Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-08-12
STRUCK By A CYCLONE.
Over \ Thousand Buildings
Blown Over or Wrecked
IN Camden, N. J.
Portions Of Philadelphia Swept Away by
the eame Cyclone-The Dead
and Injured.
~rPhiladelphia telegram

Philadelphia telegram
A terrific cyclone, sweeping up the Della
ware River, struck this city near Green
wich Point, demolishing a portion of the
works Of the Pennsylvania Salt Manu-
featuring Company and i~njuring several
employees. 1t then took a course across the
river, wrecking the river steamer Major
Reybold and the ferryboat Peerless. The
storm blew Pilot Emery Townsend and
Capt. Eugene Reybold, of the steamer
Reybold, into the river, drowning the
former and painfully injuring the Captain.
The Peerless was swept clean, almost to
the waters edge. When the Major
Reybold left her dock for Salem,
n. j., she had on board about
fifty passengers. although, as no tickets had
been sold. 1t is impossible to ascertain the
exact number. There were also about four
teen officers and deck hands. OF this num-
Der Of people upon the wrecked boat it
does not appear that any lives were lost ex-
cept that Of the pilot B. l. Warner. one
OF the passengers, describes the scene. He
was standing on the upper deck and saw
the black storm approaching, but as it
moved rather slowly he supposed it was a
rainstOrm.
When it struck the boat he discovered
that its immense force came from its rotary
motion. He and several others were thrown
through q hole to the lower deck. and all
the upper works were swept away like chat.
The confusion among the passengers was
indescribable, and several Of them jumped
into the river; but Mr.. Warner believes that
all OF them were rescued. While the cy-
clone was upon the vessel, everything was
black as the blacklist night. Sofas were
broken to splinters. and carpets torn to
shreds in the cabin, as if they had been
paper. The cyclone, he thinks lasted about
a minute. and, after it passed, the vessel
rolled and pitched fiightfully in the great
waves, and came rear swapping. The
storm then passed over to the Jersey side,
striking John Dialogues ship-yards,
below Kaighn's Point. and destroy
ing the buildings Of the establish
ment. It then took a course along the
New Jersey River, demolishing all the
buildings in its path up to Bridge avenue.
Camden. At this point the cyclone took
an easterly curse to Fifth street. Camden,
embracing in its path all that section of the
city between Second and Fifth streets to
the Delaware River, which washes the
southern section Of the city. Passing over
the river. skirting Petty's. Island. the storm
passed over to that part Of the Twenty
fifth Ward Of Philadelphia known as Rich
mond. In its ravages in Camden scores of
dwelling houses were unroofed and some
OF them thrown down, and the damage to
the business property along the river front
Is enormous. Hundreds Of families were
rendered homeless, and one victim. Charles
Daley, was killed outright at the American
Dredging Company's wharf. Another,
Harry Stevens, had his leg cut off by a
flying piece Of timber, and will prob
ably die. The path of the storm
death and destruction. Its track was al
most due north from the Port Richmond
coal wharves. About $50 dwelling houses
were wrecked. or so badly damaged as to
be rendered unfit for habitation, and 200
families were driven from their homes to
be cared for by their %neighbors.
A number of people were seriously and
some fatally injured. A girl of ten years
Lizzie McVey, was killed at her home,
No. 172l Melvale street. in sight of her
mother, who was herself pinned to the
floor by fallen rafters a few feet from her
dying child.
The cyclone is described by those who
witnessed its progress up the river as al
immense black, cone-shaped cloud, with
its apex resting upon the water
and its base mingling with the rain
clouds which hung in dense masses
from the sky. 1t is impossible as yet
to estimate the amount of damage
done. The following are the names of
the killed and injured, as far as can be as
certaIned: Dead-Emery Townsend. of
Salem, N. j., pilot Of the steamboat Major
Reybold; Charles Daley, aged 40, a ship
carpenter, killed instantly by flying timbers
at the wharf of the American Dredging
Company. Camden; Lizzie McVey, aged
10, crushed to death between timbers Of
her home, No. 1921 Melvale street, Phila-
delphia.
Injured ION steamboat Major Reybold)-
Morris Doyle. engineer, slightly; Capt.
Reybold, severely cut: WEIGH, o deck hand.
severely cut; w. Gesner, a passenger,
temple artery severed, injuries serious.
Injured at Camden-Harry Stevens, aged
81, probably fatally injured. his right leg
severed below the knee by flying timbers;
Stewart johnson (colored,, of the dredging
tug Pacific, seriously injured about the face
and body; John Welcher, injured seri
ously about the head; Benjamin Smith,
right arm broken and injured in
ternally; Alonzo Maxwell, aged 16, injured
by falling walls: Charles Thompson, man
ager of the Camden Tool Works, injured
in the face and neck by falling walls; ia
cob Miller. leg broken; Freedom Peak,
head cut; Elmer Locke, bruised about the
body: Mrs. Josephine Mckinley, cut about
the face and body; John Brown, injured;
John Silk, head badly cut.
In PhiIadelphia-Annie McVey, aged SO
{mother Of the dead child Lizzie McVey),
badly cut about the sbody; Annie McVey.
Is, cut about the face and limbs; Francis
Golden, aged "a, badly injured by falling
timber; Michael Kent, aged 55, back brok-
en-; William A. Harb, of Short 4 Harb, ho-
siery manufacturers, struck by falling
brick, causing depression of the brain: it is
thought he will die.
The following employees Mt Short & Harb's
mill were also injured: Annie Baitz. aged
l6, arm broken; Annie Karen, aged IL;
Emma Power, ID; Emma Thomas, Is: En-
ma Kitchener, 10: John Thornton, ID.
AT BALTIMORE.
baltimore dispatch.l
Advices from various points throughout the
State show the storm to have been the most
disastrous that has ever visited this Sec
lion. A cyclone swept q path 200 yards in
width through Cecil County: houses, mills,
and bridges were carried away; trees were
blown half a mile and a loaded freight
train with all brakes down was blown a
mile along the tracks. Two men were bad
ly injured by being struck with flying
debris. Through the Middletown valley
very heavy damages are reported. The loss
throughout the State is roughly estimated
at $3.50, 600, and may be considerably in