Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-04
WINDS CUT UP A SHINE.
DEATH AND DEVASTATION LEFT
IN THEIR WAKE.

7
Cane stalks-Craft on ths Rivers
Jeopardized with Scores of fPassengers
Farmers Suffer Heavy Losses -
Telegraph Wires Laid Low.
WASHINGTON, Aug. "A storm,
described in some localities as a cyclone,
visited Maryland, Pennsylvania, Del
aware and New Jersey, and perhaps
| other Eastern points, this afternoon, and
vast amount of damage was done by the
wind and rain. The particulars up to
10:30 O'Clock tonight were very meagre,
but the news dispatches and market re-
ports were very much belated. At one
time this afternoon the Western Union
Company had but a single wire working
from Washington 10 New York.
SWEEPING UP THE DELAWARE.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, Aug. "A ter
rife cyclone sweeping up the Delaware
river this afternoon struck this city near
Greenwich point, demolishing portion
of the works of the Pennsylvania Salt
Manufacturing Company and injuring
several employees. 1t tnen took a course
across the river, wrecking the river
steamboat Maj. Reybold and the ferry
boat Peerless. The storm blew Pilot
Emory Townsend and Capt. Eugene
Reybold, of the steamboat Reybold,
into the river, drowning the former
and painfully injuring the Captain. The
Peerless was swept clean almost to the
waters edge, and a horse and wagon were
hurled into the water and sank together
to the bottom. The storm then passed
over TO the Jersey de, striking John
Dialogues shipyards. below Kaighn's
point, and destroying the buildings Of the
establishment. 1t then took course
along the New Jersey river front, de-
mOlishing all the buildings in its path up
to Bridge avenue, Camden.
CHANGES IT'S COURSE.
AT this point the cyclone took an east
erly course to Fifth street, Camden, em-
bracing in its path all that section of the
city between Second and Fifth streets to
the Delaware river, which washes the
northern section of the city, passing over
the river skirting Petty's island. The
storm passed over to that part of the
Twenty-fiith ward Of Philadelphia known
as Richmond. In Camden scores OF
dwelling houses were unToofed and some
of them we're thrown down, and the dam
age TO business property along the river
front is enormous. Hundreds Of families
were rendered homeless. and one victim,
Charles Daisey, was killed outright at
the American Dredging COmpany's
wharf. Another, named Harry Stevens,
had his leg cut OIL by a living piece OF
timber and will probably die.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
The path of the storm through Rich
mond was marked with death and de-
struction. When the steamer Major Rey-
bold letrher dock at 3 O'Clock for Sa-
lem, n. j., she had on board about fifty
passengers, although, as no tickets had
Al t.,4 - ,f ~ H.
1t is impossible 10 ascertain the exact
number. There were also about fourteen
officers and deck hands. OF this number
of people upon the wrecked boat, it does
not appear that any lives were lost, eX-
cept that OF the pilot, although tits not i'm
possible that some Of the passengers
were washed of and lost without
any one knowing of the fatal circum-
stance. A steam tug coming up the river
after the disaster reports that the body of
a woman was seen for few minutes
floating in the river near the spot where
the cyclone struck the steamer. but she
sank out of sight and could not be found
when the tug made a search for her. This
might have been passenger, and there
may be others lost, but no positive knOwl-
edge is at hand to establish such facts.
$50 HOUSES WRECKED.
Its track was almost due north from the
Port Richmond coal wharves. About 100
dwelling houses on this side of the river
were wrecked or so badly damaged as to
be rendered unfit for habitatiOn, and 200
families were driven from their bones TO
be cared for by their neighbors A
number Of people were seriously and
some fatally injured. A girl Of 10 years
named Lizzie McYeigb was killed at
her home, 1921 Melville street, in sight OF
hars rE,nr Ef,f
floor by the fallen rafters, a few feet from
her dying child. The cyclone is described
by those who witnessed its progress upon
the river, where 1t could be seen TO ad-
vantage, as an immense black cone
shaped cloud, with its apex resting upon
the water and its base mingllng with the
ram clouds, which hung In dense masses
from the sky. 1t is possible thar some
passengers on the keybold were swept
overheard and lost, but no bodies have
been recovered as vet. rot even that OF the
drowned pilot Emory Townsend. 1t is
impossible as yet to estimate the amount
Of damage.
3KILLED 8 AND p INJURED.
The list Of casualties in Camden and
Philadelphia, so far as heard from, en-
braces deaths and p persons injured.
About half dozen OF the wounded may
die, as their injuries are broken backs,
crushed skulls, and limbs cut of. An
enormous amount OF damage by wind and
flood is reported from Easton. Reading,
Shenandoah, and all the country within a
radius OF 100 miles Of this city.
APPROACH OF THE STORM.
John Dialogue, Of Camden, whose
works were destroyed, says: "Looking
outdoor upon the river saw the tornado
approach. could see the buildings Of the
Pennsylvania salt works, on the Phila-
delphia oide, going Of Ike chad. Then
the storm struck the steamer Major Rey-
bold, which was partially abreast Of my
place. Portions OF her upper works were
whirled fully 400 feet into the AIR. A tre-
mendous roar preceded the moving fury,
which resembled dense mass OF rolling
black smoke, and II Travelled within 10
feet Of the surface OF the water on the
river.
BALL OF FIRE.
A singular phenomenon was noticed
not only by myself, but by all my men at
the yard. This was a huge ball Of tre
fully ten feet In diameter, which swiftly
accompanied the storm cloud. After
playing sad havoc with my establishment,
] saw this ball Of IRE explode about 25O
yards north OF me with a report 80 ter
rifle as 20 shake the the very ioundatons
OF the buildings IN my yard. Following
this came n number OF explosions, but OF
less force. All the sky 20 the eastward
was unusually bright, and had q sort Of
rainbow appearance. In fact, this was