Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-05-21

storm prevailed, although but little
ain fell. The sun came out for about
Lii hour, the temperature t,ing about
10. Toward p. m. heavy masses OF
clouds again gathered in the west, por
tending storm, and the air was Oppres-
siveiy warm. The cyclone was announced
by a breaking of the clouds and it struck
the earth with noise which can only
be compared to the roar and rumbling of
thousand railroad trains over bridge.
The frightful sound continued for not
more than two minutes. The
frightened people had fled to their
cellars and other places for safety,
and when they crept out from their hiding
places they ,held the grand spectacle OF
he cyclone as it pa ed II om the land over
the waters of Lake Michigan. The whirl-
ing columns of ar emed like monster |
wreaths of smoke as they few over the |
watery expause, bearing with them spiral
columns of water. No ship that encoun- |
tered this monster of the air could by any
possibility have escaped.
The Path of tho Storm.
The cyclone first struck at Vol. s
gardens, in the extreme northwestern
portion of Racine, where it levelled farm
house and crippled six of the inmates.
Here it seeme } rise from the earth, but
it again desc ended and struck about half
a mile to the no, 1heast, at tho corner of
st. Clair and High streets, where Lutz' $
gardens were situated. Thence it pro-
ceeded due east a!mc It to the lake shore,
covering path nearly quartet of a mile
in width. In the path of the storm hardly
a building remains intact. Erick and
frame houses alike collapsed, and their
Il nnIv INV nj
shap ,iess debris. The houses dc itroyed
consisted, for the most part, of frame
structures, but here ard there was brick
house of substantial build. Nothing es-
capped the power of the cyclone. The
houses lie in heaps of st one, boards and
| bricks, In some places where the houses
were unusually close together, they have
been blown in a heap SO large rs to effect
ua!ly blockade the streets. Everywhere
| throughout that part of the city within
| the path of the storm are heaps of rub
| bish. All the hous IS on the west side of
Main, north of English street, are de-
mOlished. Most of them arc of wood,
but one was a large brick house owned by
Mr., Fisher. Fred. Fakes house on
English street was completely wrecked.
Many houses on North Wisconsin street
were more or less damaged. Ono house on
High street, facing east, was picked
up and appeared to float in the
air twenty feet above the earth,
and when it alighted it was III a
tolerable state of preservation and faced
south. A barn on Milwaukee street was
lifted into the air and it came down under.
side up. Sidewalks in tie track of the
cyclone were drawn into the air, trees
were turn up by the roots, and outhOuses
were no moro than feathers waited by q
breeze. The path of tho meteorological
monster was literally a scene of ruin
The clapbOards of houses seem to have
been ground into splinters. In only few
cases were houses moved from their found
ations. Those in the middle of the storm
centre simply fell in ruins where they
stood. Some nearer the circumference
were turned around, and it is reported
that some light articles, such as wagons,
were swept into tho lake.
Queer Freaks Of tho wind.
Fourteen persons were in Petura's sa
loou, on Douglass avenue, and though
the two story building was reduced to d
mere pilo of bricks and mortar, no ont
was seriously injured. Beach's barn was
taken into the air, and, after whirling like
a top, alighted in good order on its side
|
mills, the vinegar factory aud the bricl
yards Of VIM. Baumon shared the com
men fate of destruction. The roof O
Bettroy's bakery was lifted off, and Oh til,
same street (St. Clair) tho cupola 0
Father Matthew hall was damaged. Tit
smOkestack of the old silver plate work;
foil, and the cOrnice of st. Joseph
cathedral was twisted off. Th'
roof of Policeman Griebers hous
floated away, and an old unoccupie'
tenement house of George Bucher is mum
bered among the things that were. Tele
graph poles were blown down, and as th'
, , wires are down communication with out
/ side points is difficult. The 7:1O trail
from Chicago was delayed a mile north o
the city by house which had been picke'
up by the cyclone and deposited SQUARED
t on the rails. Tops of trees were taken o.
. clear as though swept by cannOuade
} On top of one abbreviated poplar was
/ plug hat, and hanging from another was
hoop skirt. Many chickens and domesti
? animals were killed.
1 Three Children Killed.
Three children, Hallobka by name
9 were starding in front of a saloon an
: within the walls four men were drinkin
r at the bar. The tornado swept dow
: upon the building and scattered tho brio
| walls to the ground. The three lit
ones were killed, but the four men Q.
3 capped without q scratch.
/. Mrs. Gustavus Kessness was holding Ii,
. youngest child up in her arms when th
J, blast struck her home. The front wall ,
S the house was blown down and tho moth'
o swept across the room rs she made a
y effort to save herself the child fell frOI
her arms and was carried into the stree
IS and killed. The mother escaped uni
a jured. An elder child of tho same fami
was playing in lane when it was seize
bodily by the whirlwind, carried di
u tance OF sixty feet and dropped into
o creek. Its dead body was IecOvere'
}, Paul Kugel and his three brothers were
o the formers house when the furious hu
l. ricane bore them alOft and hurled the
= through the air. Paul was killed and IL
= others were all seriously injured. The
ribs were broken and their flesh torn
;, strips from their ribs.
II Among The tsuins.
. The scene among the dead, wOunde
y and dying in the northern part of the cit
/. was one painful beyond decription.
y many instances surviving relatives b.
lost all semblance of reason. Physician
!, were not numerous enough to civ
prompt assistance, and many bleedir
> victims were rolled up iu blankets whi
anxious relatives ran in every direction
= secure medical aid AS fast rs the victim
- were extricated from the ruins the wOundt
~ were examined, and when their conditi,
10 permitted were taken to st. Luke's al
IL St, Mary's hospitals. Tho dead are lyi1