Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-12-03


The storm which has been so remark
able in its varied charac teristics, so dis
astrous in its effects and far-reaching In
the area of it's sweep, will be recorded.
especially In the log books OF the tele-
graph and telephone companies, as at
once having equaled II not exceeded the
utter paralysis wrought by the great
blizzard OF 1888. In truth, the day was
a storm kings carnival, and, as tho So
quel may prove, in many instances the
carnival of death Already from nu-
merous points come reports OF damage,
destruction. and death. and when ces-
sation OF the warning elements permits
OF restoration Of Geographic commu-
nication with points at present inacces-
sible owing to the prostration OF the
wires, the extent of the disaster will
only be fully known.
Originating near Southern Georgia or
Northern Florida, this resistless wave of
devastation swept northward. entirely
bearing down in It's path the fiimsy
wires, swapping off trees and telegraph
poles like reeds, toppling over chimneys,
tearing of roofs, and crushing appar-
emily substantial buildings like playhous-
es OF cardboard. Bounding over tho
Alleghenies, this awful destroyer, shrek
ing with fendish glee, fell upon Baltl.
more, Richmond, Washington, and Phil
adelphia, scattering through highway
and byway mementoes of his tremendous
power, as II in mocking derision of mans
power.
The cyclone struck Washington and
lasted about ten minutes 1t was &C.
compaDied by a driving rain, with vivid
lightning flashes. To add to the con-
fusion fire bells were rung, occasioned
by buildings in various parts OF the city
being blown down. The worst of the
storm visited the corner Of K and
Twelfth streets and wrecked the entire
corner A building in the course Of erec-
ton, and which had attained height OF
four stories, was blown in upon the rear
of several adjoining buildings. A
number Of people were employed in
these buildings and upon the building In
the course OF construction number Of
bricklayerS we're at work. The work
men narrowly escaped death, but in an
extension of one of the buildings crushed
Mr.. White, q tailor, was instantly
killed, being man9 led almost beyond
recognition. Several other employees in
his establishment were seriously in
iured. At the White House about two
tons of stone coping on the top of the
mansion were blown down on the porch
on the east side of the building, crush
ing it in. A window in the east room
was also blown in. The flagstaff on top
of the White House was snapped off as
il IL was glass.
At baltimore. the wind and ra n was
OF unusual intanAity II. strnek tho oitv
from the southwest, blowing down signs
and flag poles, and doing other damage.
The roof of the oyster. packing hou g of
c. S. Maltby was blown off by the wind.
A number of persons working in the top
story were in iured, but none seriously.
From all parts of Pittsburg and Ale
gheny come reports Of damage. Houses
were blown down or unroofed, trees
snapped Of short, signs broken from
their fastenings, and telegraph poles
torn up and wires broken. In the West
End Or INNS new three-story hotel, not
yet finished. was blown down. crushing
a small dwelling adjoining. The occu-
pants all escaped but Mrs. PEBBLES, who
was preparing dinner In the kitchen.
She was buried in the ruins, and fatally
injured.
7 he storm seemed to divide itself into
two arms, branching from center In
North Carolina. one arm bearing down
the coast, the other bearing northward
and veering north Of Washington, de-
scribjnR- n -tremendops- ops-eiEele>sSsBaaring
over Lakes Ontario and Erie, finally
passed away to the north, disappearing
in Raffin's Bay. From Eastern. Ohio
and Western Pennsylvania reports, as
yet meager, outline the destruction in
every direction, accurate reports Of
which can only be secured later. Suffice
to say that all is chaos The damage
will be many thousands of dollars in
every section OF the country visited by
the great storm.