Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-10
THE CYCLONES ROAR.
The Storms Awful Havoc ir
Pennsylvania.
TERRIBLE CALAMITY AT READING
Huge Buildings Crushed as Egg
Shells-Scores of Mangled
Victims.

Shells-Scores of Mangled
Victims.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
READING, Pa, January GA cyclone
passed over this city this afternoon, do
ing considerable damage and killing
more than fifty people. A silk mill, in
which $50 girls were employed, blew
down just before the hour for quitting
work. Everything is in confusion. The
loss of life is probably much heavier
than at first reported. About the same
time there was an explosion and fire in
the same neighborhood by which eight
men were burned to death.
| THE PARTICULARS.
READING, Pa, January 9.-This was
the saddest night in the history OF Read
ing. A death-like pail hangs upon the
city as the result Of the most horrible
disasters in its history. A hundred
households are in mourning as the result
Of one of the greatest calamities known
|
the northern section of the city this
afternoon and laid waste everything
within its reach, and with terrible loss
of life. The lives that have been sacri-
| feed and the number that have been in
jured can only be estimated. The most
reliable computation at 10 O'Clock to-
night is that not less than sixty persons
have been killed outright and one hun
dred injured.
HOW THIS TERRIBLE CALAMITY OCCURRED.
1t was raining very hard all morning
Towards noon it ceased almost entirely,
and by O'Clock there was every indica-
ton that there would be an entire cessa-
tion of the rainstorm. Half an hour
afterwards the bright sun made every
effort to penetrate the clouds. The tints
of a rainbow were seen in the eastern sky.
There was clear sky overhead. This
continued for half an hour longer,
then the scene changed with
q suddenness that was appalling
The feecy clouds gave way
to ominous signs of coming storm.
Dark, heavy banks of clouds marshalled
themselves towards town, and soon a
gloom seemed to have settled over the
city; then the wind whistled, roared
and tore in mad confusion. The storm
clouds grew heavier still and louder
roared the wind. In the western sky the
storm was seen approaching with a
laundering noise. The swath it cut was
narrow, but its effect was terrible. Per-
sons residing along the track OF the
storm say they saw the
FIRST SIGNS OF DANGER
In funnel-shaped maelstrom of wind
which seemed to gather up everything
within its reach and cast it right and
left. Out in the country, houses and
barns were unroofed, many of them
overturned, crops rooted up and destruc.
ton spread in every direction. The
track of this destructive element was not
more than 200 feet wide, and it is lucky
it only touched the suburbs of the city.
1t came from the west, and passed
along the northern border of
Reading. First it touched the
Mount Penn Stove Works. Hers
the corner of the building was struck and
portion of the roof was cut off as nicely
as if done with pair OF scissors. Then
the storm cloud scurried across some
| fields, took off portion of the roof of J g..
s. Sternberg's rolling mill, and number
OF dwellings were unroofed as readily as
IT their tin roofs were paper. The storm
then hurried across the property of the
Reading Railroad Company and crossed
the railroad. Here passenger car was
standing. This was overturned as
quickly as if it had been toy and its
splinters were scattered in every direc.
ton. Meanwhile the rain poured down
in torrents, the atmosphere became
heavy and oppressive and it was
| ALMOST AS DARK AS NIGHT.
Reading railroad was situated the paint
story building, about so by $50 feet in
size. Here about thirty men were
employed in painting passenger cars.
the building. They had been built OF
SO, 600 each. The building was struck
squarely in the middle and bricks were
scattered about as if they were play
things. The cars were turned topsy-
turv y, while the men were buried under
the debris. The chamber of each of the
passenger cars was already filled with
gas, as they were ready to be taken out
on the road in few days. They ex-
BANG BANG BANG BANG!
They resounded over the city, causing
people to run out of their houses, think
ing it was the sound of an earthquake.
There was a considerable quantity of
gasoline in the building and this added
fuel to the flames. A sheet of flame shot
upward with the roar of musketry.
Some twenty Of the men had chance to
climb out of the debris, but four of their
companions were enveloped in the en-
brace of the flames. Their cries were
heard for moment by the terrified
workmen. and then their voices were
hushed forever. They were quickly
roasted to death. The fire from nine
passenger cars lit up the heavens for
miles around. 1t was beautiful sight
and could have been enjoyed but for the
awful calamity which accompanied it.
In the meantime the fire department
was called out, but their services we're
unavailing. The building and cars were
consumed in fifteen minutes, and moth
ing was left but blackened, smoking
ruins, under which lay
FOUR HUMAN BEINGS BURNED TO coRPsRs.
Their names are John Kaller, Albert
Lindberger, Sheridan Jones and George
Schaffer. 1t was rumored that several
others had been killed, but these are the
only ones whom it is known have lost their
lives. Aaron Dewalt, another employee
in the paint shop, had an arm broken