Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1890-08-20
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS TO
THE CITIZEN TO-DAY.
A TERRIBLE CYCLONE STRIKES
wlLkESBARRE, PA.
II u N e ED0 OF BUII,DINlss
BLOWN DOWN.
SOME LIVES LOST AND MANY
PERSONS INJURED.
A GREAT DEAL. OF DAMAGE TO
BUSINESS ENTERPRIsEs.

| Wu.kEsBARRE, Pa, August 2O.-Thcrt
was terrible cyclone here yesterday
As the time grows on and the severity o.
the cyclone is mort and more demon
strated it is regarded as singular that
so comparatively few lives were lost.
Immense buildings, containing many
people, were unroofcd and, in many cases
almost destroyed in the twinkling of an
eye, and at the hour when people were
about the streets amid the timbers and
debris ofevery character.
The city in its most frequented part,
around the depot, presents its worst ap,
pearance. Passenger and freight cars
were lifted from the tracks and laid on
their sides, while other cars were rushed
along the tracks by the force of the cy.
clone.
The cyclone made its appearance sud.
denly and with portentious clouds, tire.
mendous thunder bolts and streams OF
electric light that appalled, the people.
The Vulcan iron works and the Key
stone -four mill first felt the storm, which
then swept on up Main street, razing the
building on the west side. Then it struck
the handsome residences and stores,
green houses, pottery works, ETC., along
Main street as far as academy street.
The brick dwellings were unroofcd and
their upper stories torn away and some
were levcled to the ground. South
Main and Franklin streets wcr
completely blocked with fallen trees,
roofs. timbers. and wire. Vecring east.
ward the storm swept out Ross and Ha.
zcl streets; then up South Washington
street extending as far cast on Ross stree,
as the Hazard wire rope works. II fol.
lowed Washington street and wrecked
st. Mary's church; then jumped to the
Lehigh Valley and Jersey Central depots.
and swept along the railroad to Five
Points. Here it turned again. swept up
Pearl street, out by Baltimore shaft NJ
and then dashed up the mountain sid,
and spent itself in the woods.
The scene at the Hazard wire ropc
works was terrible. The immense build.
ing was badly injured and in the debris
lay the dead and injured. The In ter
were helpless until assistance came to
them. The seriously injured at these
works exceeds twelve and there were
two killed.
At Five Points mothers with their
children in their arms cried to heaven for
help. Their frail homes were trembling
about them and the air outside was filled
with falling buildings.
Near the Delaware and Hudson railroad
on Scott street Mrs. Eliza Jane McGinly.
aged about 20 years. and her babe were
crushed to death. John McGinly. aged
IS years was also killed. Mary McGinly.
was probably fatally hurt. James Henc-
gan could not be found in the ruins of
his home.
The Barber Asphalt company works
were blown down. S. r. Brown & Co.'S
mammoth business block on Market
street containing ten wholesale stores is
ruined. The MURRAY coal breaker was
destroyed with heavy loss. The NAM
moth Hollcnback breaker is complete
wreck. Scores of other business houses
and dwellings were destroyed.
A careful estimate of the number of
buildings demolished and partially de-
stroyed Is 400. The loss will probably
reach nearly III not quite 81 600 600