The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-09-03
THE wILKEsBARRE CY-
GONE.
PeculiarItIes of the Storm A
Cloud of Electrical FIRE:
RiIkasbafre RAcord.

PeculiarItles OF the storm "A
Cloud of Electrical Fire:
wilkssbafre Record.
Thousands Of our citizens have dur
ing the last week viewed the wreck
and ruin in the path Of the recent
storm. They have either counted
their own losses or lent sympathiz.
ing ear to those who told Of sudden
imp0verishment or severe financial
shock. They have seen the coffined
forms. viewed the tune.al procession
or visited the beds Of the injured.
They have listened to or read hum
dreds Of thrilling stories Of hair.
breadth escapes or cruel injury.
Amid il all. they have wondered ever
and over again, "What was il that
rushed through cur valley like the
besom Of destruction and did all this
hasoc!"
There is little evidence of any
swit, whirlipg motion in the direct
center Of the storm. Buildings were
moved from their foundation, but
lill kept square with them. Few
places show any evidence Of being
TWISTED. There were doubtless swirl.
ing eddies created By the swift flying
storm sufficient TO twi't of trees Of
smaller tizs or tear OF branches ex-
tending horizontally. Indeed 1t is
not appar, mt that the force of the
storm in any quarter was as great a.
is frequently manifest In the West.
era country. Out in that region,
east # the Rocky Mountains, such q
storm frequently sweeps absolutely
everything from its path Not q tree
is left standing IN the narrow lane
for miles. Here We see trees stand
| ing that must have felt the full force
of tie sto!m. Il Is apparent, how
ever, that the, wirl Of the storm did
not at all times reach the earth. On
South Main street and Franklin il
swept the ground, laying low even
the weeds and grass. Boardwalks and
outhouses we're tossed far aud wide
Above Hazel street the force was sxs
erted high in air. above the h pc oi
many houses. At Five Points again
Il swt pt low, having but the floors oi
many houses. Ip many places II,
sucking force drank up the puddles
Of water and mud 10 scatter them
further on sgainst roofs, walls and
| third story windows. The upper
| mssses or cloud aud dust had roll.
ing motion rather than q defnit,
whirl.
| Minor phenomena were present
Tremendous electric discharges her
aided the storms approach. Man,
declare that the storm cloud was sur
rounded by electrical fire. som,
think the lowor portion Of the clouC
was illuminated as by q coDstan
aan,e. Vegetation along Its patl
| for A considerable distance either sid'
was scared as with fire. This scar
| ing was noticed within half an hou
after the storm. But for this th,
appearanee Of the foliage might b,
attributed to the peItipg IL receives
from dirt and dust, or TO the whip
l'ping Of the wind. At Five Points
I many complain that their cotton gar
mepts were burr ed full Of holes
Yet a singular fact Is. that with thre'
or four hundred houses wrecked
lust when fires were burning for th'
nrsparation Of the evening meal, no
a building took frc. Nor was thi
because Of q downpOur Of rain, 70
no considerable rain fell for SOM
| time amer tpe cyclone had swept By
No exact dates have been secure'
Az 10 the time when the storm reach
cd various prominent points, 80 u
speed Of progression canpot be de
tsrmin,d. There Is evidence 10 show
| however, that IL was nearly ten min
utes IN sweeping over three miles Q
ground. -