Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-07
STRUCK BY A CYCLONE.

Harmon's New Warehouse Blown Down
and Four Men Buried Under the
Ruins-A Negro Killed by a Falling
Timber and Another Seriously In
jured-NarrOw Escape of Fifteen
Workmen.
During the violent rain and wind storm
which passed over the city about O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, Harmon's new naval
stores shed, which has been in course Of
erection for some time on the wharf east
Of the Tyler Cotton Press below the city.
and upon which a gang of mon were al
work, was blown down, burying four of
tie workmen under the, ruins. killing one
of them. negro named Henry Thomas,
and Injuring two others.
The shed was a double structure, CON-
posed Of two sheds built alongside. each
being 30 feet wide and 100 feet long, max
Ing the whole shed with a double roof 90
feet wide. It was nearly complete the
framework being erected and the eastern
roof entirely shinCled and finished. The
western roof was incomplete. The stTuc-
ture was strongly built Of heavy timbers.
the posts being massive and the plates
by Is inches in dimension. The roof
slanted east and west, with the ends to-
ward the river. When the storm came up
Jas. b. Francis. foreman for the contractor.
Mr.. Henry G.. Ward. was at work on the
building with a gang of nineteen men.
The rain drove them from the roof and
the exposed places. and they took shelter
in the eastern part, which was nearly
completed. The wind drove the rain
underneath and was pouring through the
roof in torrents. when the foreman, call
ing 10 the men TO follow him, started 10
run 10 a covered shanty a few yards dis
tant. where better protection would be
afforded. Most of the men followed. They
had scarcely got outside of the shed when
black cloud, which moved rapidly from
the southwest, struck it. and il fell with
a terrible crash. buTying four negroes who
had remained beneath its falling timbers.
( The cloud moved on, passing over the
wharf and across the river. As soon as
possible the men went to work to eXtricate
/ their companions. Two Of them were
found under the eastern root and We're
| pulled Out-One Of them being uniniured
/ and the other receiving some slight
| bruises. The third. a negro named Joe
/ Thompson, who had crawled up on one
/ Of the plates and was lying Just under
| the shingles when the building fell, was
/ found under a heavy timber with his body
! fastened hetween the joists. He was re-
/ moved after considerable difficulty by
pryinC up, the roof and timbers and
pulling him out by his legs.
4 He was considerably injured, being
| severely bruised about the head and
/ shoulders. Thomas was found about the
middle Of the building with his head and
/ body buried in the sand under a heavy
plate. He had evidently been killed by
I the timber as it fell. His head and jaw
/ We're crushed, one leg was broken, and in
! iuries about his body indicated that
death was instantaneous. The debris
was cleared away from where he lay and
/ his body was pulled out and placed upon
a canvas sailcl0th. \ messenger was
| sent to Coroner Sheftall, who arrived in a
| short time and ordered the body removed
| to the morgue, when an inquest will be
| held this morning.
| The negro Thompson was placed in a
| wagon and ken to his home, his injuries
| not being dangerous.
| The news of the disaster attracted hun
/ dTeds Of people to the scene and the wharf
| was alive with crowds which had hurried
1 from the city. The first report was that
/ five men had been killed, and great eX-
| element prevailed for a time until the
/ extent Of the disaster and the loss of life
/ had been asceTtained.
| The foreman in charge Of the work said
| that the wind, which Travelled in
| the form Of cyclone, struck
| the shed on the southwest corner,
| throwing it in a nOrtheasterly direction
as it fell. The position Of the timbers ie
! Dictated that this was the case. The entire
! structure was fiat, and in no place were
the ruins five feet above the ground. Sew
| eral buildings near by on the west and
/ east sides of the shed were not touched.
/ and remained intact. Several sailors
! We're alOft in the rigging of a vessel which
/ was lying at the wharf, few rods below,
and were saved by tying themselves to
/ the rope. The blow was terrific, the cy-
! clone travelling in a narrow track and
| having developed below the city.
| In the city proper no damage was done.
/ The wind travelled in a narrow track, and
/ did not reach further south than South
| BrOad street.