The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-07-28

street. Shortly before 1t commenced to rain
mother went out to the butchers to get meat
Tor dinner. She had not been gone long
rain fell in torrents. / rushed to the hall
way and cried to my sister, where's the ba-
by my sister, the baby and myself being
the only occupants of the tenement at the
time. remember nothing more than ter
rlDle crash and roar. How was struck and
where fell it's impossible for me to state
The first thing | remember after the crash
was finding myself on Springfield street. l
turned to look at the house, and a terrible
sight met my eyes. Instead of the large
building saw heap of ruins. Sckened
and weak, l entered a neighbor's house
across the street, where for the first time |
became aware of my injuries. Physicians
then arrived. and later on was taken to the
hospital"
Mrs. Lizzie Holdsworth, of 27 Springfield
street. was also seen at the hospital. Speak
ing OF her escape she said: Just as it
commenced to rain | started fire in my
cook stove, which, together with large ker-
osene oil stove, occupied places in the kitch-
en-. While caring for the fire heard it rain
ing outside. 1t seemed to be pouring in tor
rents Suddenly heard terrific noise and
the breaking of glass behind me. Turning
around l saw that the blinds and windows
had been blown out. | started toward the
heard one crash and that was all.
when, | came to was lying in the ruins,
pinned down by timbers, between the two
stoves. Something lay across my forehead
and held my head down. My lower limbs
my mouth between my teeth. and it was i'm
possible to move it. could-not- spealE-te-
cry for help. 1t was terrible position that
was In. At last seemed to gain strength
and heard some Of the rescuing party chop
ping at the boards and timbers which held
me down. At last l was rescued. Again
my senses left me, and when came to was
In team with my husband. We soon ar
rived at the hospital, where l was comfort
ably cared for. / occupied one tenement in
the house. have learned that poor Mrs.
OConnell, my down stair neighbor, and her
daughter. were killed, My escape was won
derful."
Miss johanna O'Brien. aged 3S years, was
carried to the hospital with broken right
shoulder She was pulled out of the ruins
Of the Merrigan house. % Springfield street.
and told the following story: II was in the
bedroom when the storm began. ! saw it
growing dark. Then it started to rain gent
ly, but continued to increase in severity un-
til 1t poured in torrents. The wind blew one
Of the blinds off, and / started to open
the window to secure the other one. just
then l felt the house tumble and shake. 1t
sswayed first one way and then the other. l
fell upon my knees and prayed God to save
me. knew something dreadful had hap
pened. but what didn't know. While on
my knees heard terrible crash. and that
was all. My senses left me, and when |
recovered l saw that my house had fallen In.
Something struck me on the shoulder, and
It panied me terribly. crawled out of the
knew no more until Mr.. Merrigan pulled me
out. Then tainted again, and when l came
to was here in the hospital with a broken
shoulder. 1t was terrible time"
James Henderson, Jr., employed by Hen
street, tells the following story: 81 was
standing in front of 101 Springfield street,
and had just cut off piece of meat and TAX
en- 1t in my hand to carry into the house.
Before | got to the door the wind began
skittish, and went back to hold it. Then /
heard a roaring which seemed as loud as so
engines going at full speed. Looking along
Springfield street toward the west, l could
see the dust whirling and coming toward me,
and the first thing l knew the wind struck
the horse and me from the east / let go of
the horse, and horse and cart were carried
clear off the ground. At that time | didn't
know what became of them, but found after
ward that the horse was dropped near me,
and all OF the cart except the fore wheels
was carried about hundred yards away.
When let go of the horse the wind threw
me against the fence, where | remained
crouched and holding fast to two pickets
until the fury OF the storm was past. 1t
seemed only about half minute before the
wind abated, and went out into the street
and looked about me. was dazed, and
everything seemed confused. At that mo-
ment 1t seemed to me that every house in
South Lawrence was down. Though l
couldn't then realize what had happened, l
knew that it was a cyclone or something
similar that had struck me. Looking round
saw girl about 10 years old who was badly
hurt, and helped to carry her into house.
Some of the people in the damaged houses
were looking out of the windows; others.
who were unhurt, were rushing into the
street calling for help for this one and that.
Nearly everybody seemed frantic, and mo-
body appeared to know what to do or where
to begin to help-and | felt as frantic as any
Of them. Seeing my horse lying in heap,
went to him and tried to get him on his feet,
but found that one of his hind legs was
broken. Later he was shot by one of the of
fcers. heard some one crying: Give me
saw Give me sawP and finding my meat
saw on the ground / said: Here Is meat
saw and man took 1t to rescue a woman
who was pinned down by timber In one of
the wrecked houses I felt that could do
nothing, and SO started across to the North
Side to summon help and ring In an alarm.
But on the way over met the ambulance,
and an alarm was sounded just as / got to
the store. l never want to go through such
a scene again. believe had almost rather
die. The thought of it is enough to turn
ones hair gray"