The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-08-25
CYCLONE.
TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION IN AND
ABOUT WlLMlNGTON-DEATH
AND DESTRUCTION LEFT IN ITS
TRACK.
MANY PEOPLE INJURED.

On Tuesday afternoon heavy wind
and rain storm passed over this section.
Rain fell in torrents. and the streets like
lake Of water. The wind wis high but
no damage was done. 1t WAS reported
to us that several trees in 5. NJ. Donntlls
woods were blown down. Late in the
evening report reached here that sew
eral men had been killed in Wilmington,
and great destruction to property WAS
caused by cyclone in that section. The
News of Wednesday contained full ac-
count Of the blow, from which we CON
dense our report. The storm done great
damage south of the city,
From llares Corner it was soon learn
ed that blacksmith named Bruce, who
had little shop near the junction of the
New Castle and Newport roads, had
been killed. His shop was blown TO
atoms, and he was found dead on the
site of his building.
At the Peters farm, near the almshouse
which was missed by the storm, there
was about $4,000 damage done. Hot
houses were wrecked, plants torn up,
trees uprooted, small buildings destroy
ed, a tenant house demolished, and sew
eral persons more or less injured.
The Peters tenant house was occupied
by colored family named Davis. The
man had three ribs broken and received
several severe bruises on the right shout
der. His wife was dangerously hurt,
the head. Her skull was fractured.
Mrs Davis's sister received severe
scalp wound and was badly hurt on one
shoulder. Three children who were
also in the house escaped with few
slight bruises and scratches.
The woods opposite the alnshouse are
almost entirely gone, but a few traces
being left.
Tho next prominent place in the
track of the storm was the home of
General j. II. Wilson, known as the
Andrews property. Here the roof was
taken of'the house, part of the barn
wrecked, the out-buildings destroyed,
the ice house carried away and trees up
rooted The carriage house was demol-
ished and the carriages and wagons cut
into kindling wood.
The horse of Dr. Bullock, which was
standing in front of Andrews house
was blown ID feet. He was found lying
in an ice house IA feet deep. The roof
had been torn from the ice house.
The house of William Turner, oppo-
site the old Cox brickyard, was moved
from its foundation and cut into pieces
small enough for kindling. Nothing
whatever was left for the family, except
the clothes they had on. Clothes, furni-
ture, bedding, kitchen utensils and every
thing else were scattered for a mile or
more. The scene of desolation was
complete.
In the house, when the storm began
to gather, were Mrs. VIM. Turner, her
daughter-in-law, Mrs. Jesse Turner and
her little daughter, neighbours little
girl and William Prescott, aged 10 years
of Chester, Pa, grandson of William
Turner
When the storm approached Mr.. Tur-
ner was in front of his house ready to
bring his daughter-in-law to this city
He stood by his horses head and watch
ed the clouds. Fearing severe blow he
quickly told his folks to run to the eel.
lar. They quickly obeyed the command
and fed for their lives. All of the fam
lily were more or less injured, but not
seriously.
The house of David Lentz, near that
of Turner, was struck by the cyclone
and completely destroyed. Lentz was
struck by piece ofnying timber and bad
ly cut in the face. Part of the family
were in the house and others were in
the barn. Lentz's Oldest daughter was
wounded in the face. The house was a
two and half story frame structure,
and not a vestige remains standing.
Furniture, stoves and cooking utensils
were all scattered to the winds, and
boards were found hundreds of feet
away. The barn was completely wreck
ed, and the hay and straw strewed the
road for at least 100 feet Two COWS in
the barn were killed. The loss will
reach at least $1,000. The trees in the
vicinity were crushed and splintered and
the truck patches completely torn up.
On the west side of Christana avenue
opposite the rolling mill were the two
houses of Cathcart and Hamilton. They
were two-story frame houses and in them
were Cathcart, his wife and son, Charles
4 years, and a little boy named Cornell
ius Earle, Mrs. Hamilton and her four
children. They heard the noise of the
storm and stood looking at its approach.
Mrs. Cathart became frightened and
cried to her husband: "For Gods sake,
Charlie, let us go to Tolmie's."
They started to run, the distance being
about $50 yards. Cathcart gathered his
4-year old son, his wife, Mrs Hamilton
and her four children following him.
Half way to Tolmie's house the cy-
clone struck them. Cathcart was lifted
from his feet and thrown twenty feet.
As he fell and rose again he was struck
by piece of flying timber upon the left
side of his face. The child in his arms
was also struck and its skull fractured.
Mrs. Hamilton, surrounded by her
four little, with great presence of mind
pushed them to the ground in front OF
her and lay upon them, holding on to
the weeds until the storm had passed.
They describe the noise as horrible. A