The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-17

READING, Pa, January 81 Bulletin. "A
cyclone passed over this city this evening
doing considerable damage and killing
more than fifty people. A elk mill in
VIII ch $50 girls were employed blew down
iust 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
az OK plosion and fire in the same neighbor-
hood by which eight men were burned to
death.
SAD NIGHT.
READING, January 9.-This was the sad
dest night in the history of Reading.
death-like pail hangs upon the city as
result of the most horrible disaster In its
history, Hundreds of households are in
mourning as result of one of the great
est oalamities in Pennsylvania. cyclone
swept over the northern section of the
city this afternoon and laid waste to every
thing 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 estimated.
The most reliable information to
night is that not less than
sixty persons have been killed outright,
aud 100 injured. How the terrible calam-
ity occurred, is about as follows:
1t was raining very hard all the morn
ing. Toward noon it ceased almost en-
tirey, and by O'Clock there was every
indication that there would be an entire
cessation of the rain storm. Half an hour
afterwards the bright sunshine made
every effort to penetrate the clouds.
TINTs OF RAINBOW
were seen in the eastern sky. 1t por-
tended beautiful sunset. There was 9
clear sky overhead. This continued for
half an hour longer. Then ths scene
changed with a suddenness that was
appalling. The feecy clouds gave
way to ominous signs of coming storm
Dark, heavy banks of clouds marshalled
themselves and soon a gloom seemed tc
have settled over the city. There was
stiffness as of coming danger. Then the
wind whistled, roared and tore in mac
confusion. The storm clouds grew
heavier still and louder roared the wind
In the western sky storm was seen ap
preaching with laundering noise. The
swath it cut was narrow, but its eHec'
was terrible. Persons residing along the
track of the storm say they saw the frs
signs of danger in a funnel
shaped maelstrom, which seemed t.
gather up every thing withil
It's reach and cast it right and left. Tn
track of this destructive element was no
Ia ia In uk,
that it only touched the suburbs of tn
city.
IT GAME FROM THE WEST,
but passed along the northern border o
Reading. First it touched Mount PEN
stove works. Here the corner of the build
ing was struck aud portion of the roo
was out off es nicely as if done with pal
of scissors. Then the storm cloud hur
ried across the fields, took off portion
of j. Fl. Soneburg's drilling mill, ant
number of dwellings, were IN
rooted as readily as if their til
roofs were paper. The storm thei
hurried across the property of tn
Reading Railroad company and crosse
the railroad. Here passenger car wa
standing .sThis was overturned as if it wa
toy and its splinters scattered in ever
direction. Meanwhile the rain poure
down in torrents, the atmosphere beoam
heavy and oppressive and it was almos
as dark as night. Directly on side tracl
of the Reading railway was situate,
the paint shops of the company
1t was a one-story building abou
60x15O feet in size. Here about
thirty men were employed IL
painting passenger cars. There wer
eight or nine OF these cars in the building
They had been built at the company
shops in this city, at cost of $4,000
Each building was struck squarely in tn
middle, and the brick scattered about a
if they were playthings. The cars wer
turned topsy-turvey, while the men were
BURIED UNDER THE DEBRIS.
Some of the bricks were carried away
The chambers of each of the passenge
cars were already filled with gas, as the
were ready to be taken out on the road il
few hours These exploded one after an
other with the fearful bang of cannon
There was considerable quantity of gsso
line in the building and this added fuel +
the flames.
A sheet of flames shot upward with tn
roar of musketry. Some twenty of tn
men had chance to crawl out of tn
debris, but four of their companions wer
enyeloped in the embrace OF the flames
Their cries were heard for moment b
the workmen and then their voices wer
hushed forever. They were quickly roaste
to death. The fire from the new passer
ger cars lit up the heavens for mile
around.
-Four human beings we're burned to
crisp. Their names are: John Kellel
Albert bangbarger, Sheri dan Jones an
George CHATTER. 1t was rumored ths
several others had been burned to deatt
but these are the only ones known to hav
lost their lives. Aaron Dewalt, anothe
employe in the paint shop, had his arr
brokcn and George Knabb was injure
internally and no doubt fatally. The los
to the railroad company Is fully $75,OOC
While this was going on the storr
was travelling forward rapid!
It must have Travelled at tn
rate of 100 miles per hour. 1t struc
some more private houses and unroofed
dozen residences. The rain storm pre-
ceded in full fury. Directly in its patti
at the corner of Twelfth and Mario
streets, stood the Reading silk mill. Her
about 175 girls were working. The build
ing was a huge structure, substantial
built, four stories in height and had
basement besides. 1t occupied a Who'll