The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1883-05-16
CYCLONES.
Great Destruction OF Property
and Many Lives Reported 10
Have Been Lost. 4

sfuctlVe cyclone swept across the
southern part Of this city shortly
after 5 O'Clock this afternoon, IN.
roofing and demolisbing buildings
for a distance Of two miles. The
track Of the storm ranged from ball
a block to Two blocks 10 width. "A
number Of persons we're injured
and some fatalities are reported
but the loss Of life is probably mol
SO great as II might be expected ii
view Of the extent Of the destrnc,
tim Of property. Nothing definite
Gun be ascertaincd but the loss d
property is estimated in the bun,
dreds Of thousands. The day
Throughout had been stormy.
From early morning heavy shower
fell at intervals, accompanied al
times by gusty winds. AT hall
past four the clouds, which had
been especially threatening along
the western horizon, gathered
densely over and u little vest u
Wyandotte, Out Of them grew 4
dark funnel shaped cloud, which
started northward across the liii !,
ing lands west Of Wyandotte, ID,
crossing the Missouri river passed
into the country northeast Of the
city Abuut ten minutes later a
second cloud formed near the same
place where the first originated,
and followed the course Of the Kaw
river to the Missouri river, and
down the latter To Randolph Point,
five miles, where it seems to have
disappeared in the river, throwing
huge volumes Of water to n great
height This cloud did very little
damage, but was followed a few
minutes later BY d third and ter.
rife one, which laid waste to build.
ings, trees and feuces in its path
across The southern portion Of the
city. 1t seems to have started near
the place Of the preceding one
southwest Of the city, and touching
u portion of the suburb of Arm.
strong, moved in an easterly course,
tending slightly northward,
Across the city at the stock yards
the Exchange was unroofed and
other buildings damaged or destroy.
ed, Then passing on it struck the
summit Of the bluff which marks
the western line of the city proper
at the corner Of Dripps and Six
Leenth streets. Moving soulherly
it passed along between Fifteenth
and Sixteenth streets, veering
slightly at times until it reached
Main street, then the course chang
ed toward the northeast, sweeping
gradually until it reached Olive
street, near tho western limits
when il had Travelled as far north
ward as Seventh. Here it's I'D.
vance was checked, and as fur as
known now its force seems to have
been spent at this point. The en-.
tire progress, from tho beginning
Of the first to the end Of the third
cloud, occupied about half an hour.
Az 1885 O'Clock three deaths had
been reported and us many more
not likely to recover.
Many persons were more or loss
injured but as fur rs reported only
n few dangerously. The loss Of
property is now roughly estimated
At 100000. While none of The
finest residences Of the city suffer.
ed, yet many houses of well to.do
citizens are raised, and cottages
and Shanties innumerahle torn to
pieces. The escape of those in the
path Of destruction is marvellous
and stories Of almost miraculous
delivery are beyond number. The
English lutheran church, corner
Of Oak and Fourth, was completely
wrecked, the walls seeming literally
to fall into the earth. But fifteen
minutes before u large Sunday
school gathered in the building had
been dismissed. Had the scholars
been within the church the loss Of
life would have been fearful. Al
Fifteenth and Campbell Jas. Ryan,
a grocer with a family was at sup.
per in the basement beneath his
store, when the wind struck the
building blowing away everything
above the ground floor as though
swep! with a broom. None Of the
family were hurt. On the west
side n gentleman sitting at n win.
dow in residence next to the side
Of tbs storm was blown through
the window on the opposite side Of
the room into an area below and
though somewhat hurt went to the
assistance of others. The damage
by the first wind across the cOun.
try west Of Wyandolte was princi.
pally to frnit farms and this loss is
placed AZ $4,000. David Reed, a
farmer, was hurt aud may not re.
cover.
7. W, Matthews, with a two year
old child in his arms, was blown
three hundred feet through the air
and dropped unhurt. Mrs. Smith
and five others Of the family we're
sitting in n small farm house build.
ing, when it was lifted up and car.
ried over their heads, and none of
them were hurt. VIM. Dudley's
house was blown over and caught