Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-08-22
The RAGING DEMON CYCLONE,
Strikes Wilkesbarre and Vicinity and
leaves Nothing but Destruction
in its Path.
Men and Animals are Killed. Leaving
Many Homeless and Without
Shelter.
Dead List Numbers Twelve as Far as
known-0ther Fatalities
are Feared.

WnKEsBARRE, Pa, Aug l9.-At five
cyclone that was ever experienced in this
locality struck this city. 1t came up the
river, and the suddenneSs of its coming
was one of its awful features The heavens
were as black as night and the wind blew
with most frightful velocity. Whole
rows of trees were blown down. Fol-
lowing this, hundreds of houses were
unroofed aud partially blown over
or completely demolished, and
worse than all, a visitation of death was
sent upon a number of people. Large
districts in several sections of this city are
in absolute ruin, and women and children
are in the street, crying and ringing their
hands in absolute dismay The damage
will reach hundreds of thousands of dol
lars. The passenger trains aud locomotives
at the depot were blown over and
| every wire in the city, electric light, te!e
phone and telegraph is down. The de-
vaStatiOn is to be compared with nothing
in the memory of the oldest inhabitant
Everybody Is rejoicing that no fires as vet
have taken place. for the streets are I'M
paSsable with trees and fallen buildings
and the engines could not he drawn
through them.
The total death list so far as ascertained
is twelve. Four men are known to have
been killed in the Hazard wire rope works.
A house on Scott street, occupied fy min
ers who had just returned from work, fell
in, and three inmates were killed. The
huge stack of the Kyle planning mill fell
on a man and two horses, and all were
killed. A little colored girl was killed by
a falling building on South Main street
Two men suffered death by the falling of
portion of Stegmaier'S brewery, and a
third incurred the same fate through the
almost complete demolition of S. L.
Browns brick business block, on Market
street There are undoubtedly fifteen or
sixteen others killed. Many poor people
suffered heavy losses, and it will be
months before all damage can be repaired
Building mechanics of all kinds can
find employment here for
weeks to come, as it is already known was
fully two hundred buildings have been
blown down or otherwise damaged. Many
of the structures were large in size an of
great value. Approximate losses only can
be given as follows:
Hazard Wire Rope works. S25,O00.
S. l.. Brown, $4,000.
st. Mary's Catholic church, SIS, 900.
Murray shaft, $4,000.
HoIlenbeck shaft $1,000
White Haven Ice company, So 600.
AhlhOrn' pork packing house. s., 900.
In addition to these, hundreds of citi-
zens have suffered losses running from
$500 to $1,000
The Murray shaft fan house was blown
down and the fan stopped. There are
twenty-seven men in the mine, but it Is
hoped they can be got out safely.
LATER. 7:30 p. m.-Reports came from
Sugar Notch, a mining town three miles
from here, that the obstruction of property
was terrible and fifteen persons are killed.
At Parsons and Mill Creek, four miles
from here, the coal breakers in all direc-
tons have been more or less damaged.