Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-01-11
4 TERRIBLE CyCLONE
Sweeps over Pennsylvnnia wednesday
and Kills over 100 People.

| THE READING SILK MILL BLOWN OVER AM
200 OPERATIVES BURIED IN THE DEBRIS
BUILDINGS WRECKED At PfrTsBURG, SUD
BURY AND OTHER PLACES, AND FRIGHT
FUL LOSS OF LIFE THE RESULT
A terrible cyclone swept over Pennsyl-
vania Wednesday, carrying death and de
struction all along its path The rain fell
in torrents and the wind ragged at the rate
of 100 miles per hour, lifting roofs, tearing
down trees, and even wrecking large build
ings, causing in several cases frightful
loss of life The most terrible results of
the visitation we're realized at Reading,
where a large silk mill was blown down
and 80 of the $50 operatives persisted. Fire
broke out among the debris aud many vic
tins were subjected to horrible death
Eight or ten people were killed at Pittsburg
by falling buildings, aud loss Of life is re-
ported at McKeepsport, Sudbury, Carlisle
Williamsport and other places. The dam
age TO property will amount to many thou
sands of dollars The storm first struck
| Pittsburg and then moved eastward TO the
Cumberland valley visiting the places
above mentioned
At Reading it rained very hard all the
morning, but ceased almost entirely toward
noon. The sun tried to penetrate the
clouds about 1870 o'clock and "A rainbow ap.
| peared in the eastern sky indicating IA
beautiful sunset This continued for half
an hour, and then the scene changed with
suddenness that was appalling Dark
| Ill N. Al.
ominous stiffness Then the wind whistled
roared and tore in mad confusion In the
west the tornado was seen approaching
with noise Of thunder The swath it cut
was not over 200 feet wide, but its effect
was terrible. Persons residing along its
track say that they saw the first signs Of
danger in funnel shaped maelstrom,
which seemed to gather up everything
within its reach, and cast it right and left
Out in the county houses and barns were
unrooied, farm cut buildings overturned,
| crops rooted up and destruction spread in
every direction. The storm cloud passed
along the northern border Of Reading
First it touched the Mt Penn stove works.
cutting off part Of che roof, as nicely as if
1t had been done with pair of scissors,
then scurried across some fields. took off
part of the roof Of rolling mill and un-
rooted a number Of dwellings The paint
shop Of the Reading railroad, a one story
building go by 100 feet in size, where 30
men were Employed was struck square in
the middle, and the bricks scattered about
as if they were playthings The cars were
turned topsy -turvy, while the men were
buried under the debris Some Of the bricks
were carried IA square away The chamber
of each of the passenger cars was already
ll.al a. Al. l..
taken out on the road in a few days These
exploded one after another with the report
Of cannon. Bang, bang, bang, they re
sounded over the city, and people ran out
Of their houses, thinking that it was the
sound Of an earthquake A quantity Of
gasoline in the building added fuel to the
flames sheet Of flame shot heavenward
with IA roar. About 20 Of the men crawled
out Of the debris, but four of them we're en-
velOped in the embrace Of the flames Their
cries were heard for Il moment aud then
were hushed forever. The fire depart
ments services were unavuiiug. aud the
building and cars were consumed in 10
minutes, leaving nothing but blackeurd,
smoking ruins.
The storm travelled on at the rate Of 100
miles an hour, and unroOfed IA dozen pri-
vate residences. Next in its path stood the
Reading silk mill. huge structure. sub
stantially built four stories in height near
ly 300 feet long and $50 feet wide The
funnel shaped rm-cloud struck the build
ing directly in the centre on its broadest
side. The huge structure trembled for IA
moment and then collapsed like an egg
shell, carrying down nearly 200 human be.
ings in the wreck Amid the hurricane
and almost simultaneous with the fall Of
fl..l .tsaI Ia al .F..I
lief Girls with blackened faces. bruised
and broken limbs. their clothing torn and
tattered, dragged themselves from the ru
ms Probably - to 100 escaped or were
dragged out by their friends These work
ed ON the upper floors, and were thrown
near the top of the debris. At some places
the bricks were piled 20 feet deep aud un
derneath were lying human bodies by the
score The alarm for relief was immediate
ly sent out aud in a short time thousands
of citizens arrived To help out the dead and
dying Everything was envelOped IN dark
ness. Huge bontires were built to light up
the scene, and the work Of clearing away
the wreck and removing the bodies went
ON as fast AS possible
The action Of the cyclone at Pittsburg
was much the same as at Reading The
wind rose with a suddenness that was over
whelmng aud was accompanied 10y rain
and hail. 4 seven story building that was
being erected was hurled to the earth, GOV
ering up two score Of mangled human bod
les The front Of the structure had not
yet been put in, and the wind seemed 10
enter the huge shell from the open end
The high walls of bricks and uudried NOR
tar were parted, one falling each way,
partly wrecking nearly dozen surround.
ing buildings Ten persons were killed out
right and 30 injured. Several other build
ings were wrecked but with less serious re
suits At sudbury nail mill was blown
down and 81 men buried in the ruins Two
were killed and 10 injured. Heavy dam
ages to property are reported at Carlisle,
Williamsport, York, Harrisburg and other
places.