Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-06-01
A TERRIBLE CYCLONE
STRIKES FALLING WATERS WITH
DEADLY EFFECT.

When the c. V. II. r. train arrived
Thursday evening, the sad and terri
BILE news soon spread that a regular
cyclone had struck Falling Waters,
dealing death and destruction. About
three o'clock heavy cloud of wind
and rain followed the Potomac River
in an easterly direction, narrowed
down to at least one hundred yards in
scope, striking new frame barn on
the farm of John NJ. Crisyell, tenant
ed by Mr.. J. Willingham, near Fall.
ing Waters Station. Mr. J. e. Pow
ell, the well-known pump-maker, OF
this city, had been working near
there, assisted by John Vogle, known
as "Dixie." They took shelter in the
wagon shed. This was blown down,
crushing Mr.. Powell to death, and
breaking his neck. He has been q
resident of Strinesville for a number
of years, an industrious man, aged
about fifty, and leaves large family,
"a wife and quite small and half
grown children, from two marriages.
Their sudden affliction is sad beyond
comprehension, and should solicit all
the assistance and sympathy possible
in their hour of need. John Vogle
had no regular home and no family;
he was from Maryland, where he has
q brother, at Smithsburg we believe,
and he was upwards in fifty. He was
badly hurt, crushed internally, vomit-
ing blood. The dead and injured were
brought to Martinsburg on the 1880
train and cared for. "Dixie" could
not be removed from the depot and
died there about O'Clock. The un-
dertakers were given charge of both
bodies and prepared them for burial.
Eye witnesses describe the scene OF
the cyclone as terrible to behold. 1t
lasted but a few minutes, going as
suddenly as it came. 1t tore a strip
of woods out by the roots, carried an
iron pot way off, and the air was
thick and furious with flying timbers,
rails, household effects, &c.
MT. Zenophon Poole further informs
us that the house of MT. Martin Bow
ard was carried away and demolished,
and Mrs. Boward was seriously injur-
ed, being cut and bruised about the
head. DIR. Davis, who saw "Dixie''
after the accident, said he could't live.
Boward's house was carried con-
siderable distance. Mrs. Alice Bloom,
who was in the barn, was also badly
hurt.
The kitchen floor of Mr.. Boward's
house remains, with the cook stove
in place, but the house is gone. Their
child was not killed. The train had
to stop in the evening to remove the OBJ
structIons from the road. Mr.. Powell
and Dixie" were perfectly safe work
ing in q well, but came out to seek shell
ter in the shed, and met their deaths.
Mr.. d. II. Dodd, who was on the spot
after the storm, gives us these points
The place of the storm is one half mile
from the station. The storm came from
the South, crossed between where Rev.
Kiracofe lives and where his brother
lives. crossing the river half a mile above
Falling Waters, dipping the water dry to
the bottom. There is nothing left stand
ing in its track, not a tree for $50 feet,-
trees as thick as mans body wrenched
off like twigs; most trees uprooted
Criswell's barn, corn house, smoke house,
completely demolished; house damaged
loss to buildings alone $1,000 or $780,
Boward' S house demolished. Centre OF
violence not more than $50 feet in width
Timber from wrecks. Exc, 10 feet long
carried $50 yards away.
Mr.. Powell will be buried to-day, Sat
urday, at 2 o'clock, in Greenhill Gene
terry.
"Dixie's" friends have been telegraph
ed for, and his remains await their ARR
val