The daily gazette., 1882-04-03
SECOND EDITION
The storm's Fatal work.
Three Persons Killed nc Read.
x Ing.


READING, PA, April 2.
The storm that bowed over up the
Sehuylkill Valley this afternoon reached
Reading about 2 o'clock and In q few
minutes the wind blew perfect hurri-
cane. A most distressing accident oc-
CURED when the storm was In Its height,
by which three lives was lost q short
distance below this city. The Angelisc
Water Company had erected q tall scaf.
folding Of heavy timber on Its property
two miles below Reading. At the top
Of this tower, at an elevation of about
one hundred feet, was large wooden
tauk, With a capicty Of many thousand
barrels, which was used to supply the
people of that section of the country
with water. Among the visitors this al
ternoon we're George FhlI, q wealthy
landowner and q large shareholder Of
the company; bis son, Frederick Frlll,
Mr.. George Shelthorne and bis wife, son
and daughter, a boy named Cruise and
one or two others. Mr.. Frill and bis
son were at the tower before the Shell
thorle family had arrived In carr iage
drawn by two ponies.
A TERRIBLE CRASH.
This afternoon had been exceedingly
pleasant and the Shelthorns were out
for pleasure. The storm coming up
suddenly they drove toward the tower
aud subsequently decided to drive under
the woodwork for shelter. The rain de-
scended In torrei is and the storm in
creased to violent gale. Suddenly the
tower tfemDlel and swayed and in the
next instant terrific blast blew up the
valley and the heavy tankl was lifted
from IFS bearings and came laundering
down from aloft, amid falling beams,
crack ne timbers iron bolts and flood
Of water. The carriage ana its inmates
aud all who had congregated were
crushed in the wreck.
The rain descended in torrents and
the storm increased amid the groans OF
J the dying. Young Sbelthorn and FIRE.
derrick Frill, who had mlraculously es
, capped with but few bruises, extricated
I themselves from the wreck and aroused
the neighboriDg farmers. The storu
speedily spent itself and IN short tim
several hundred persons had congrega
4 | ted. Several mules were brought int
, service to help move the heavy timbers
| anu Ln6 peOplo Weut 10 WOrk Will
+ will to get at the dead and the dying.
REMOVING THE BODIES.
The carriage was smashed into splil
= ters. Mr.. Shelthorn WA taken out deaf
= az well as his daughter. John A. Crus
!. was also found deaf. MIS-. ShelthorI
: the wife and mother, was mangle'
4 bleeding and unconsciou'. The eltt
Frill was bleeding and in terrible pail
3 with several ribs broken. One of II
horses was dead aHd the other moaniT
o and dying. Mrs. Shelth0rn was on Il
rear seat and three heavy timbers cor
pletaly crushed the carriage top over b.
and fastened her down. Young Fri
: : rescued her by cutting away the wreo
q Mr.. Shelton was struck on the head
= a heavy beam and tt IL supposed was Il
= Stautly killed. His daughter Ros
q aged nine, seemed to have been smotl
q cred, as a quantity of straw was crushe
over her face and was fastened down b
, a beam. This straw was near the top (
: the tank. Charles Shelthorn, the sol
!. who escaped, says that he had steppa
' Nut of the carriage but few moment
fore the crash aud was on the edge {
the trestle work and thus escaped deatl