New-York tribune., 1884-12-16
A GALE ON LAKE ERIE.
TERRIFIC FORCE on WIND AND WATER
ftsIirRNrN AND RoArMrN FLrR ron rnKiR Hvga
-fHE ISLAND MAR BuFPAL0 suBMEaGEDi


risnrRNrN AND aoATMrS rLRR ron rmEiH IIvgs
-fHf ISLAND MAR BuFPALo suBMEa0Epi
10y TELEGRAPH ro rng TRIbusEI
BUFFALO, Dec l5,-Bufalo was visited by q trs-
menious wind storm to-day. The leafess trees
shook, buildings tottered, the earth trembled, aud
Lake Erie was ashed to fury. light breeze sprang
up at p. m. yesterday, whIca increased in power,
and at a. m. was blowing twenty-five miles an
hour From this time on its velocity increased
rapidly An hour later it blowing sixty-four
miles an hour, and did not show signs of abatement
until noon. At the foot OF Michig ,n-st tho
Buffalo Creek and Blockwel Canal, lies the island
1t is narrow strip of sand which stretches
on the right to the lighthouse aad the left tho
shore covers soutbeasterly the Tiff farm. Back
from the beach is the wall. substantial barrier
of stone fOnr feet thick and from to eight feet
high, which in ordinary weather protects the row
of little houses from the onslaught of the sea. Tho
honses are occupied by fishermen, boatmen and
others who depend upon the water for living.
Between these houses and the Blackwell railroads
and lumber yards occupy the space
No one could have ognizeI this scene how
ever. when reporter visited it this noon.
The wind was blowing sixty miles an hour, and
the whole island was covered with water to
depth of three or four feet. Tho waves were
battling against tho Will with swash that sent
the spray flying 100 feet in the air, efiectuay
soaking everything. In places the beating Of the
sea had carried away lengths Of the wall for dis
tances of fifty feet, and the huge stones of which
il is built We're thrown upon the railroad track.
Tho line of frail houses also broken.
Here and there house was unln-
jured but most of them were twisted
around by the gale and the occupants were cscap.
ing in boats. Some of the houses lifted
bodily from their foundations and Others wero'
levelled no two pieces OF them remaining together.
In all fifteen were wrecked. The chimney of one
was blown down and the house took fire I0-
ward LouisiaDa-st. the houses suffered less though
sis scattered and some of tnc latter Heated IN
II POND that formed on the railroad tracks.
The damage done in the city equally great.
About 100 feet of the track of the Niagara Falls
branch of the Central Railroad, below
Georgia-st, was washed out anI ihe
/ he engineer of the morning train froin the Falls
discovered the difficulty and reported IT at the Gen.
tral Railroad station Superirt ndeUt burrows or
dered all trains coming in over the branch to go by
the way of East Buffalo, aud the Belt line trains TO
stop running. Rcadmascr Wilder, Fit h gang Of
men, went to the spot, and are now working trains
will be able to run on the road in the morning.
The roof and portion of the front wall of Henry
Hcrbold's one-story blacksmith shop, No. 35S Elk.
St, was blown down. The brick fell IN upon Henry
UerbOll, IT,, son of the owner and otto Memekef,
who were working at the forge. Both were severe
" injured. One of the chmneys on Schoolhouse
No 3 at Utica aud Masten Sta. was lifted Oh ~
a. III. The school was vacated in a hurry uuder
the impression tnat the building was falling. Hun
trated In various parts of the city ms Is one Oh
the worst storms tlat was ever known here