The Indianapolis journal., 1890-08-21
THEWILKESBARRE TORNADO
Property Damage Nay Reach a Million,
butLoSs of Life NotSOG as Feared.
Twelve Persons Instantly Killed, Ten Others
Fatally and Twenty-FOur Severely Injured
-Twenty-Seyen Miners Rescued

WIKEsBARRE, Pa, Aug. 20.-As q con-
sequence of the terrible devastation and
complete CONSERVATION that followed the
tornado which travelled through this city
late yesterday afternoon. and the fact that
darkness so quickly enveloped the valley,
it was impossible to gather much intelli-
gence as to the extent of damage and loss
of life. As time goes on the severity of the
cyclone is more and more demonstrated,
and il is as singular that so comparatively
few lives were lost. Immense buildings
containing many people were unroofed and
in many cases almost destroyed In the
twinkling of an eye. and this at an hour
when the people were about the
street. amid flying timber and debris
of every character. The city in
its most frequented part. around the
depots, presents it's worst appearance, and
when it is remembered that passenger and
freight cars were lifted from the tracks
upon which they stood and laid on their
Sides while other cars were rushed along
the track by the force of the tOrnado's
swirl, small conception of it's terrific
velocity may be obtained. The tornado
made its appearance so suddenly, and was
accompanied by such portentious skies,
that at once the stoutest hearts were ap-
palled. Especially so when at high alti-
tude were seen flying roofs. timber and all
sorts of movable things. The skies were
thick, black mass. such as is shown at the
time of an immense confiagration.
The stOrm-cloud first touched the city at
the Vulcan iron-works, swept on up Main
street, and then veered west and took IN
Ross and Hazel streets. along with the
Hazard wire works. It followed Washing
ton street, wrecked st. Mary's Church, then
jumped to the Lehigh Valley depot, the
Jersey Central depot, Stegmaiers brewery
and swept along the railroad to Five Points.
Here it turned eastward again. swept up
Pearl street, out by Baltimore shaft No. 2,
then dashed mp the mountain and spent
itself In the woods.
The scene at the lizard wire-rope- works
was terrible. The immense building was
badly injured, and In the debris lay the
dead and injured, the latter helpless until
worst phases of the cyclones work could be
realized, he ponderous machinery being
mixed with brick. mortar and debris in
confused mass The number of seriously
injured men at these works exceeds twelve.
and there We're two killed.
Terrible was the scythe sweep of the tor
nado at Five Points, a portion of this city.
Mothers, with their children in their arms.
were falling about theD the air outside
was filled with falling buildings and debris
of all sorts. They knew not which way to
turn, and in their extremity called to
heaven for help. It was here the greatest
loss of life occurred.
The Barber Asphalt Companys works
were blown down.. ,. l.. Brown & Co.'s
business block, on Market street, contain
ing ten wholesale stores. Is among the ruins.
The Murray coal-breaker was partially de-
stroyed. with heavy loss. The mammoth
Hollenheck breaker il a complete wreck.
the roof being blown off and the windows
oil hi az 10 av,la faIx
disjointed and will have to be rebuilt The
front of the engine-house was also blown
IN. The fans were stopped while twenty
seven men were at work in the Hillman vein,
but, luckily. they were able to start right
away, and although the hosting machinery
was damaged, the work of conveying the
men to the top was accomplished without
accident. BlOss * Whites mining drill
works. on Scott street. are destroyed, as is
also the house adjoining 1t. The houses be-
tween the Valley tracks on the same street
are gone. Bright's oil warehouse, oil bar
rels and all are blown away. Up Bowman.
Scott and Kidder streets all of the houses
at the lower ends thereof are either blown
down or severely damaged. The tornado
went up Pearl street to Baltimore No.
new breaker, which is damaged to the ex-
tent of thousands of dollars
Three hundred girls were at work in
IFalland's underwear factory, on South
Washington street. Allwere panic-stricken
when the storm came. Mr.. Falland rushed
among them and endeavored to calm and
keep them together, but four OF five rushed
out and were slightly injured. Mr.. Falland
tcOuld not succeed in quieting those who re-
smained in the building. They rushed about
in all directions. A large number tainted,
and several were thrown into convulsiOns.
The girls were gradually calmed when the
storm subsidized, and all left for their homes
except those who were seized with Mysteries,
and they We're taken home in carriages
later. The roof of the building was blown
of. and all the glass in the front was
broken.
The Ninth Regiment is on duty in an.
swer to proclamation by the Mayor. The
unemployed men were to-day pressed into
service to raise the embargo made upon
very many of the streets by fallen trees
mate places the number of buildings de-
molshed and partially destroyed at nearly
four hundred, and some estimate that it
probably reach nearly. If not quite 81 ,O0O.-
600. although in the present chaos no pos
sible means of making a closer estimate
exists. At the City Hospital several VIC
possibly survive. So far as can be ascer-
tanned this morning the following are
known to have been killed and injured: In
stantly killed-Nettie Thompson, colOred,
ten years; Eva Martin Baker; Hazel street
John Fritz, aged sixteen. Hazard wire:
rope-wOrks; Peter Rittenmyer, aged
Twenty-Five. Cinderalla street; Mrs. Eliza
McGinley, aged twenty eight, Scott street.
Acl iulhut, JOun mcUluloy, ucT SUI, ukcO
thirteen: Joseph KERN, milk man, Madi-
son street; Adam Frantz. of Jones &
FrantZ; Geo. Hamilton and an unknown
Hungarian. employed at Stegmaier's brew
cry; Peter Schmidt, aged ten.
Fatally Injured-Franklin Welch. legs
and back injured; John III ousch. injured in
ternally and on the head; John Long.
crushed badly; unknown employe of Della
ware * Hudson railroad. skull fractured
and brain protruding; James Mckinley
Scott street: Berlin Vandermark, hurt on
head; Frank Fulford. hurt internally; Mrs
Barret. hurt internally; Mary Mckinley
Isaiah Newshigel, q prominent contractor
Severely Injured-J. Frank Hart. Ambrose
Constane. John Klienhauff, JudsOn Garri.
son. William Sherred. Jesse Hauser, two
unknown women from Nanticoke, hurt al
Lehigh Valley station; Miss Mary Hen.
wood. Albert Smith. Frank Otis. of New
York. an agent; Monroe Bretzman. VIM
BIetzman. G.. s. Green, L. l.. Solomon. Bir
ney Besel. George Gresh, Simon Keifer
Jacob Bergold, Mrs Nicholson and heI
child. son of Frank Zirnhelt, John Nc
Mutt. Margaret McAvoy.
The city during the night was enveloped
In darkness. all the service from the
electric-light station being cut of. The
track ot the storm embraced the company's
network of wires and also aused the elec.
trio street railways to suspend operations
completely, and until the trees, telephone
and telegraph poles and debris is removed
from the tracks they cannot resume.
The Record places the number of build
ingS wrecked at fOnr hundred They are