The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-08-22
SWEPT BY A CYCLONE.
The Wyoming Valley Partly pevasta-
ted BY Great Storm.
wnKEs.BARRE BADLY STRICKEN.
Probably Fifty People Killed in That City
and Vicinity.
HUNDREDS or RUINED BUILDINGS.

HUNDREDS OF RUINED BUILDINGS.
WILKES BARRE, Aug. 19.--The
Wyoming Valley was swept by ter
rible cyclone this afternoon. Many
people were killed, not only in Wilkes
Barre, but in towns and settlements in
the valley. An estimate places the
loss of life in Wilkes Barre at twenty
eight.
Reports come from Sugar Notch,
mining town, three miles from here,
that the destruction of property is ter
rible and that fifteen persons were kill
ed.
AT Parsons and Mill Greek, four
miles from here, Goa. breakers in all
| directlous have been more or less
damaged, and the number of killed
will reach ten. Telegraph wires are
down in all directions and communi-
cations all shut off.
Two hundred buildings were des-
troyed or badly damaged in this city
alone.
HOW THE STORM CAME UP.
At o'clock this afternoon the
most terrible cyclone that was ever ex-
perienced in this locality struck this
city. 1t came up the river. From
what point it originated is not now
known.
The suddenness of its coming was
one of its most awful features. Tue
heavens were as black as night and the
wind blew with most frightful velocity
Whole rows Of trees were blown down.
Following this, hundreds of houses
we're unroofed, partially blown over or
completely demolished, and worse than
all, the visitation of death was sent
upon number of people. How many
were killed is not known at this time.
The cyclone cut path half mile
broad by three miles long. through
the densely popula cd district. Be.
sides the twenty-eight people killed,
about 180 others are more or less in.
jured. The loss to dwelling houses
and stores alone will amount to over
| 81, 100000.
The streets are all covered with
bricks, fallen timbers, and debris from
the demolished houses. The bodies of
forty or fifty horses are lying on the
streets. All telegraph, telephone and
electric light wires are down.
The town is almost in corplete
darkness. All the newspaper offices
are using lamps.
| The streets are crowded with exclt-
ed people from all over the city. Gangs
are working on the largest ruins aud
expect to exhume several people who
are reported missing, The hospital is
crowded with injured persons and
several drug stores and undertakers'
establishments are being called into
requisition to accommodate the people.
THE ADVENT OF THE DEATH CLOUD.
| All the afternoon light sho wers had
been falling and the sky looked threat
ening. About SIS the atmosphere
became most oppressive. Suddenly a
black cloud, about twenty feet in
diamater, was approaching the south
western part of the city. 1t struck the
outlying districts with q roar as of
thunder and sped through the town in
about twenty-five scc,nds. The
houses and trees in the park were snap
ped as by giant hand. The air was
80 thick for time with dust bricks,
timber, and roof tiles that it was inn
possible to see people in the streets.
HOUSES LEyELED To THE GROUND.
For a distance of three blocks on
South Main Street almost every house
sustained some damage; numbers were
leveled completely off and the front or
side blown in. 1t is impossible to full
ly estimate the damage, as everything
is in the greatest confusion. All traffl G
is stopped.
The efforts of all able bodied rnen
are directed to sheltering the homeless
in some shape for the night. To make
matters worse, heavy rain is falling,
and where roof has been taken off
the water pours down through the
house, destroying furniture.
, NORTH WILKES BARRE DESTRUCTION
On Kidder Street, North Wilkes.
Barre, every house for a distance of
400 yards on both 81 les of the street is
leveled 20 the ground. The roof aud
upper part of the new Lehigh Valley
Railway depot is demolished, and the
track strewn with debris. Several peo-
pie ioere injured there. The entire ice
house of the Wyoming Valley Ice
Company is wrecked. The copper
works of the Murray 81 Hollenback
breakers were carried away ald scatter
ed within a radius of half mile.
i One hundred tinroofers have been
{ telegraphei for aud building mechan.
. les of all kinds can fud employment
I here for weeks to come, as it is al
ready known that fully two hundred
t buildings have been blown down ol
g otherwise damaged. Many of the
structures were of large size and grea,
value.