Omaha daily bee., 1890-07-27
THE PATH OF THE WHIRLWIND
DesolatiOn Marks its Course Through the
Village of Lawrence.
EIGHT KILLED AND MANY INJURED,
A Devastating Cyclone Visits the Site
of the Pembcrton Mills Disaster
Five Hundred People Rem
dered Homeless.

LAWRENCE, Mass, July ga cyclone, the
FIRST of any considerable Importance within
the memory of New Englanders, and one
equal in destructive power TO those so fire.
quently reported from western communities
visited the suburb of South Lawrence this
morning and in fifteen minutes had killed
eight people, seriously injuring from fifteen
to twenty, slightly injuring at least twenty
more and cut a swath through the thckly
populated section POO feet wide and mile
long The storm rendered many people
homelcss destroyed or greatly damaged some
scventy-five to nehundred buildings, mostly
dwelling houses levelled beautiful square
of over 500 trees, and entaled property loss
now estimated at 100000, all of which was
insured against damage by wind and storm.
The calamity is the greatest which has
visited Lawrence since the fall and burning
ofPemberton mills, thirty years ago.
South Lawrence is busy railroad junction
and vicinity where many wooden houses
are occupied mainly by wcll-to.do mechanics,
and among these the cyclone spent its great
est fury. The northern boundary of the belt
of destruction was but three streets south of
the Lofty mills, with their busy throngs of
thousands of workers, showing how narrow
was the escape from more appalling loss of
life and property.
The air was hot and humid. Dark
clouds scured westerly through the heavens
with intermitted rain.
Suddenly the wind vecrcd and an inlxy
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. twas accompanied by torrents of
rain In an instant the crash came.
Buildings were lifted from their founda-
tons and dashed to pieces, Others were
tipped over or blown from their positions and
more or less damaged. The air was filled
with flying debris.
Most of those who met death in the wreck
were killed instantly. Many lay uncon-
scious or groaning in the ruins of their
homes. The train of ruin and its path
showed that the cyclone touched the earth at
or near the cricket grounds, crossed Emmett
street, Broadway, the railroad and Parker
street and entered Springfield street at its
southwest end, traverSed its entire
length and demolished nearly every
thing In its course including
one house on Foster street and two on South
Union street where they cross Springfield
street; passed Springfield street into Union
square leveling over five hundred trees, and
thence over the Shawseen river into Andover
where it exhausted its fury on the trees and
fences
removing the injured from the ruins. Anbu-
lanSatsv carried several loads of. gled
and crushed human beings to the hospital
Others were taken to private houses The
work of devastation began at the cricket
grounds on the southwest with the uprootng
OF number OF trees.
"A story and a half house in the rear of
No. q Emmett street was occupied by James
Lyons and family. Hearing the approach of
the storm Lyons rushed into the house seized
the baby teom his wife's arms and fled to the
street. Both the man and child escaped,
but the dead body of Mrs. Lyons was
subsequently taken from the ruins Of her
dwelling.
AT the foot of Saunders court the switch
house in which Michael Higgins, section
hand. was standing, was taken
up bodily by the wind and car
ried under the overhead railroad bridge
crossing Salem street. where Higgins fell
out and was instantly killed Several houses
were smashed here.
Chief Clerk Cars, in the Boston g. Maine
car shops, says there was a sudden rum bling
sound and then darkness. Timbers and trees
flew by the car shops at a terrible rate.
Following is II list OF the dead:
MICHAEL HIGGINS aged thirty-fve
MRS. MARY O'CONNELL, aged thirty
Miss MARY oCoNNELL, aged seven
MRS. ZABETH COLLINS.
ANNIE COLLINS, aged six
HANNAH BEATTY, aged nine.
MRS. MARY LYONS and
HELEN CUTLER.
A, Hart is at the hospital and it is thought
he will die.
Thirteen injured were carried to the hospi
tai while the Others, whose names cannot be
learned, We're cared for by friends their in
turies being slight.
The cyclone entered Springfield street.
where the greatest devastation was wrought
When No. 81 fell O'Connell, his wife and
daughter Mamie were carried down with it
O'Connell was the first to be extricated. He
suffers severe internal injuries. The wife
ana daughter Were removed from the ruins
alter two hours hard work, both dead
NAMES neck was dislocaed.
On Portland street lumber yard was
DOWn 10 atoms The gate keeper at the cross
ing was lifted bodily from his cabin and
carried some distance. He was seriously
shaken up and for some time unconscious
No. l6 occupied below by William Collins
was lifted from its foundation and the upper
part came crashing through the ceiling OF the
lower one where sat Mrs, Collins and three
nttle children. For amomenta heartrending
shrek came from the heap and then all was
still. Mrs. Collins was taken out dead, also
her daughter Annie aged six.
South Union street great damage was done
The wind continued in thedirectiono of Spring.
field street, northeastward through Union
square, breaking and twisting trees in every
- conceivable shape. Large oaks and ems were
mere pipestems in the path of the DESTROYER
1t Is believed that from 800 to 900 trees were
destroyed in and about the park.
In Andover one house was destroyed and
plank six feet long was landed in Sutton's
mill yard, having been carried from Law
renee,
Trees Were felled on all sides and fences
blown helterskclter. The occupants of most
OF tho ruined houses Were hardworking Ia
boreIS, whose houses were the fruit of a life
Of toll ~
The engineer Of the Boston express saw the
cyclone as he was nearing South Lawrence
ana stopped his engine, this probably saving
ms tram, which was due south of Lawrence
at lhe tllile the cyclone struck the place, The
flames broke out and but for the interyention
Of rain storm fire would have added to the
horrible calamity.
In the storms Wake.
MAIDEN, Mass, July 26.-The first train
from Lawrence since the reported disaster