Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-07-28
SOUTH LAWRENCE
Swept BY a Genuine Cyclone
Eight Persons Killed
And Many Injured Scores Of Houses
BIoYn Down BY The Terrible Storm.
Latest RepoIts-Inl0red DoioE Wall
Help Coming In Rapidly.

! LAwksNcE. July - The following is
a complete list of the dead Mrs Jerem,
ah o'Counel. aged 81. ,. Springfield At
/ Mary 0'Conneil. sged II. daughter of fc
above. Mrs. James Lyons, aged -, rfsr
Of 40 Emmet ST. Helen Cutler, aged Is.
| corner Salem and Blanchard ste. result OF
| injury while crossing bridge. ElEsbeth
Z Collins aged -, Is Portland $, Annie
! Collins, sgeds Ii Portland st. Hannah
/ Beatty. aged IL. IL Portland ST. Michael
/ Higgio>, aged 2S.
| Particulars OF the Awful Catastrophe
I Sad Scenes Amid the Ruins
/ The awful cyclone that ssep, through
/ South >awrence Saturday morning at . Is
O'Clock left behind 1t a pathway 800 feet
de. strewn for nearly mile with the
d reeksge of hundred houses.
! Duriug the three brief minutes that it
| ssted property estimated at nesrl, 5000
! 10 va. damagcd OF destroyed, Fully 25
+ auses in the heart of the tenement section
/ ere completely demolished, and nearly AS
! ran, more damaged bey yond the posIbili y
d u
iuries estimated from Slo0 TO $500 but this
{ i.t.er class are 80 numerous that later re
ports NAV increase largely the estimate OF
/ total loss resulting from the cyclone.
4 In comparison however with the list OF
( killed and wounded. the financial loss
| .hrinks into iu.igutcsnce. for tonight
3, Lawrence mouths the decease of eight of
, her people, cut OF by notwithstanding poser
1 hs.a hAA
/ known in Massachusetts. The list Of
sounded which is large, includes man, I'M
| fortunstes whose escape from death IN n
most horrible form was slncs, miraculous.
That scores were not h He'd outright IN the
awful progress of the tornado is the only
, cause the city has for re sioiciog.
The coming of the destroyer was unhet-
aided save by black heavy clouds that a,
laybresk obscnred the sky.
As the sun came up for time they were
were partially di,pelled. bat then. as if tri
umphant In their effort for supremacy, The
gloom again prevailed over the city that
vas awakening TO the days labor.
From I to . O'Clock slight showers fell,
but the rain, instead of cooling the hot,
breezeless atmosphere, seemed to render 1t
more VI b ,arable
III tut INNS Cef'' 'h'' SPf'N"s''N
ness was felt, and many Of the women were
much overcome by it,
Gradually the sky dsrkencl and the
heavy clouds that like a funeral canopy
,hrouded the earth seemed TO unbend AS
# trying TO enwrap the CLASSY waters of the
Merrimah which above the the falls were
anrippled by breath of air.
In this minute of calm, when the forces
Of nature seemed absolutely at rest, the
people of the Sou,h side. dwelling con
tentedly in thar houses. little thought that
slesolation aui dc ath were already in their
midst
& - o'clock. The hour here Will be
ever remembered, for above the noise o!
the machinery in the mills and the sounds
of the street, came a roir the like of which
VAS never heard before. Twas at first The
sigh or meaning of monstrous element
that every instant incr.asci in volume of
s1und which came TO their ears; aud before
many could learn the occasion of it, the
cyclone was upon the city aud bal cnvel
oped the south side in cloud of II ing
trees, debris aud house roofs that tlled the
moisture laden air
Crash crash crash on every side.
Above the war of the tempest and the
tnuNbtT Vi lHtilHk tph'i Nv
heard the cries of imprisoned people. fran
tjcaliy shouting for help
There uas moment of horror ~hi1h
the stoutest hear, could not help pnailing
beneath, and then all was over.
The air again became Sill and the heav
ems opened TO pour down mighty torrents
upon scene of desolaion.
It WAS almost impossible to believe ones
ha vaiIvna1 h,l.iu..
along the pathuay Of the tornado. Houses
and blocks that but n moment before were
standing firmly on their foundations, no.
| lay a mass of crumbling ruins, from which
men and women with desperate cneryg
~er. trvirg to extrlcate themselves.
The horror of the firstacene was f0r *
cce,led in this. for who could tell the mum
| her of dead and dying who lay be ieath tn
| debris of the houses that on Springfield
st. and adjacent thoroughfsres, as far as
the eve could see were either totieriog or
| in ruins? If the South side hal h. zen bonn
| bsrIed by heavy cannon, no more dissst
rous rs ul;s could have been forthcoming
| There WAS no need of slarmiug the city
| to aid the victims of the great catastrophe.
| The people were all aware that something
terrible had happer ed, and following 10
|
bridges across The river were SOC throngeI
/ By an excited procession.
! The fire bells rang. and engines With
| hose carts AID hook and ladder wagJas
hurried to the scene.
\ delegation Of police, headed by the
city marshal. were among the first 10
respond, and they did noble work in exiri-
eating the wounded and imprisoned.
I anl ht,.iun.s .
by side with lsborers aad leading ciuz'ns
| carried on the work of rescue. T Ie
wounded were carefully taken to places c'
repose, where their wounds were eIlnined
by the staff of local physicians in attend
ance.
| One BY one as the m )rning advanced tit
list Of dead increased. and as the manglet
remains of each victim were brDuzh; TO tbs
view of the searcaers, such cr.es of agonj
went up from frantic mothers and children
around that even the s.urdiest men wht
sitnessed the scene were affected unts
tears.
The mayor and city cifi:iAls bon gatL
cred in large mum 5ers, and for the conven
ence Of ali the authorities. headquar,er
we're established at the corner o: foste
and Springfield streets.
While the search vas in progress on ih'
south side, the am onlance and other team
we're kept busy in convey ing to the bo.piir
on Melthuen street. such of the wounie'
~ could be moved without lsng~'.
As soon a. the injured could b. att. n!el
!, TO in the operating room, thsy ~ere take
up stairs and comfortably cared for b. IN
attendants. Nothing was left undone tbs
would tend to relieve their suferings
Several of the lady directors ~ the hcspits
made ba tie in repairing TO The institution
, and Immediately set abou, to prepare iu
, provised wards to receive more OF the 10
jured. The ladies' parlor vas cleared 0