR and diving IN md air.
- Az krgard News house. ut High s'rectand
Knocked into u hundred pieces. ana the fno
ron railing sailed away after the bricks owen
rolled into strnss and fly away TOWARD Nrwark
bay. Miss Nolan was trying TO dry shirts and
otntr garments on her line IN her garden ut
second avenue and High street When tho
whirlw.nd struck tho clothes line, the clothes
and line went up into the hir. and sailed of a
mile and "a hidt 10 the woods near Newark bay.
On the long bridge over the bay II parry Of fish,
ermen saw the clothes and clouds OF shingles
VIII eh tiiey described MS iiOcks Of crows rising
and falling, as thew went on toward tho
wo lts. said one ruan II thought the sky
any quantity OF old clothes ana shingles"
ASIDE from the more important changes along
the course OF the storm were the uproOting Or
numherloss trees. the entire devastation OF
crops, an tae destruction OF many fences
signs, y q and lightning rods. Nearly tho
whole heavy side boari fence of a great brick
public hoo. AT High street and Elizabeth ave-
nue. Ma 9Ssit hrown and borne nearly block
away. Mr. Egnn's barn at High and Sew
rnth streets WIS lifted up aud wuirled almost
entirely around. II escaped with little damage.
a rcnhr kuhle feature ol the TEMPEST Is that
no one was injured, although several PERSONS
had narrow ESCAPES. In Mr.. Saurrhruh' = barn
several children were sporting on IN" hay only
a muWrnt hriorr the binding Was swept from
Us foundation and utterly demolished. Mr..
NtNrrhrun mix wagon WAS WillrlHd away. and
when II Was found tlrrr was hariiy a plr'r that
had not uern smashed ln fragments. In one
pace 4 coop uf poultry Wts tax fn iOIiiy from
yard. ana the owner hils not vet found a mem-
hr oi MS ilo X. Only one person was greatly
iu'uri. u gro who Was gong along tho
road from Paterson. heard tl4' roar and SAW tho
iust 81 thr oh 'omlnE hurrieunH. In great ter
ror ~ clNspru the trunk Of q tr.o. and WAS
osSod un nNttt siie for a momcnt or tsu. hut
le maintained las hold until tue s.Oril passed