Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-24
SINGULAR PHENOMENON.
Remarkable Tidal Wave at Cleveland
Property Destroyed.

| CLEVELAND, June 23.-A remark bile
tidal wave swept the front of the lake here
at 6 o'clock this morning. From the best
information now obtainable, the wave was
about two miles wide and eleven feet higher
than the surface of the lake. 1t came in the
wake OF dense, apgry-looking black-and-
gray cloud, which moved sullenly from the
| northward over the city. There was no wind
| and no rain at the lake shore, but a dash of
rain fell In some parts of the city, and the
wind blew hercely south of town. Vessels
parted their lines at the mouth of the river,
piers and docks were submerged to the depth
| OF four feet, in sonse places hundreds of fish
were cast ashore, and the fires were put out
In the Lake Erie Rolling Mill, on the beach,
west OF the river. A scow loaded with sand
lying at the breakwater, was landed high
and dry on the shore. A short stretch OF
| railway, near the union depot, was ripped
up, and numerous small switch shanties and
small buildings were overturned or moved
about. A tramp, sleeping upon the top of
sewer where 1t empties into the lake, was
drowned. One man standing at the bank was
thrown down and washed against the wall of
the union depot. Another citing in a
switch house, was buried under the stove
The timber heads were torn out OF two scows
in the river. Iron rails twenty-eight feet
long, piled up near the depot, were lifted up
and scattered in confusion. Hinge logs were
washed ashore. The life-saving station was
badly wrecked, and various other damage
was done. The wave lasted about one min
ute. Several parties we're fishing in skiffs.
They report a sudden rise in the water and
violent commotion like a whirlpool The
skitfs weathered the singular storm without
accident The damage to property on shore
is roughly estimated at $4,000. Steamboat
men who came in this morning report a short
squall and sudden movement of the water
of this port, of which no particular notice
was taken at the time.
THE SIGNAL OBSERVERS STORY.
Signal Officer Newton, who observed the
tidal wave to-day, says that at 6:10 o'clock
am. he heard distant thunder to the north
ward over the lake, and looking in that
direction saw huge cloud, like thunder
cloud, the lower part of which looked like
large, heavy curtain, hanging over the
water; above it large, con.orted, angry
looking coDglomeration of clouds, and north
OF 1t large stratus cloud. 1t moved very
rapidly, and at $40 o'clock the wave struck
the shore. When he first noticed the tidal
wave it was about quarter of a mile from
the shore, and appeared like large green
wall ten feet high. The lake had been calm |
and this was the fret disturbance of its sur
face. The wave swept along rapidly and |
silently until it reached the shallow water.
when it made loud swishipg noise and !
broke on the shore with great roar. The |
wave reacted from north northeast to south |
southwest; after it struck the shore two recoil |
waves followed close together At 6:35
o'clock, quarter of an hour after the wave
reached the shore, a shower began which |
lasted fifteen minutes, during which two
of an inch OF rain fell. No hard
wind . was perceptible here, though slight
squalls on the lake are reported by in
coming vessels. Sergeant Newton says
he cloud was an electric cloud,
ike those of ordinary thunder-storms,
except the peculiarities above described.
Many OF the phenomena are similar to what
would be expected accompanying a water
pout, but no water-spout formed, nor did a
lard storm precede or follow as in the case
# tidal waves. After a grand rushing of
water the lake relapsed into repose, the sur
ace as calm and unruffied as if nothing unu-
ual had happened. The wave was wider
eaching than was at first supposed Word
ONES from Chenille that it played havoc
nth a boat and lighthouses there; near the |
ailway bridge over the river, log seventy
We feet long and three and a half feet in |
ismeter was carried nearly 200 feet on land
'etore the phenomenon occurred the wind
sd been blowing gently from southerly
ERECTION, and soon after the cloud passed
esumed the same course. The water in the . .
Ike was about two feet higher an ordinary,
nd the tidal wave at the life-saving station
cached eight feet ten inches above the pres :
ut water mark.