News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-07-13
DESTRUCTIVE TIDAL WAVE,

DESTRUCTIVE TIDAL WAVE.
Phenomenal Spectacle on Lake Erie
hundreds of Fish Cast Ashore
Ureat Damage to Property.
A letter from Cleveland, Ohio, says:
A remarkable tidal wave swept the lake
lront at six o'clock, Friday morning.
The wave was about two miles wide and
eleven feet higher than the surface of
the lake. It came in the wake of a
dense, angry looking black and gray
cloud, which moved sullenly from the
northward over the city. There was
no rain or wind at the lake shore, but
dash of rain fell on some parts of the
city and the wind blew fercely south of
the town. Vessels parted their lines at
the mouth of the river, and piers and
docks we're submerged in some places
stO the depth of four foot Hundreds of
Fish were cast ashore.
The fires in the Lake Erie Rolling
Mill, on the river beach, were put out.
A scow loaded with sand, lying at the
breakwater, was landed high and dry
on the shore A stretch of railway
near the Union Depot was ripped up
and numerous switch shanties and
small buildings were overturned or
moved about. A tramp, sleeping on
the top of a sewer where it empties in
to the lake, was drowned. One man,
standing ON the bank, was thrown down
and washed against the wall of the
Union Depot. Another man, sitting in
switch house, was buried under the
stove. Timber heads were torn out of
two scows in the river. Some iron
rails, twenty eight feet long, piled near
the depot, were lifted up and scattered
in every direction. Huge logs were
washed ashore, a life-saving station was
badly wrecked, and various other dam
age was done.
The wave lasted only about one
minute. Several parties who were
fishing in skiffs report that there was a
sudden rise in the water and violent
commotion like whirlpool. The sk1ffs
weathered the singular storm without
accident. The damage to property on
shore is roughly estimated at $50, 900.
Steamboat men who came in report
short squall and a sudden movement ol
the water off this port, of which nc
particular notice was taken at the time.
Signal Officer Newlin, who observed
the tidal wave to-day, says that at ten
minutes past six a. M, he heard distant
thunder to the northward over the lake,
and, looking in that direction, he saw g
huge cloud, having the appearance of 9
thunder cloud, the lower part of which
seemed like large, heavy curtain hang.
ing over the water. Above it was con-
torted, angry looking conglomeration oi
clouds, and north of it large stratus
cloud. 1t moved very rapidly, and al
twenty minutes past six a. M, the
wave struck the shore. When first no.
ticed the tidal wave was about a quarter
of mile from the shore and appeared
like a green wall ten feet high.
The lake had been calm, and this was
the first disturbance of its surface. The
wave swept along rapidly and silently
until it reached shallow water, when il
made loud, smashing noise and broke
on the shore with a great roar. The
wave reached from north east to south
west. After it had struck the shore two
recoiI waves followed close together
At thirty-fve minutes past six, a. M,
quarter of an hour after the wave hat
reached the shore, shower began
which lasted for fifteen minutes, during
which 2-100ths of an inch of rain fell
No high wind was perceptible here
although slight squalls on the lake ar
reported by incoming vessels.
Sergeant Newlin says the cloud wa'
an electric cloud, like those of ordinar.
thunder storms, with the exception o
the peculiarities above described. Man.
of the phenomena are similar to wha
would be expected to accompany
waterspout, but no waterspout formed
nor did hard storm precede or follow
as is usual in the case of tidal waves
After the grand rushing of water tn
lake relapsed into repose. The wav
was wider reaching than at first sup
posed.
Word comes from Glenville that tn
wave played havoc with the boats an
boat houses there. Near the railwa
bridge over the river log rs feet loni
and q feet in diameter was carried al
most 200 feet inland. The water in tn
lake was about two feet higher than a
the ordinary stage, and the tidal wav
at the life saving station reached
height of eight feet ten inches above tn
present water mark.