Smyrna times., 1888-08-29
The Destructive Tornado.

The tornado or cyclone which had
swept across the Eastern Shore and
Delaware on Tuesday of last week and
briefly alluded to in our last issue |
seems to have been more destructive |
to property and life than anything of |
the kind that ever visited this section, |
having all the fearful characteristics of |
the western tornadOes. Another pOr-
ton of the storm passed to the South |
eastward of MiddletOwn and then fol- |
lowing the Delaware River did much
damage in the vicinity of Port Penn
and Delaware City. Fifty to one hun
dred thousand dollars worth of prop
erty is estimated to have been destroy
ed while the loss of life may
reach 20 persons. Bruce, a black
smith at Hares Corner was killed and
his dwelling and house totally destroy
ed. At Cecilton nearly every tree in
| the village was blown down, and one
dwelling overturned, fortunately
empty) and the roof of the M. E.
! Church was blown in. At Still Pond
eleven lives are reported lost with
much damage to the adjacent country.
! Peach orchards in the neighbOrhOOd of
Warwick were much shattered up with
much damage to the fruit. AT Nc
DOnOugh, Mr.. Loaand on Y. A. POOLS
farm had the tops blown out of his
stacks, a shed blown down; and the
trees of the village are badly torn up.
The large loss of life at Still Pond re-
suited from the fall of canning house,
caused by the wind. Out Ofabout thir-
! 4. . nnIv
uniniured. The damage done along
the line of the Delaware river is very
heavy. The Major ReybOld, that was
damaged greatly a few years ago on
the river by a cyclone narrowly escap-
ed this one.
Further particulars of the storm
Starting from Smiths mill, the cloud
seemed to take two different courses
One in the direction of McDonOugt
wrecking a barn of J. T. ShallcrOss aDC
|, laving waste corn fields and orchards
until it reached McDOnOugh with th'
damage to LOland's premises as stated
The other section passed near White
:, hall farm of S. f. ShallcrOss anC
striking the farm of the late Isaac
= Woods. tore down the trees in thu
: lawn, and a young apple orchard ant
the stackvard, and left large track II
cornields of Janvier Woods and b. l
l. Mifiin, tore up barn for Mr.. Padle
G at Boy6's Corner, tore the roof o
y buildings of 1. Ward Vandegrift, an
n Jas. r. Hoffecker. The roof of Hoi
d fecker's building is said to have bee
ID blown a quarter of a mile. Here th
e clouds seemed to Join aud striking th
le buildings of Joseph Cleaver, tore dow
g, q large barrack, besides other damag
m At VIM. McMullens, it blew down
m shed. and boy who was near by hs
al his arm broken by some of the tyiI
timbers. u. Longland's entire buil'
=, ings including dwelling were blow
IL down. All of Jas. Carpenters ou
nc buildings. On the river the Clio W
y struck by the edge of the cloud, al
IL while out in the channel, was delug
IL with stones and gravel showing t
90 90 force of the wind.
ny A piece of timber just northeast
er- the Aims House was ruined, trees t.
nc and half feet in diameter being sns
.ne ned off or raised out of the ground
up the roots and sent sailing through t
rge air. The orchards of the Randol
ru. Peters Nursery Company were baC
sou torn up and the damage to trees a
oV- buildings is about $25,000. Two te
ment houses were demolished and s
of eral members of the family of Ca
.wo Davis were injured. Beyond this
&c elegant place of General Wilson !
~ ~ nearly ruined, though the dwell
nro- house escaped. Nearer Whining
3me several houses were completely carl
tee away and the Christiana rolling n
oDo' were leveled to the ground.
II. The storm caused the loss of II i
fer. in Maryland and thousands Of dol
md worth of property. At Still Pond
&c storm will never be forgotten. 81
noe & Kerbs canning factory, in which
ne ne, persons were working, was tot
a in demolished. The boiler and EN-
now were tossed upside down and th
! sd- ands of filed cans were scatt'
mo through the adjoining fields.
re Rb falling timbers pinned people to
&c floor Just as they had reached
, ~ Of e0ress. The groans of the inJ
witt were horrifying A mother h,
net. found holding her babe as II TO 81
Soi. M II from death. One man had his s
i, - broken in three places. In all, el
y nersons were killed outright and
odd Of the rest sustained injuries, som som
pa" Sa, them serious if not fatal. Wi
and Willis was the only man VINO was
* OO ed in the town.