The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-10
Burying 200 Girls in Sickening Con.
fusion In the Ruins.

'READINo, Pa, Jan. 9.-1his was the
saddest night in the history OF Reading A
death-iike pail hangs over the city as the
result Of the most horrible disaster in It's
history. A hundred households are in
mourning as the result Of one Of the great.
est calamiies in Pennsylvania. A cyclone
swept over the northern section OF the city
this afternoon and laid waste everything
within It's reach and with n terrible loss Of
life. The lives that have been sacrificed
and the number that have been in
jured can he only estimated. The
Ipost reliable computation at 10
- clock tonight is that not less than
sixty persons have been killed outright
and 100 injured. How this terrible calam-
iiy occurred is about as follows II was
raining very hard all morning. Toward
noon Il ceased almost entirely, and by
o'clock there was every indication that
there would be an entire cessation OF the
minslorin. Hall an hour aitcrwarl the
brgla sun made every effort 10 penetrate
the clouds. The tints Of a rainbow werc
seen in the Eastern sky. II portcudcd a
beautiful sunset. There was a clear sky
overhead. This continued for half an hour
longer. Then the scene changed with
suDDESNEss THAT WAS APPALLING.
Tie fleoty clouds gave way TO the
ominous signs Of a coming storm. Dark,
heavy banks ot clouds marshalcd them
selves towards the town. and soon a gloom
seemed 20 have settled over the CITY.
There was n stiffness, ~ OF coming danger.
Then the wind whisilcd. roarcd and tore
IN mad confusion. The storm clouds grew
heavier still and louder roarcd the wind.
Ia the western sky the storm WIS seen ap-
preaching with laundering noise. The
swnih Il cut was narrow. but It's ehcc, was
terrible. Persons residing along the trick
OF the storm say that they saw the fir, signs
Of danger In fnnncl-shnpcd maelstfom
which seemed to gather up everything
within is reach aud cast Il right and left
Out in The country, houses and barns were
unroofcd, farm ontbuildings were over
turned, crops rooted up and destruction
: spread In every direction. Tho track Of
Nhis destructive element was not more than
hundrcd feet wide. aud Il is lucky
that Il only touched the suburbs Of the
city. II came from the West. but passed
along the northern border Of Reading
Fipt Il touched the Mount Penn Stove
Works. Here the corner Of the building
WIS struck and q portion of the roof was
cut OF rs nicely III done with pair oi
scissors. Then the storm cloud scurricd
across some fields, took of q portion ol the
roofof j. II. StcnbCWl's rolling mill aud
number OF dwellings were unroOicd ~
readily
ASH TngiR TiS noors WE'RE FArER.
The storm then hurried across the prop.
efty OF the Reading Railroad Companyan
crossed the railroad. Here n passenger
car was standing. This WIS overturned ~
quickly M u Il had been a toy and its
splinton scattered IN every direction.
Meanwhile the rain poured down In tor
rents. Tho atmosphere became heavy
and oppressive and u was almost as dark
~ night Directly on one side the track
of the Reading road was situated the paint
shops Of the company. II was q ono.story
building about O0Xl5O feet in size. Here
about thirty men we're employed In paint
Ing passenger cans. there were about
eight or nine Of these passenger cans In the
building They had been built al the
company's shops In this city at n cost Of
5000 each. The building was struck
Fnnaruly In the middle and the bricks scat.
tered ABOUT as II they were playthings.
The carSl hero turned iopsy turyey, while
The men were buried under the debris.
Some Of the bricks we're carried away.
The chamber Of each Of the passenger cars
was already filed With gls, as they were
ready 10 bc taken out on tho rOad IN few
DAYS. These exploded one after another
= with the icarful bang Of cannon. Bang.
,...s ., hsn. thoy rsoun1ed owe. ~,
rty, causing the l,coI,.s 20 ran oI.. u their
houses thinking that u was q sound Of an
earthquake. There was a considerable
quantity Of gasoline In the building, aud
,his added fuel TO tie flames.
snErr 90 r1ANEs
hl,ol apwarls with the roar Of muskoiry.
Some twentyoi tho mcn had q chance 10
crawl ont ol the debris, but four ol their
companions were cnyul0pcd In the flames
Their cries were heard ior u n,oiucnI BY