Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-08-10
Terrible Tornado.

4 succession OF Destructive storms Passeo
through New EDglapd yesterday. At bos'on
there was succession OF bca7y showers accom-
named by heavy thuadtr and vivid lightning
and considerable damags was done.
At Rye Beach, New Hampshire, the storm
is reported as having been terrific, accompanied
bv hail and a violent wind, the latter being
quite wide 10 its path and blowing down whole
sections Of woodland. A bowling alley was
completely wrecked. The doors Of the postofice
were blown down and the building was Hooded
with water. A small boarding house near
the bathing beach was blown over. The
bridge OF the bathing beach was demolished,
aud several of the buildings were more or less
Injured A small boarding house on the beach,
occupied by about twenty people, was split 10
two, but fortunately the inmates escaped injury.
Whole acres of woodland were blown over, and
nearly all the chinneys 10 the track of the storm
arc blown down. No lives were lost.
A Wellingford, Conn.,, tie storm was terrific
unroofng and demoishng forty houses and
about fifty barns. Eighteen dead bedics have
been recovered, and probably several Others are
among the ruins The telegraph wires and
poles were blown down so that it was impossl-
Bile to communicate directly with outside points
After the tornado passed it was found that it
had been confined to belt Of territory about
| half a mile wide, and the whole damage and
| loss OF life had occurred on the sand plains about
q quarter of mile north of the railroad station,
near the limo of the New York, New Haven
and Hartford Railroad. At six o'clock, while
! the men we're leaving The several factories 10
the vicinity, it began to rain gently. 10 few
minutes the rain increased to perfect deIuge,
while the lightning Illuminated the darkened
| sky as bright as day, and the thunder rolled
with continuous and deafeDlng roar. With.
out a seconds warning tornado OF wind, min.
gied with hail and rain. swept across the north.
ern part Of the town from west to east, aud
| everything movable 10 its track was carried
away. 1t seemed to last but moment, but Its
results were frightful. Afterwards light rain
fell, which soon passed off, aud at O'Clock,
when the train arrived with aid from Meridon,
the heavens were clear and the moon shone
brightly. By actual counting forty dwelling
houses were demolished and at least fifty barns.
The scene was heartrepding one. The wooden
houses wero carried clear OF their foundation
from few feet to an eighth Of a mile. 10 the
line of the tornado nothing was left standing,
and On each side Of its track lesser damage
was done, chimneys especially suffering. Tue
Catholic church, (Wooden.) and the new brick
high school were totally demolished. The top
of the brick factory Of tho Walingford com.
muuity was carried away. Fires were commu
nicated 10 tho ruins in many cases by lamps
and stoves, and but for the rain the horror q
the affair would have been greatly increased.
There were many Incidents. a youth, Mat
thew Mooney, was standing on railroad track
when struck by the full force Of the tornado
He was picked up fifty feet away, almost be
headed Mrs. Hubby had her child in her
arms; when picked up both wero dead and al
most scslped Fred llttcwood was killed by
flying timber as he was coming home froil
work. Four female relatives Of JoiiD Manson
were buried in the cellar Of the house When
blown down. and it took long while to gel
them out. 1t was reported they were killed
but when found two were blurred slightly the
other two escaping Dwelling houses weree
swept out of existence and barns lifted clear Oh
the hay contained therein, the latter beng
left standing, and The roofs OF lanumera6e
houses taken off, The railroad tracks were
not disturbed, aud trains arc running as usual
| Physicians have arrived, and the selectmeE
have t,legrapheu Governor Hubbard asklnp
that the local militia company be called GU &c
render aid
If the wounded die, at most the death Iist
will not exceed thirty. The loss 10 property
is about 100000
The tornado did considerable damage t1
properly at and about Nleliaen. Connecticut
| but no lives were l1st.