Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-27
Six People Killed By a Mas
sachusetts Cyclone.
Sixty Others More or Less
Seriously Injured.
One Hundred Houses Crushed to the
Earth Like Egg Shells.
Stirring Description of the Storm-Great
Pecuniary Loss Resulting-Fire
Starts in the Ruins.
Associated Press Dispatches

Associated Press D1spatches.l
LAWRENCE, Mass. July ga terri
BILE cyclone passed over Lawrence
shortly after 8 O'Clock this morning,
causing great damage and loss Of life. A
heavy rain was falling, and suddenly
black cloud descended upon South
Lawrence, tearing trees up by the roots,
overturning houses and causing frightful
havoc. The wind was in the east, the
rain falling heavily, when suddenly the
heavens became aglow with bright
white light. In moment the wind en-
tered the west, heavy black clouds shot
from behind the western. hills high in
the sky and then the thick mass parted,
down shot black streaks from the murky
mass, and in moment the crash came.
Buildings were crushed like shells of
eggs; whole houses were lifted from
their cellars and terror seized the
dwellers. The buildings in the city
were all Of wood, pretty cosy homes OF
toilers in the mills, but in trice their
ruin was complete.
Terrible Sight.
Over one hundred houses On Spring
field, Salem and Portland streets were
wrecked. Six people were killed out
right and 80 injured.
The cyclone took a northeasterly
course. After the storm the sight was
terrible one. Looking up Sprintield
street could be seen the wrecks of many
houses, and from them came cries for
help. The houses were all OF wood and
the wreck was all the worse therefore.
As soon as the terrified survivors recov-
cred from the shock an alarm was rung
in and a part OF the fire apparatus and
police ambulances responded. Hun
dreds began the work of rescue.
The Victims.
From the ruins of their houses were
taken out the following dead:
Mrs. CoNNELL, No. 10 Springfield
street, crushed.
MAMIE OCoNNELL, neck broken.
MARY LYON, aged 40, crushed.
Mrs. CUMMINGS, Portland street,
crushed.
Her child, years old, crushed.
The child OF Julia Beattie, which is
buried in the ruins, has not yet been
found. OF the injured, some, especi-
ally those of the family of Martin Nc
Laughlin, are seriously if not fatally,
hurt. The damage to property is over
100000.
The Ruins on Fire. e.
The storm first struck Springfield
street, and travelled thence to Salem
street, devastating a section twenty rods
wide. 1t is estimated that a hundred
buildings were leveled. The injured are
now reported as numbering fifty or
sixty. Fire broke out in a number of
places in the ruins, and the entire fire
department is now at work extinguishing
the flames. The injured are being re-
moved and cared for as quickly as pos
sible.
BosToN, July 26.-The first news of
the cyclone direct from Lawrence has
just been received by telephone. The
message confirms the extent of the disas-
ter as first reported. The destruction is
confined wholly to South Lawrence.
Ninety wooden dwellings were destroyed,
and six lives lost. Thirty-fve persons
were injured, $4,000 worth of property
destroyed and 500 people rendered home
less. Passengers on the Boston and
Maine train due in Boston at 10 AS got
good view Of the wrecked town as they
passed through.
A Passengers Story.
A passenger thus describes the scene:
"The rain had ceased, and the wind had
gone down. The first thing l noticed
was that building was blown to the
ground and the trees were twisted and
uprooted. This was on the left-hand
side of the track coming toward Boston.
A number Of farm wagons and objects
of all sorts were scattered about in great
confusion. We were Mortified to see
mans dead body lying upon bridge at
South Lawrence. At the depot every
body was running about in confusion,
not having chance to tell the extent of
the damage. The path of the cyclone
swept at right angles across the track,
cutting clean swath, leveling the
houses and cutting off or uprooting
trees. The train stopped but few
minutes, and it was impossible to find
out anything definite"