The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-10
STORY OF rnE STORM.
The Terror of the InhAottRnts-A Graph
Description OF tho Cyclone.

The Terror Of the inhhbttRnta-a Graphic
Descriptiou OF tho Cyclone.
CIxcIXNATr, Sept. 9.-Washington Court
House, the scene OF one Of the most discs
trous visitlHous by the elements last
night, is the county seat OF Fayette coun-
ty. II has had most extraordinary bus
iness growth within the past Is years and
being the entire OF rich agricultural dis
trict with excellent railroad facilities it
had grown to be business place Of con.
siderable Importance. It's residents had
lbeautieed tho town with tasteful dwellings
and it's recently completed Court house was
one OF the best in the gate. To-day this
nrcsoerous town Is mass OF ruins. Last
nights experience OF its inhabitants has
no parallel in the experience Of any town
in ohio. A heavy rainfall began about s
o'eloek last night; that and the d drkness
drove everybody into shelter, so that while
there are some who say they saw funnel
shaped clouds, II does not seem possible
that there could have been much observa-
ton oi the heavens.
Shortly after the rain began the wind
came with terrifying sound. Its work
was almost instantaneous. People say 1t
WIS over in two miautes, but nobody
could take note OF time in such fearful
experience, The fierce roaring OF the ter
ribie tornado, the crashing ot broken and
falling buildings, theEolls Of thunder and
the p!tilesS ran combined 70 produce
Esensations otthe most horritying charac'
ter, The two minutes OF this startling ex-
perience was followed by new feeling
among the scattered aud terrified SurYl'
yors, more sickentng than that through
which they had passed. It was the un-
certainty OF the fate Of friends. All who
thad escaped alive tSIs sure that many
lives were certainly lost.
IN COMPLETE DARKNESS.
When the aerceness OF the storm had
passed and men could communicate with
each other it was found that al were in
darkness. The gas works were destroyed
and all the street lamps were out. only
by the lightning flashes were the fright
ened people able 70 catch glimpseg Of the
lJesolS,ion that had wrecked their little
Sitv. Friends called for friends, aud a
answers came the arSt shock Of dread was
Taliaved. The number 6f deaths was
miracslously small. The next duty vas
10 search tof the Imprisoned and wounded.
In this thers was Q prompt whole-hearted
effort. Bonares weTa lighted and torches
limproyised, and wherever cries were heard
yeady aid wSs given. More than that,
debris Yas overturned 10 see II any
more dad could be found. With
cheerful welcome -the aeors OF such
houses as were not destroyed WeEe opened
toE the homeless ones. The nightwss /
4 fearful Sh0 butit was full Of helpful work
for the stronger. The Sheriff called upon
The militia 70 cot guard sH0R the exposed
lstockB OF Gll business houses, toE thpJ
we're all bFokep or destroyed, and prowi
tnR thieves we're not VSItipg even in the
|. Ihrst hnuF Of the city's mistortgnn. U
course their numbers grew to-day whe1
crowds Of visitors pressed IN.
il puHEARrENTS0 sIGRF.
With day came the most diShearteninl
spectacle. The Iait town Of yesterday lay
torn and wrecked In disordered heaps
The streets were well nigh impossible from
the trees and parts Of houses cast int
, them. The worst Of all was the sight o
the poor who had lost all, and who haC
NO place to lay their heads. They wan
dered hopeleelly about a Il they were