Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-12
AN EASTERN CYCLONE.
1T CAUSES TERRIBLE DISASTER IN
PENNSYLTANLA CITIES.

A Silk Mill at Reading, Pa, Blown Dow
in which are $50 Girls-Many KiIIe
and Injured-An Explosion and Fir
Also Results i'm the Death of Eigh
Men-A Horror at Pittsburg-Buildins
Blown Down and People Crushed t
Death.
READING. Pa, January "a cyclon
passed over this city, this evening, doin
considerable damage and killing more tina
fifty people.
A silk mill, in which $50 girls were en-
ployed, blew down just before the hour 70
stopping work. Everything lie in confusion
and the loss of life is probably mucl
heavier than was at first reported.
At about the same time there was al
explosion and fire in the same neighbor
hood, by which eight men were burned Il
death.
READINGS sADDEsT NIGHT.
REvDING, January 9.-This was the sad
dest night in the history OF Reading.
death.like pail hangs upon the city, the
result of the most horrible disaster in its
history. Hundreds OF households are
in mourning as a result OF one OF the
greatest calamities ever known in Pennsyl.
vauia.
The cyclone swept over the northern por.
tion Of the city, this afternoon, and laid
waste everything within reach, and with
terrible loss OF life. The lives that have
been sacrificed and the number that have
been injured, can be only estimated. The
most reliable compution at 10 O'Clock to-
night is that not less than 60 persons
were killed outright, and 100 more in
jured.
How this terrible calamity occurred may
be thus related: 1t was raining very hard
all the morning. Towards noon it ceased
almost entirely, and by 4 o'clock there was
every indication that there would be an
entire cessation OF the rain storm. Half
an hour afterwards the bright sun made
every effort to penetrate the clouds. Tints
of rainbow were seen iu the eastern horizon,
and there was a clear sky overhead. This
continued for hall an hour longer. Then
the scene changed with
sUDDENEEss THAT WAS APPALLING:
feecy clouds gave way to ominous signs OF
u coming storm. Dark, heavy banks OF
clouds marshalled themselves towards the
town, and soon the gloom seemed to have
settled over the city. Then the wind
roared sand tore in mad confu.
sion. Storm clouds grew heavier still, and
louder roared the wind. In the western sky
the storm was seen approaching with q
4h,,p laripn nniao Tho Gwath IL emf
narrow, but effect was terrible.
Persons residing along the track OF the
storm, say they saw the first signs of dan
ger in funnel-shaped maelstrom OF wind
and debris which seemed to gather up
everything within it's reach, and cast it
right and left.
Out in the country, houses and barns
we're unroofed, farm buildings overturned,
crops rooted ~, and destruction spread in
'very direction. ...
THE TRACK OF DESTRUCTION
vas not more than 200 feet wide, and it is
ucky it only touched the suburbs OF the
ity. Itcame from the west but passed along
ha aarthern border OF Rea5ing. 1t first |
ouch the Mount Penn stove works. Here
corner OF the building was struck and a
portion OF the roof was cut off as nicely as
done with a pair OF scissors, and the then
torn clouds scurried across some yards |
md took portion OF the roof off OF j. s. |
rolling mills, and q number OF
Iwellings were unroofed as readily as il |
heir tin roofs were paper.
The storm then hurried across the |
roperty OF the Reading railroad company |
nd crossed the railroad. Here Il passen- |
er car was standing. Thisw was overturned |
8 quickly as il it had been toy, and it's
plinters were scattered in every direction.
In the meanwhile the rain poured down |
n torrents. The atmosphere became
eavy and oppressive, and it was almost
ide tracks OF the Reading railroad was
ituated the paint-shops OF the company.
t was a one-story building, about 6Ox1o0
,et in size, and about thirty men we're em.
loyei in painting passenger cars. There
'ere eight or lime of these cars in the
uiding. They had been built at the com.
aGy's shops at cost OF $4,000 each.
he building was struck squarely in the
riddle, and the bricks were scattered
bout as il they were playthings. The
CARS WE'RE TURNED ToPsY TuRvY,
bile the men were buried under the debris.
he chamber OF each passenger car was
lready filled with gas, as they were ready
D be taken ont on the road in few days.
hey exploded one after another. Bang,
ang, bang, they resounded over the city,
ausing people to run out Of their houses.
linking il was the sound of an earth
uake.
There was a considerable quantity OF
lsoIiHe in he building and this added fuel
0 the flames, a sheet OF which shot up
ards with roar like musketry.
Some twenty OF the men had a chance
D crawl out Of the debris. but four
I their companions were enveloped in the
mhrace OF the flames. Their cries were
card for moment by the terrified work.
len, and lheu their voices were hushed for.
Yer. They were quickly roasted to death.
he gas from the nine passenger cars lit up
he heavens for miles around. 1t was IL
eautiful sight, and could have been en-
Dyed but for the awful calamity which ac-
it. The fire department was
allied out, but it's services were unavailing.
he building and cars were consumed III
fteeu minutes, and nothing was left but
he blackened, smoking ruins, under which
~
OUR HUMAN BEINGS BURNED TO A CRISP.
heir names are: JohI Koller, Albert
,andberger, Sheridan Jones and George
chatter. 1t was rumored that several
theirs had been killed but these are the
My ones who are known to have lost their
Yes. Aaron Dewalt, another employe Of
ne paint shop, had an arm lacerated, and
gorge Knapp was injured internally and
o doubt fatally.
The loss to the railroad company is fully
$4,000.
While all this was going on. the storm
as travelling forward with fearful rapid
y. 1t must have Travelled at the rate vi
90 miles on hour. 1t struck some more
rivate houses, and unroofed a dozen
rlvate residences. Huge sheets OF tin were
arrIed half square away and deposited
o lot Then the storm proceeded in it's
Ill fury.
PIITSBURG'S DISASTER,