The Penn's Grove record., 1888-08-25
WIND AND RAIN.
A TORNADO In DELAWARE,
SEVERAL LIVES LOST. - BUILDINGi
DEMOLISHED AND FRUIT ORCH
ARDS DESTROYED.

ARDS DESTROYED.
WILMINGTON, DEL, Aug. ala
terrific tornado swept over q narrow
ares Of country SIX miles south of this
city, razing buildings and orchards and
killing several persons. The wind
cloud was first noticed a few minutes
before 6 O'Clock near Hare's Corner. II
moved in q northeasterly course along
the State road, crossing South Wi.
mington, where 1t wrecked the old
Christians Rolling Mill, and then swept
away towards the Delaware river In
the direction Of Pennsgrove.
At the beginning Of Its trail it struck
the Hare's Corner smithy, splintering
the building into q thousand fragments
and killing the blacksmith, Joseph
Bruce, who was working at his anvil.
It swept by the Diamond State Aims
house, and Hospital without touching
a single building or tree. A half mile
above 1t struck Randolph Peters nur.
series, razing thousands of pear and
apple trees and the big stone barn.
1t did at least twenty thousand dol.
lars damage to this place. 1t made q
streak across the Christiana Valley.
The Colonel James W. Andrews estate
was struck next. The fine lawn, GOV.
cred like a forest with trees q century
old, was swept bare. The stone mansion
withstood the gale. but every shutter,
cornics and awning, and all the out
buildings were swept away like 80 much
paper.
Tho ice-hcuse was unroofed, and the
team Of DR.. Bullock, Of this city. who
was making = professional call, was
blown into the uncovered pit and the
horse was killed. In the depth Of the
valley 1t struck the frail shanty Of Q
colored man named Caleb Davis, who.
with his wife, her sister and four chill.
dred, saw the peril approaching with.
out being able to escape. The house
was blown from over their heads and
Davis and his wife are both fatally
injured.
The rest escaped almost unharmed.
A man Is reported killed at Andrews
place, and another ut the Rogers place
nea~ 3y. In this city the storm demol-
ished several small dwelling houses and
outbuildings, but no n was killed.
Seven persons were more or less In
jured. The injured are all being cared
for. The old Christiana Rolling Mill,
situated halfway between this city and
the Delaware river, was utterly demol-
ished.
Captain M. W. Fowler, who was
coming up the Christiana creek with
three of Captain W. B. Norton's life
boats in tow of q steam launch, having
Just como from Baltimore, saw the gale
coming. He prepared for the worst as
no saw the old mill collapse like a card
board house. A dense cloud of boards,
bricks and even iron came directly
towards his feet, but just as 1t struck
the river 1t veered slightly and passed
over the captains wake.
Station Agent G.. G.. Herm0n. of
Hare's. Corner Station, was the only
man seen tonight who saw the tor.
nado In Its inception. A small black
cloud was moving towards the south
east, and, as it approached the COM
mons near New Castle, 1t was met, ap-
parently by q similar cloud moving to-
wards the northwest. AS they met
they lowered and the entire mass, black
a. night, moved with lightning speed
towards the northeast. Herman saw
Bruce's shop raised.
He quickly babe his wife and child
to lie down on the floor Of the station
house, but fortunately the full force Of
the gale passed around the house.
However. 1t tore up all the carpets In
the house and wrecked most Of the fur
niture. Herman and his family es-
capped with q few scratches. The storm
cut through Peters big barn like a
saw leaving a small portion Of its tand-
ing. A corn field this side OF Peters
presents a ffty-yard path, in which
every blade Is levelled, while on both
sides stand the rows Of corn as erect
and firm as ever.
1t rsined steadily all day. Tonight
q strong wind is blowing from the
south, with occasional gusts Of rain.
The damage done by the tornado is va
rlously estimated from $1,000 W to
$.5O, 600. Passengers who returned on
the steamer Republic from Cape MAJ
report that two tugbooats were cap
sized in the Delaware, of Pennsgr0ve,
but this report lacks confirmation.