The Penn's Grove record., 1885-08-08

Z TIE rAJCR REYBoLD WRECKED,
Fearful destruction Of lives
and property q

a. '''AhFA ~ 7
The Delaware River, Camden and
Port EicAr&ond, spreading death and
destruction in its whjrI. As seem
by u RECORD reporter. The
Major Reybold, left Arch street wharf
at 3 =. NJ. during a heavy rain which
lasted about - minutes. The steam
ship British Princess which had just
arrived laid oJl.quely across the stream
III front Of tie American steam ship
wharf in the act Of being turned by Il
tug The Reybold turned toward the
Jersey shore to round the bow of the
Princess while The Jersey Blue round
ed her stern neal the wlaryes. l was
seated Oh the upper deck Of the Rey-
bold, back to the engine room on the
%stnrboald side close TO tie passage be-
bird the boiler. The Princess was
just passed. 1t had stopped raining and
was very calm. All at nee | no
ticed the denscst black funnei-shaped
cloud, WliGling violently jus: below
the Penn Salt Manufacturing works.
In less time then it takes to tell it, the
cloud enyeloped the high building as if
on fire. In another second the roofs were
lifted up bodily and torn into frag-
meuts. [ called Il general attention 10
the sight and went below at once,
thinking it better to be in safer quar-
ttrs if it should strikeu us. There Were
several on the upper deeh when came
down. | walked forward at once,
on the starb0aId side Of main deck,
| passed the engineers room ard turn.
Ing to walk between some freight to
look cut d window on the rigl as the
Whmiwiud struck the boat. The
boat pitched nearly on her beam ends,
so the water came on the port deck,
and rolled violently for a little while.
turned aud passed the engineer who
was looking ou. the door of his
next ma, and SAW him push the lever
back and something fsll from above
him. There was 10 one on the right
side Of the boat bItm self. The win
doWs. doors and deck over head were
cracking and swapping and being
crushed Ike an egg shell. The
fragments of glass aud timber
blew after me as l walked back to the
gen,lemon's cabin. II WIS quit? dark
then. As l passed the door to the
genllemen'5c cabin theaft upre deck and
roof over the ladies cabin was torn off
as 10y a violent jerk, wlilled in the air
ana ,oIn into fragments leaving only
the walls Of he saloon standing in a
very shattered condition.
The fragments Of timber were flying
in the air in the cabin SO that | step
pei into the doorway leddipg to the
din.ng room below deck where / stay
ed until tae whjrlwind which did not
last a minute vas over. Then the
NEST panic s.licktn scene occurred.
Women walled %liteeaajy and ran ABOUT
tire boat in lie greatest Consideration.
Many pat on lie p.eservefs and ran
Willy around Wonder what would hap
peu ne>t and Where to go. Quiot was
partially restored after al were assured
it was all oyeg. The Clone, s.er ferry
boa. Peerless which was passing Tie
R4ylo'l en- the port side was struck by
tie wtirlwina, her smoke stack torn
OF ana dragging on jbe port side, The
aft wAc.i no,se and the ~S!ar554rd
side were tom off. she tried to
cunle t. the lleygo.d. \ line was
thrown but did hot reach and she came
nearcsushnG into the Heypolis stern
1t was not long befole the tug James,
Capt. Jos. ~Simpkins, formerly q feHns-
grove. cam Is the aft stdrboard side.
The cartain tod the people TO put on
bis tug hose tnlt were badly hurt and
he would take them at once ashore.