Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-05
RUIN OF A CYCLONE.
The Cumberland Valley Swept by a
Sudden Storm From the South.
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LOST.
A Number of Houses Wrecked and Several
Churches Destroyed.
NOT A HINT OF WARNING WAS THERE

MECHANICSBURG, Dec 4-This borough
was visited at 1:32 o'clock this afternoon by
a cyclone that left in its track ruin and desc
lation. The crash came so sudden that the
people for moment were stunned, but as
soon as they recovered and looked out they
realized the magnitude of the danger that
had threatened them.
| The Methodist church was struck from
the rear, and STAYED in with such tremend.
GUS force that the pulpit furniture and cell
ing is an entire wreck, and what was left
unruined by the storm was ruined by the
| pouring rain. Franklin Hall was unroofed
and the building splintered. In the third
floor of this building the Masons have fine
lodge room, the paraphernalia of which is a
total wreck.
A large double three-story building on
Main and Arch streets, owned by DR.. H. G.
Leas, had the third story clipped off as
slick as if done by an artisan. Adjoining
resided Christian Long. Mrs. Long was in
the sitting room sewing when the crash
came She barely had time to escape, fly
ing brick striking her on the shoulder.
This house is wreck from attic to cellar,
carrying with it all the comforts of happy
home.
Another Church Among the Ruins.
The Church of God had two front pillars
blown down, and the rear of the residence
of ex-Sheriff Totten was badly wrecked.
At the residences of David Brindle and G.
b. Zug, on East Main street, the tin roofs
were curled and dropped in the street.
Higher up the street the resi-
dence of Mrs. Coover was splintered
SO badly that it will have to be rebuilt.
Across the street is the three-story brick
residence of Mrs Bare. The. third story
was blown into the street. A few doors
above is the National Hotel, large three
story building. The tin roof over the en-
tire building was Tapped up and carried into
the yard. Across from the hote! is the
house of Jacob Overdeer The second
story was badly stoved in. damaging the
entire house. Higher up, the stable Of DR..
Hummel was caught and turned topsy
turvey; also the stable of George Coover,
on South High street.
At Rollers spoke work. the roof of the
large factory was blown off and the giant
smoke stack blown down, which carried
with it the ruins of the boiler house and
one of the engines.
A Number Of Buildings Wrecked.
Christian swartz, of Allen street. had
double loss. The top story of his residence
was badly wrecked, and stable in the rear
dismantled. The residence of Miss Lizzie
Long, on the same street, suffered the loss
of a chimney and rear building. At the
industrial works of Hauck & Comstock
very high and substantial smokestack sue
cumbed to the force of the cyclone, and fall
ing on the roof destroyed it.
The blacksmith shop of John Stansfeld
received the shock just as it had spent its
force. The shop leans SO badly that it will
require resetting and rebuilding.
The storm was the severest in the history
of this borough, and its loss can be safely
placed at $50, 900. There was terrible ex-
services of the fremen was called into requ1-
sition to protect the citizens against the
tottering walls. Business was at once sus-
pended for the entire afternoon.
Great Loss In the Cumberland Valley.
A special telegram from Carlisle SAYS:
The fercest storm of wind and rain the
Cumberland Valley had known for many
wears was experienced this afternoon, with
resultant loss to property of over S1OO, 900.
The storm first came from the southeast,
and then veered around finally, after spend |
ing its fury, coming directly from the west |
Throughout the afternoon the rain fell in |
torrents, and the streets were flooded as to |
become practically impossible. Through |
out the storm the wind blew with unprece-
dented violence. The roof of the Phila- |
delphia and Reading freight depot at Ship
pensburg was torn from its fastenings. The |
windows in the overall factory were
crushed in, and the roof of the establish
ment carried into the street, several people
near the place having narrow escapes. The
township sohoolhouse was unroofed, and the |
Western Maryland roundhouse completely |
wrecked, though as yet no loss of life is re-
ported
In Carlisle the damage was heavy. A
new brick house owned by ex-Constable
Eberlv was blown down, and two other
frame buildings wrecked Trees were up
rooted and fences blown down, and
suffered greatly, several minor
injuries being reported from flying timbers.
Great damage is also reported from the
country districts. In Wavnesboro the
Lands Tool Works were partially wrecked
BY the wind, and the Webster schoolhouse
vas completely demolished. This building
was empty at the time. At the
upper end of the valley, in the country
districts, the wind swept with the fury of
ornado. Barns were caught up by the
Wind and strewn all over the fields Crops
we're destroyed, and loss and suffering is re-
ported from every side, as the storm came
IN with but little warning. Most of the
'ailroad wires are blown down, and but a
ew commercial lines are left standing, and
hey are being constantly interrupted. The
Dig warehouse at Shippensburg is reported
o-night as being completely unroofed, and
many thousand bushels of grain are exposed
% the destroying rain. of the injured,
George Wilson, an employe of the ware
louse, is probably the worst, he being
truck in the back and hurt internally by
! flying plank. The exact loss will not be