The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-04
H0WLING WIND.
A Cyclone Rips Things in Philadelphia
and Vicinity.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug "a terrific cy>
clone sweeping up the Delaware river this
afternoon, struck this city near Greens
wich point, demolishlng a portion of the
works of the Pennsylvania Salt Manu>
featuring company and injuring several
employees. 1t then took course across
the river wrecking the river steamer Ma
jor eybald, and the ferry boat, Peerless.
The storm blew Pilot Emery Townsend
and Capt Eugene Reybsld of the steamer
Reybald into the river. drowning the for
mer and painfully injurng the captain.
The Peerless was swept clean to the
waters edge. When Major Reybald left
the dock for Salem, n. j., she had on board
about fifty passengers, although as no
tickets were sold it is impossible to ass
certain the exact number. There was also
about fourteen officers and deck hands.
Of this number of people on the wrecked
boat, it does not appear that any lives
SeIe lost. except that of the pilot, al
though it is possible that some of the
passengers were washed off and lost with
out anyone knowing of the fatal circum>
stance. A steam tug coming up the river
after the disaster reports that the body of
woman was seen for a few minutes
floating in the river near the spot where
the cyclone struck the steamboat, but she
sank out of sight and could not be found
when the tug made search for her.
B. |. Warner one of the passengers de-
scribes the scene. He was standing on the
upper deck saw the black storm ap
preaching, bat as it moved rather slowly
be supposed it was rain storm, but when
it struck the boat he discovered that its
immense force came from its rotary mo-
ton. He and several others were thrown
through hole to the lower deck and all
the upper works were swept away life
chaff. The confusion among the passen>
gers was indIscribable and several
jumped into the river. but Warner be-
lieves all were rescued. While the cy>
clone was upon the vessel everything was
black as the blackest night, sofas were
broken to splinters and carpets torn into
shreds in tine cabin as if it had been pa,
per The cyclone he thinks lasted about
minute and after it passed, the vessel
rolled and pitched fearfully in great
waves and came near swamplng. The
storm then passed over to the Jersey side,
striking John Dialogues shipYards below
Kaighns Point and destroying the builds
ings of the establishment. 1t then took a
course along the New Jersey river de,
molishing all the building in its path up
to Bridge avenue, Camden. At this
point the cyclone took an easterly course
to Fifth street, Camden, embracing in its
path the section of the city between Sec
ond and Fifth streets to the Delaware
river which washes the northern section
of the city. Passing over the river skirt
ing Patty's islands, the storm passed over
to that part of the Twentyfifth ward of
Philadelphia known as Richmond. In its
ravages in Camden scores of dwelling
houses were unroofed and some of them
thrown down and the damage to business
property along the river front is enor>
nous. Hundreds of families were rend>
cred homeless and one victim, Chas Dai
sey, killed outright At the American
dredging companys wharf another, Har>
ry Stevens, had his leg cut off by flying
piece of timber and probably will die.
The track of the storm through Richmond
was marked with death and destruction.
Its track was almost north from the Port
Richmond coal wharfes.
About $50 dwelling houses were
wrecked or so badly damaged as to be
rendered unfit for habitstion and 200
families were driven from their homes to
be cared for by neighbors. A number of
persons we're seriously and some fatally
injured. A girl of 10 years, Lizzie Nc,
! Weigh, was killed at her home, 172 Milo
vale street, in sight of her mother who
was herself pinioned to the floor by fall
len rafters a few feet from the diving
child. The cyclone is described by those
who witnessed its progress up the river
as black cone shaped cloud with an apex
resting upon the water and the base min :
| gled with the rain and the clouds which
hung in dense masses from the sky. 1t is
| impossible yet to estimate the amount of
damage done
The following are the names of the
killed and injured as far as can be ascer-
tanned:
Emery Townsend, of Salem, n. j.. pi~
lot of steamer Major Reybald.
Charles Caisy, aged 40, ship carpenter,
killed instantly by flying timbers at the
wharf of the American Dredging Co.,
Camden.
Lizzie McVeigh, aged 10, crushed to
death between the timbers at her home
INJURED ON THE STEAMER REYBALD.
Morris Doyle, engineer, slightly.
Captain Reybald, severely cut.
-Welch' deck hand, temple artery
severed injuries serious.
INJURED AT CAMDEN.
Henry Stevens, aged 81, probably fat
allv, right leg severed below the knee.
Stewart johnson, colored, on the dredg-
ing tug Pacific. seriously injured about
the face aud body.
john Milcher, injured seriously abou
the head.
Benjamin Smith right arm broken.
Alonzo Maxwell, aged 16, injured by
the fallen walls.
Charles Thompson, Camden stoo
works, injured in the face and neck.
Jacob Meter, leg broken.
Freedom Peak, head cut
John Silk, head badly cut.