Huntsville gazette., 1890-05-17
THE CYCLONES PATH.

: vi SyclOnc, rays Visit to
AKRON o., Demolishing Hundred
buildings and Dana ging Many Hundreds
More-Severa1 Persons Hurt, But None
Known to Have Been Killed.
AKRON, o., May 11.-At half-past five
o'clock last evening, in the midst of
most terrific cloud burst, this city was
was struck by the worst tornado, beyond
comparison, which has ever been known
hereabouts, excepting, perhaps, the
Sharon cyclone of just month ago.
The storm struck the southern part of
the city and tore through the Fifth,
Fourth and Second wards, doing dam.
age which can not be estimated at this
wrltlng, but fully one hundred build
ings are completely demolished. Hun
dreds more are badly damaged, and
stretch two miles long is raEed of trees
and buildings of all sorts. The full
force OF the tornado developed just west
of Main street. following northeast
erly course through the Wolf Creek
valley. The house of ID. Greader, at
Cross and Washington streets, was un-
rooted. and Mrs. Greader was slightly
injured. The front of John Van Ats
house was torn off and carried across
the street, and John Heller's house, a
few doors north, was almost demolished,
as were Joseph Bigger's and Louis
Shafller's houses. julius Roepkee's shop
was turned around on it's foundation,
and the Shaffler house was turned up
side down.
Passing along Brown, King and
Wheeler streets dozen or more houses
were more or less damaged, some being
moved bodily from their foundations
and others completely unroofed.
Thomas Gisigan's house on King street
was smashed in as if a tremendous
weight had fallen upon it from above.
Tony Mennetts house on Grant street
was turned topsy-turvy and practically
ruined. AT Grant and Cross streets a
portion of Louis Nauchbauer's house
was blown to atoms.
The wind struck Gebhart Herrman's
house. The family of nine persons had
just sat down to supper. The tornado
struck the house in all its fury and
hurled the dining-room like a flying
top, landing it fifty feet away. All the
ONCu Pdlto hCIt IuOIS VI less DEu1Scu.
Mr.. Herman was pinned down in the
debris, and only the energy of despair
when he smelt the burning odor of the
fire near him, enabled him to eXtricate
himself. Recovering, he found his lit
tie girl burning by the overturned stove,
and before the flames could be extin-
guished she was frightfully burned
q hOnt tho haoly md he HE ic
ruined beyond hope Of repair
Leaving the Herman House, the hur-
ricane then struck the Barkhardt brew
cry squarely, wrecking it utterly.
The next building struck was the
residence of Charles Sanford, which
was removed from its foundation and
badly wrecked
Next to Sanford's place was John
Millers, which was damaged to the ex-
tent of several hundred dollars. The
new house of A. {. Miller was COM
pletely obliteratcd and Mrs. Ellen
Coup's residence was also torn rafter
from rafter. The houses of Charles
Augne, D. s. Humphrey, II. II. Hem
minger, John Klinger, George Roussart,
IN. u SuTISLndU, ". n. hOSb anu OGu6TS
were wrecked and torn, but not demol-
ished.
At the corner of Brown and Exchange
streets o. c. Bakers grocery was torn
to pieces. His wife and daughters were
in the building at the time, but they
made good their escape to the cellar
and were saved; but Mr.. Baker is miss
=
the ruins.
E. S. Harringtons house was crushed
N upon his four children, but all es-
capped.
Thomas Thompson's family heard the
oar, which was like the rushing of
the cellar before their house was lifted
over their heads and landed upside
down many feet away.
Mrs. Nash's house was utterly de-
molished and strewn far and wide.
Phillip Webber's and John Spicer's
houses were carried away and smashed.
The Gibbs Pottery, a brick block 80
by 60 feet, was leveled to the earth
with its kilns and belongings. Frank
Knapp's big stable and large barn was
brought down and injured several
horses. The barn of Mr.. Hunsicker
was carried away with his two COWS.
James Whittelrs barn and orchard were
demolished.
The family of Melvin Irish had just
seated themselves at supper when Mrs.
Irish, warned by some intuition cried:
run to the cellar; cyclone is COM
ing" She and her two children man
aged to reach the cellar before the
crash, but Mr.. Irish was caught by
heavy timber and his spine was
seriously injured. The house was COM
pletely broken to pieces, not timber
remaining in place. Mr.. Irish was
probably fatally injured.
Passing on, the storm demolished al
most as utterly the houses of Alvin
Alexander and Mrs. Kate O'Connell;
and in passing unroofed w. E. Frick's
and Mrs. JewelPs residences. 1t ex-
pended its force on Robert Watts
house. and Mrs Eliza Bakers home,
and passed into the open beyond.
The extent of the tornado is at this