Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-08-22
DEATH IN A TORNADO.
ABOUT FORTY LIVES LOST IN AND
NEAR WILKEsBARRB, PA.


NEAR WILKEsBARRE, PA.
WLKEeBARRE, PA, Aug. 49,
The most terrible tornado that was
ever experienced in this locality
struck this city at FIVE o'clock this
afternoon. 1t came up the North
Branch Of the Susquehanna river.
From what point it originated Is
not known. The suddenness OF
Its coming was one Of Its most
awful features. The heavens
were as black as night and fhe
wind blew with most frightfuj vo-
lOcity. Whole rows OF trees we're
blown down. Following this hun
dreds of houses were unrOofeds
partially blown over or completely
demolished, and, even worse than
all, the visitation of death was
sent upon a number Of people.
Large districts in several sec
tons Of the city are IN 4bsolute
ruin, and the women and children
are in the streets CRYING and wrng.
ing their hands in dismay.
The damage will reach hundreds
OF thousands of dollars. Passenger
trains and locomotives at the de-
pot were blown over, and every
wire in the city, electro light, tele-
phone and telegraph, is down. The
devastation Is to be compared with
nothing in the memory OF the old
est inhabltaut.
Everybody is rejoicing that no
! fires have as yet followed, for the
streets are impossible with trees
and fallen buildings, and the en-,
gineS could not be drawn through
them.
The total death loss so far as as.
certalned is thirteen. Four men
are known to have been killed in
! the Hazard Wire Rope Works. y
house on Scott street, occupied by
miners, who had just returned
from work, fell in. and three OF the
inmates were killed. The huge
stack of the Kyle Planlng Mill fell
on a man aud two horses and all
were killed. 4 little colOred gill
was killed by falling building on
South Main street.
Two men suffered death 10y the
| falling of a portion OF Stegmaler's
brewery, and IA third incurred the
same fate through the almost com
plete demolition OF ;. i. Browns
/ handsome brick business block, on
East Market street. There are III
doubtedly fifteen or sixteen others
killed. Reports are coming IN con
Stantly to that effect.
Many poor people have suffered
heavy losses, and 1t will be months
before all the damage can be re
pared. One hundred tin-roo'ers
have been telegraphed for and
building mechanics of all kinds
can find employment here for weeks
to come, as 1t Is already known
that fully two hundred buildings
have been blown down or other
wise damaged. MANY Of the struc-
lures were Of large size and great
value.
Adam Fran'z, OF the firm OF
Jones < Frantz, who was struck
by flying timbers, died at . O'Clock
this evening.
Mayor Sutton tonight issued a
proclamation calling on the mem
bers of the Ninth Regiment OaSsem
Die at the armory early tomorrow
morning to aid in the police super
vision of tue city. He also re-.
Quested all idle wOrkingmen 10 re.
port TO hlm tor labor in clearing
the debris, the city to pay for the
same.
Reports come from sugar Notch,
a mining town three ml'es from
here, that the destruction Of prop
erty is terrible, and that fifteen
persons were killed.
At Parsons and Mill Creek. fouT
miles from here, coaIbreakers IN
all directions have been more or
less damaged, and the number of
killed Will reach 10. Telegraph
wires are down in all directions aud
communications all shut Oft.
The wires are working 50 badly
that it Is almost impossible to get
anything of. The estimated loss
at midnight Is half "a million. al.
though it NAV reach higher IL
ure. The suffering is great.
\ terrible ralnstorm set in short
ly after the tornado and dreuched
the exposed property which lies IN
the track of the cyclone. At mid.
night the rain is pouring down in
torrents.