Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-01-18
A TERRIBLE TORNADO.
SAD HAVOC IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT PER
SONS KILLED AT REApINcs

DIS lIl0 ISSulb VI OuO VI LILO IOeio-
est calamities in Pennsylvania. A tornado
swept over the northern section of the city
and laid waste everything within its reach
and with terrible loss of life. The lives
that have been sacrificed and the number
that have been injured can only be estlma.
ted,
STORM FROM CLEAR SKY.
How this terrible calamity occurred is
about as follows: It was raining very hard
all 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 bright sun made every effort tc
penetrate the clouds. The refulgent tints
of rainbow were seen in the eastern sky.
1t portended beautiful evening sunset.
There was a clear sky overhead. This con-
tinued for half an hour longer.
Then the scene changed with sudden
ness that was appalling. The feecy clouds
gave way to the ominous signs of coming
storm. Dark, heavy banks of clouds mar
shaded themselves towards the front and 6
gloom seemed to have settled over the city
There was a stiffness as of coming danger.
The wind whistled, roared and tore in mad
confusion. The storm clouds grew heavier
still louder roared the wind In the west
ern sky the storm was seen approaching
with laundering noise.
THE sWATH OF DESoLATION.
First it touched the Mt. Penn Stove
Works. Here 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 scurrieo
across some fields, took off portion of the
roof of j. Ell. Sternbergh's rolling mill, and
number of dwellings were unroofed as
nicely as if their tin roofs were paper. The
storm then hurried across the property Of
the Reading E. r. Company, and crossed
the railroad. Here passenger car was
standing. This was overturned as neatly
as if it was toy, and its splinters scatter
ed in every direction. Meanwhile the rain
poured down in torrents. The atmosphere
became heavy and oppressive, and it was
almost dark as night.
BRICKS CARRIED A SQUARE.
Directly alongside the tracks of the
Reading Railroad was situated the paint
shops of the Reading Railroad Company.
1t was one-story building, about 60 by
$50 feet in size. Here about 80 men were
employed in painting passenger cars. There
were eight or nine Of these cars in the
building. They had been built at the COM
pany's shops in this city at cost of $4,000
each. The building was struck square in
the middle, and the bricks scattered about
as if they were playthings. The cars We're
turned topsy-turvey, while the men were
buried under the debris. Some of the
bricks were carried square away. 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.
These exploded one after another with the
fearful bang of cannon. Bang, bang,
bang, they resounded over the city, caus
ing the people to run out of their houses,
thinking that it was the sound of an earth
quake. There was considerable quantity
of gasoline in the building, and this added
fuel to the flames.
ROASTED TO DEATH.
A sheath of flame shot heayenward with
the roar of musketry. Some twenty OF
the men had a chance to crawl out of the
debris, but four of their companions were
enveloped in the embrace of the flames
Their cries were heard for moment by
the terrified workingmen, and their voices
roasted to death, and the fire from the nine
passenger cars lit up the heavens for miles
around. It was beautiful sight, and
could have been enjoyed but for the awful
calamity which brought it about. In the
meantime the fire department was called
out, but its services were unavailing
The building and cars were consumed i'll
Is minutes, and nothing left but blacken-
ed, smoking ruins, under which lay four
human beings burned to crisp. Their
names are John Kahler, Albert LANDER
ger, Sheridan Jones and George Schaefer
If was rumored that several others had
been killed, but these are the only ones
who it is known have lost their lives.
Aaron Dewalt, another employee in the
paint shop, had his arm broken, and Geo
Knabb was injured internally, no doubt
fatally. The loss to the railroad company
is fully 1915, 900.
HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR.
While this was all going on the storm Wa
travelling forward with fearful rapidity.
must nave travelled at the rate of one hun
dred miles an hour. 1t struck some NOR,
private houses and unroofed dozen pri-
vate residences. The huge sheets of tin
were carried half square away and de-
posted in a lot.
HAPPY GIRLS BURIED.
Then the storm proceeded in it's fury
Directly In its path at the corner of Twelfth
and Marian streets stood the Reading Silk
Mill, one of the industries of the city, in
which the citizens took the greatest pride
Here about ITS happy girls We're working.
The building was huge structure, most
substantially built, four stories in height,
and had basement besides. 1t occupied
an entire flock of ground. The size of the
building itself was nearly 800 feet in
tength and about $50 feet wide 1t was
surmounted by massive tower, fully 100
feet from the ground. The funnel~shaped
storm-cloud struck the building directly
IN the centre on its broadcast side, which
faced the west. II fell to pieces as if CON-
posed of SO many building blocks. Nearly
200 human beings went down IN the awful
wreck.
TERRIBLE SCENES.
Human tongue can never tell the terri
ole scenes of that hour. The walls gave
way, the floors fell down, one on top of the
other, and carried their great mass of hui
man beings to the bottom. The bricks
were piled up in the greatest confusion.
while amid the hurricane and whistling,
rushing, roaring wind.S terrible cries for
succor went up to heaven. 1t was mo-
ment that tried mems souls, and almost
,imultaneous with the fall of the building
anne the awful cries for relief. Girls with
,lackened faces, bruised and broken limbs
neir clothing tattered and torn. dragged
themselves from the ruins. So probably
IS to 100 escaped or were dragged out by
their friends. These, of course, worked
on the upper floors. and were thrown nea,
the top of the debris. At some places the
bricks were piled 20 feet deep, and under
leath these are lying tonight human
bodies by the score. About $50 girls anc
young women are usually employed in the
mill, but at 4 O'Clock about so were re
ieved from duty for the day. They re-
turned to their homes before the storm
came. The most reliable estimate estimate
tonight places the number IN the build
ing when it went down in the neighbor
hood of It's, and, as before stated, 100 OF
these were rescued by friends or dragged
themselves out immediately after the &C
cident.
BoNFIREs FOR LIGHT.
The alarm for relief was Immediately
sent out, and in short time thousands oil