Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-06
WILD WORK OF THE WIND.
GREAT BIG BLOW YESTERDAY
Aimesi n Ternade-Iiouses Unroofsd and
Other Damage Done 10 Properu-several
Persons serioasiy Injured.


over the city, coming from westerly
direction. Almost as soon as the
darkness brought on by the lowering
clouds was noticed, fierce wind fol-
lowed, gathering the dust in dense vo-
lumes and hurling it with violence in
front Of the storm. The strength and
herceness Of the wind nearly equalled
in force a cyclone, and it swept ahead
with such rapidity that people did not
have time to seek shelter, close doors,
OF make any preparation for security.
The dust was so thick that it blinded
people and made it impossible to see
but a few yards away. For ten
minutes the blow lasted, aud for this
length Of time drove everybody in
doors. Then gentle rain-shower fol-
lowed, lasting but a few minutes, after
which the clouds lightened and the rest
of the afternoon was bright and pleas
ant. lt was the strongest wind-storm
that has visited the city for number
of years. and the damage done to trees,
fences, and buildings was great. The
pretty trees in the Capitol Square were
shorn Of many limbs, and in some
places huge parts of their trunks rested
on the pretty green sward Of the
grounds.
A HOUSE BLOWN DOWN.
When the blow struck the lower
part Of the city and was at its height,
the two-story brick building on the
south side Of Dock street between
fifteenth and Seventeenth streets, oc-
cupied by Captain William j. Penton
as cooper-shop, suddenly collapsed,
and in an instant was mass ofruins-
Captain Penton, his little nine-year-old
son Freddie, and an old man named
John Harlow, being caught by the fall
ing walls. People in the vicinity who
had witnessed the accident at
once hastened to the spot and
in short time succeeded in
extricating the three unfortunates
from the dtbris. As quickly as pos
sible two Of the city ambulances were
summoned to the scene, and one Of
them conveyed Captain Penton and his
son to their home, No. 200 north
Eighteenth street, while the old man,
Harlow, was taken to the City Hospital
for treatment. Drs. Field and Morris,
who went with the ambulance to Cap
tain Penton's house, ministered to the
wounded father and son until the arri-
val of the family physician, to whom
they turned over their patients. Cap
tain Penton's worst injury is frac-
tured thigh near the hip-joint. He is also
badly cut on the back of his head and
over the left eye, besides having some
minor hurts. Little Freddie Penton
has a cash from the crown of his head,
running backward about six inches,
laying the skull bare nearly the whole
length, from the effects Of which he
died at 9:l5 O'Clock last night.
The old man, Harlow, who was taken
to the City Hospital by DR.. Macon, had
one hand so badly crushed that ampu-
tation of two fingers will be necessary.
The other hand was also hurt, and he
was generally shaken up.
The fallen building is said to have
been nothing but an old wreck and a
: trap. Ii was built fifteen OF sixteen
years ago over Shockoe creek, and was
partially burned about year or so ago,
the fire cracking and weakening the walls
to such an extent as to make the struc.
ture unsafe.
Captain Penton, after being taker
home, was able to state that when the
storm came up he heard cracking o.
timbers overhead, and seizing his little
boy by the hand rushed out, and had
gotten but few steps when the falling
walls caught him and his son and the
old man, who was also in the shop
Had they been caught inside the house
they would have been carried down
into the creek and there buried under
mass of bricks, barrels, and timbers
and would never have been taken ou
alive.
RICHMOND COLLEGE DAMAGED.
The damage at Richmond College il
quite considerable. Two chimneys OF
the centre building snapped like pipe
stems and fell against the Mansarc
roof, the main tower swayed like th'
mast of ship, broken conductors ant
shattered glass fell abundantly, dozer
trees on the campus were blown down
and quite as many more were badly
mutilated. Under the tree which fel
first six or eight students had beer
sitting; they had barely gotten beyond
reach Of the top when it came crashing
down.
| OTHER WORK OF DESTRUCTION.
The roof Of Mrs. j. B. Jeter's sta
bic. corner Grace street and RylanC
avenue, was taken up bodily and car
ried hundred yards.
Mr.. Otway Aliens beautiful field o
hay had just been moved. The half
dried grass flew like dust. Som'
lodged against the fences and in tn
cut streets. Much of it went wher'
the owner will not see it again.
The framework of the steeple, to
eether with the scaffolding, of the col
ored Catholic church now in course o
construction at the corner of First AM
Jackson streets, was blown down. 4
norton of it fell on the roof the dwell
ing of Mr.. Gilbert Hunt and cut hol
through it, but no one was injured
Part of one of the walls of the school
house attached to the same church wa
also blown down.
A wagon of F. Neurath was blow
over and slightly injured and tn
driver caught under it, but not hurt.
Many trees in Monroe Park wer
blown down and otherwise injured
and trees and awnings on Broad ant
Main streets blown down.
About twenty yards of the tin o
the roof of the Merchants Nationa
Bank was blown up, and about tn
same quantity or more on the roof
the cigar-factory of W. II. Perkins, O.
Governor street. Here the stock o
the upper floor was dampened but NO
materially injured.
One corner of the timing on Ora
& Walkers factory, on Seventeent
street between Main and Cary, wa
|. blown up, but no damage was done
the stock.
Part Of the timing on Boyd's factory
r.rantu-sacond street and of u.