West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-01-17
THE CYCLONE.

One OF the most appalilny catastrophes ac-
sompanied by loss OF NE that have ever
visited Reading. Pen.G, has occurred. II
bad been pouring down rain all day and at
o'clock itcleared up nicely. The sun shone
brightly until about 4;'o, when black cloud
formed In the southwestern sky and moved
rapidly toward the city.
The rain poured down in perfect torrents
Tor htteen minutes, when a funnel shaped
cloud cut its way through the city, OVER
throwing many tnees, telegraph and electric
light poles The wind blew harder and
narder, until a roaring cyclone was In
progrcss It's course was from west Co east
and covered a path.of about 800 feet.
In It's course was the Reading silk Mill,
located in the northeastern portion Of the
city, IN which about SEQ operatives, prn-
tipally females. We're at work Before tho
storm reached the largo mil, however, the
giris saw it's approach and saw it precpi-
- ~ Nil the holise rccss IN Is path.
A pe-etr Nnsus tfd the operatives made
an effort TO escape4fOln tie building. Be
lore they could 81 their wraps the cyclone
struck the Investors buidng, aud In an in.
slant the massive brick work aud heavy
machinery were piled pell NELL on the unfor-
tuaates, from tho fifth to the first story.
The building was large structure, most
substantially built, four stories in height and
had a basement besides 10 occupied an en-
tire block of ground. Tho building itself
was nearly 300 feet i'm length and about $50
teet wide IL was surmounted by massive
tower fully 100 feet from the ground Tho
tunnel-shaped cloud struck the building
directly In tho centre on It's ornadcst side,
which faced the west lt fell TO pieces as
though composed OF so many building blocks.
Nearly 200 human beings went down in
the awful wreck. Human tongue can
never tell the terrible scenes Of that
hour Tho walls gave way, the floors
Tell down, one on top of tho other, and
carried their great mass Of human beings 20
lao I.f n a a
greatest confusion. while, amid the hurricane
aud whiStling, rushing, roaring wind, terri
Die cries for succOr were sent up TO heaven.
Almost simultaneously with the fall OF tho
building came the awful cries for relief Girls
with backened faces bruised and broken
limbs, their clothing tattcred aud torn,
1ragg5d themselves from the ruins. PTOha-
hly seventy five TO ono hundred escaped, or
were dragged out by their friends These
OF course, worked on the upper floors, and
were thrown near the top OF tho debris Az
some places tho bricks were piled twenty feet
deep, and underneath were lying human
bodies by the score.
The entire police force was called out tho
ambulance and relief corps. and thousand
people were in among the debris carrying out
bricks, pulling away timbers, and assisting
wherever they could-all at the same time
but their work was slow compared
with the demand for the rescue
OF the victims Of the disaster. Here a young
woman was taken out, all bloody suffering
with cuts and bruises. Dne body as lt was
dragged out had its head cut OFT Others wero
I'M various postures, tho living all suffcihg
iron the most rrihle WOMB, aud some al
most scared 20 death. The reporter entered
what was once the basement OF the building
and, groping his way through the debris no
tced five bodies OF young girls lying close
together Ee tried 20 pull them out, but
hey were pinned down. and IL was imposs-
be TO get them out They were dead, and
beyond all human aid.
~ Naf- aVag 81 flt. g.r,N
story Of the silk mills says that lj operators
were at work when the building was wrecked
He says: ut was about 5;l5, just after
| had turned on the electric lights All
the floors Of the mills were brilliantly
Illuminated, and the girls were all
busy. Suddenly heard strange
rushing noise OF wind, and / thought il
sounded like n cyclone. Then the building
shook as IL by AN earthquake, and the end OF
the large room ia which ] stool went down
first. At least thirty girls rushel TO me
and wildly screamed and tore their hair.
j was helpless The other end OF the
room seemed as IL up steep bill
The girls became panic stricken, shrieked.
and left their machines The next instant
the building collapsed ] shall never in all
my life forget the hoartrending screams
Of those 2GO girls just before many
OF their voices were hushed for
ever In death. AZ first we had only
hand lamps to see by. Under the wreck
girls we're piled six deep. manged and bleed
ing and helpless The first dozen bodies re.
moved were covered with blood. One girl
had her head cut off, The sight was heart
rending, and can say no more"