The morning call., 1890-07-27
SWEPT AWAY
BY A CYCLONE.
A Clean SWath Cut Through a
Massachusetts Town.
Dwellings Lifted From Their Foundations
and Blown to Pieces.
Eight Persons Instantly Killed and Many
Others WOunded-Fire in the Ruins
Prevented by Rain.


special DSpalc0eS 10 IHE MORNING CALL.
LAWRENCE (Mass.l July GA cyclone,
the first of any considerable Importance
within the memory in New England, and
one iequaling in destructive power those
so frequently reported from Western COM
munities, visited the suburb of South
Lawrence this morning and in fifteen min
utes had killed eight people, seriously in
jured from fifteen to twenty, slightly
injured at least twenty more, cut a swath
through a thickly peopled section, 100
feet wide and mile long, rendered
many people homeless, destroyed or greatly
damaged some seventy-five to 100 buildings,
mostly dwelling-hOuses, leVeled beautiful
square of over 800 trees, and entaied
property loss now estimated at 100000, all
of which was uninsured against damage by
wind and storm. The calamity is the
greatest which has visited Lawrence since
the fall and burning of the Pemberton
Mills, thirty years ago.
South Lawrence is busy railroad juno
tion, and in a vicinity where there are
many wooden houses, occupied mainly by
well-to-do mechanics, and among these the
cyclone spent its greatest fury. The north
ern boundary belt of destruction was but
three streets south of lofty mills with their
busy throngs of thousands of workers, and
shows how narrow was the escape from a
more appalling loss of life and property.
The air was hot and humid. Dark clouds
scurred westerly through the heavens with
intermittent rain Suddenly the wind
yeered and an inky black cone-like cloud
seemed to drop from the cumulous mass
hanging in the southwest and move rapidly
with an awful aspect toward the city. 1t was
accompanied by torrents of rain. In an
instant the crash came. Buildings were
lifted from their foundations and dashed TO
pieces. Others were tipped over or blown
from their positions and more or less dam
aged. The air was filed with flying debris
Most of those who met death in the wreck
were killed instantly. Many lay uncOn-
sciouS or groanng in the ruins of their
homes. The trail Of ruin in its path showed
that the cyclone touched the earth
at or near the cricket grounds,
crossed Emmett street, Broadway, the
roiruad track and Parker street and et-
tered Sprihg gheld street at It's southwest
end, trayersing its entire length and demol-
isned nearly everything in its course. in
Guiding one house on Foster street and two
on South Union street, where they cross
Springfield street IL passed from Spring
field street into Union Square, levellng
over 800 trees, and thence over to ShawsOn |
River and across, where it exhausted its
fury on trees and fences.
The cyclone entered Springfield street,
where the greatest devastation was
wrought. When No. 81 fell O'COnnel his
wife and daughter Mamie were carried
fnWp with (Gi i'nOnplI flp first n he
eXtricated. He suffers internal Injuries.
His wife and daughter were removed from
the ruins after over two hours hard WORK,
both dead. On Portland street q lumber
yard was blown TO atoms and the gate
keeper at the crossing lifted bodily from
his cabin and carried some distance. He
is seriously shaken up and was for some
time unconscious.
No. 16, occupied below by William Col
lins, was lifted from lis foundation, ana
the upper part came crashing through the
ceiling of the lower part, where sat Mrs.
Collins and her three little children. For
moment heartrend!ng shrekS came from
the heap OF rubbish, then all was still.
Mrs. Collins was taken out dead, also her
daughter Annie, aged years,
On South Union street great damage was
done. The wind continued in the diTec-
tion of Springfield street, northward
through Union square, breaking and twist
ing trees III every conceivable shape. 1t is
DeIltNtu ludl lIOul OOO ~ lpNU llteS NGIt
destroyed IN and about the park.
In Audover one house was unroOfed,
trees were felled on all sides and fences
blown helter-sKelter. The OCCUPANTS of most
of the ruined houses were hard-working
laborers, whose houses were the fruit of a
lifetime of toll.
The engineer of the Boston express saw
the cyclone as he was nearing South Law
renee and stopped his engine. This
probably saved his train, which was
due at South Lawrence at the time
the cyclone struck the place. Flames
broke out. and but for the intervention
of the rain-storm, fire would have added to
the horror OF the calamity. The tiremen
rendered great assistance in removing the
injured from the ruins, and in ambulances
carried several loads Of manglrd and
crushed human beings to the hos ltal 9th
erS were taken TO private houses. The work
of devastation began al the cricket grounds
ON the southwest with the uprooting of a
number of trees.
A story-aud-a-half house in the rear Of 6
Emmett street was occupied by James
Lyons and family Hearing the approach
OF the storm Lyons rushed into the house,
seized his baby from his wife's arms and
fled to the street. Both man and child es-
capped, but the dead body of Mrs. Lyons
was subsequently taken from the ruins of
her dwelling.
At the foot of Saunders court switch |
house, in which Michael Higgins, switch |
hand, was standing, was taken up bodily |
by the wind and carried over the railroad |
bridge crossing Salem street, where Hig- |
gins fell out and was instantly killed. Sew |
era! houses were smashed here.
Following is the list of dead:
Beatty, Hannah, aged 9.
Collins, Mrs. Elizabeth.
Collins. Annie, aged g.
Cutler, Helen.
Higgins, Michael, aged 3d.
Lyons, Mrs. Mary.
O'Connell, Mrs. Mary, aged "a.
OConnell, Miss Mary, aged II.
A. Hart is at the hospital and it is |
thought he will die. Thirteen injured were |
carried to the hospital, while others, whose |
names cannot be learned, we're cared for by |
their friends, their injuries being slight
EMBRo (Ont). July 26-One of the worst |
hail storms ever known here visited this |
section last night. doing tremendous dam
age to crops, a great field of oats being |
literally stripped and other grains suffering |
in like manner.
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