Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-09-14
FOURTH EDITION
CYCLONE IN VIRGINIA.
Onanoock Visited by " Violent and De.
structive storm.

structive storm.
ONANCocK, Va, Sept. ID The most
terrific cyclone that ever viated the
Eastern Shore Of Virginia within the
memory Of living men swept through
this town Sunday night, overturniDg
houses, blowing down trees and leaving
destruction In Its track. The storm NJ :
preached from q south western diTec-
ton and WAC preceded by long and
vivid displsy of lightning. just before
the cy clone burst upon the town fun
nel-shaped cloud Was seen approaching,
with loud, roaring noise that awaken
ed those who had retired to sleep.
Onapcock Is situated between two
arms of Onancock creetk, broad estu-
airy of the Chesapeake bay. The cy.
clone In passing over the southern arm
OF the creek took up o huge mass Ct
water, and forming ~ WATERFRONT
poured It. down with destructive VIC
lenco on that part of the town throus b
which It passed. The track Of the cy
clone was about seventy FIVE yards
wide, ana lay through the western or
lower end OF the town, where the build
inas are not close together. Oiherw Use
the destruction would have been N uch
part OF the town were blown down,
many great oaks that had W 1.-THE TODD the
storms of century being torn up by
the roots or twisted off a few feet above
the ground.
Capt. John II. l.. Hopkins had his
meat house blown over high fence
and landed in the street, fifty feet or
more from where 1t stood The stables
~ -
Hopkins were blown down, and utterly
destroyed. The steeple OF the Northern
Methodist Church, containing bell
weighing more than 800 pounds, was
blown over aud set fifteen or twenty
yards away In the mi1d of the street.
Captain Thomas job nson, the oldest in.
habitAnt of the town, had the front
porch and all the ohimueys OF his
dwelling house blown down, ard his
barn, stables and other outhouses blown
entirely away, though the horses In the
stables were left unhurt.
AS the cyclone approached the north
ern branch Of the creek IL seemed to
gather fresh strength, and swept tver,.
thing before it. The house in which
Shepperd HoIsey, worthy colored
mar, lived Wa torn TO fragments and,
with all the contents, blown across the
creek. Some Of the heavy timbers OF
the house were blown nearly lille,
and "A pitcher aud a piece of ice weighing
five or six rounds were carried several
yards across the creek. Horsey
lost everything he had, incl uding about
fifty dollars In money, and if be and his
wife bad not been out at the time they
wOu.c hardly have escaped death. In
crossing the southern arm OF the creek
the cy clone again gathered up a great
column OF water, which IL poured down
on the land, cutting holes il the earth.
AS the storm passed through the family
burying ground on tho farm of Mrs.
Catherine Pouison the wind blew some
OF the largest tom hstJnes over, while II
broke others of IKE reeds close to the
ground.
The yolone appeared TO have arisen
about milo southwest Of O1aucock,
where IL destroyed the barn and stables
of Captain James NJ Cobb, and its
force seems to have been spent soon
after passing this town. Along its
track 1t blew down trees and left the
crops lying on the ground In some
places the trunks OF the trees were left
standing, while all their limbs and
much of the bark were blown of. On
one farm 1t tore the tbucks FROM earl
of corn.
The inhabitants Of that part OF the
town through which the cyclone passed
were greatly frightened by the falling
houses and flying timber, and not a few
believed that q severe earthquake had
come, and the entire day has been spent
III clearing away the debris from the
streets and around the houses, and yet
10 UGH remains TO be doLe 1t is impus-
sib.e to state the exact amount OF dam
age done to property ere, but it is very
considerable, and will run up in the
[ thousands.