The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-06-28
A BIG TIDAL WAVE AT CL!Vfs-
LAND.

CLEVELAND, June 23.-A remark
able wave swept the Lake from here
at 6 O'Clock this morning. From
the best information now obtainG-
bic, the wave was about two miles
wide and about eleven feet higher
than the surface of the lake 1t
came in the wake of dense and an
CRY looking black and gray cloud,
which moved sullenly from the
northward over the city. No wind
and no rain at the lake shore, but q
dash of rain fell in some parts of the
city and it blew ferceiy south OF
the town. Vessels parted lines at
the mouth OF the river, piers and
dock were submerged to the depth
of four feet i'll some places, and hun
dreds of fish were cast ashore. The
fire was put out in the Lake Erie
rolling mill. On the beach west OF
the river is a scow loaded with sand
lying at the beakwater landed high
and dry ol the shore. The short
stretch of railway near the Union
Depot was ripped up and numerous
switch shanties and small buildings
were overturned or moved about. i
tramp sleeping on top OF the sewer
where ii emptles into the lake, was
drowned. One man standing at the
bank was thrown down and washed
against the wall Of the Union De
pot. Another sitting on switch
house was buried under 1t. The
wave lasted about one minute. Sew
eral parties were fishing in skifis.
They report a sudden rise in the wa
ter and violent commotion like q
whirlpool. The damage to proper
ty along the shore Is roughly estl-
mated at $4,000. Steamboatmen
who came in this morning report
square. short and sudden movement
of the water off this port, OF which
no particular notice was taken at
the time.
Signal Officer Newiiu. observed
the tidal wave to-day, says at 6:10A.
NJ. he heard distant thunder to the
northward over the lake, and look
ing in that direction he saw huge
cloud, the lower part of which look
ed like a large, heavy curtain hang
ing over the water, above it 4 coa-
torted angry looking conglomera-
ton OF clouds and north Of it
large stratus cloud. 1t moved very
rapidly and at $40 the wave struck
the shore. When first noticed the
tidal wave was about Il quarter OF a
mile from shore ana appeared Ikea
great green wall ten feet nigh. The
lake had been calm and this was
the first disturbance Of the surface.
The waye swept along rapidly and
silently until it reached shallow wa
ter, when it made Il loud swiShing
noise and broke on the shore with IA
great roar. The wave reached from
the north northwest 70 the south
southwest. After it struck tho
shore two reooii waves followed
close together. At G:35, quarter of
an hour after the wave reached the
shore, shower began which lasted
fifteen minutes during which two
hundredths of an inch of rain fell.
No hard wind was perceptible here,
though slightly on the lake as re-
ported by incoming vessels. Ser
geant Newlin SAYS the cloud was an
electric cloud. like those OF ordinary
thunder storms; except the peculiar
tiles above described. Many OF the
phenomena are similar to what
would be expected to accompany a
water spout, but no water spout
formed, nor did hard storm pre-
cede or follow, as usual in cases of
tidal waves. After the grand rush
ing Of water the lake relapsed into
repose, and the surface was calm and
unruffied as if nothing unusual
had happened.