The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-29
NENARK'S CYCLONE
Cut a Path Seventy-five
Feet Wide Through
the Town.
HOUSE ROOFS NEATLY REMOVED.
But Fortu nately the Injuries to
Hum an Beings We're Few
and Slight-ExeiIing
Scenes.
speciaI 70 fhe Jersev cltv Nslo,.

1BfCA ~ 70 fAf ocfttN lily Atttuf-
NEWARK. Aug. 20, lS91.-At a quarter
past two yesterday afternoon a destruc-
tive cyclone swept over the lower part of
this city. 1t came mp from the southwest.
The sky was for the most part clear. the
clouds IN it being lgAt and gauzy. But
there was one cloud denser aud darker.
1t came sailing along FROM the direction
in which the wind was blowing, and
those who happened to see 1t said 1t
brought to mind = sledge hammer because
of its heavy aspect. As this cloud few
overhead the wind began to pick up be-
low. Then arose fiercs blast 1t went
through the Tenth ward with a roar and
n crash.
The roof Of three story building cor
ner Of Bowery aud Lexington streets was
torn from its fastenfngs aud whirled sky
ward distance of nearly two hundred
feet A tearing, crashing sound was
heard as tine gale struck the building and
whipped of the heavy root as IL 1t was so
much straw. Pieces Of timber flew In all
directions, causing the utmost consterna-
tioa.
A Mrs. Burgermeister was struck by
falling block and Knocked down. but
escaped serious injury. The wrecked
building is owned by Frederick Miller
ing of ST. Francis street. Other buildings
in chat neighborhood felt the force Of the
cyclone and were more or less damaged.
WHERE 1T CROSSED.
Down by Chestnut street it crossed the
Pennsylvania Railroad tracks 1t first
hit the Tomlluson Company's Spring
Works at Raiiroad avenue and Chestnut
street. Here It dfd not do much damage.
It smashed in the Gwo-inch thick glass of
the skylight. al | picking mp heavy
wooden gate winch closes tue yard sent
ii hurting through the air Then the
blast made q skip and did not allght
again until 1t had leaned Oliver street.
aF.fr At al
81 Co. y long three-storied brick building,
which has been used for leather manu-
facture Before it reached this building
the travelling cyclone hal to traverse
yard one hundred and fifty feet wide.
Here it seems TO have gathered itself to-
gether fer its mightiest work.
1t struck the long building near Me-
Whorfer street. First the w0odea steps
went flying in spiinters. Then the brick
front for the width of about thirty feet
went in like an eggshen. Down tumbled
the wall and up rose cloud of dust with
a mighty noise. After the brick frcnt
went down the blast got under tue roof
and lifted it up and threw IL down partly
upon Reuben Trier's leather mandatory
which closely adjoins.
With the roof went part OF the bricks of
the front. The second floor. too. was
ripped and wrenched away and laid upon
the wreck Of the roof. The dismautliug
of this part Of the building was complete.
Only few joists protruding from the
walls were left.l The structure was
scooped out almost as neatly as sand
heap might be scosped by shoyels.
There WAS ne one in the building. The
firm has been cut of business for some
time. But on the otner side OF the build
ing in the yard Of Reuben Trier's manu-
factory there was CONSERVATION for
minute or SO.
Mr.. TRIER's EFFORTS.
MIR. Trier and his book-keeper were in
the office When the blast came, bearing
with it a cloud of brick dust aud litter,
with an occasional brick shooting out OF
its hands, the book-keeper jumped up and
tried to close the door. At first he put
his hand to IL, but that did not do. Then
he put his back TO it, but the blast was
the stronger. and until it had partially
subsided that door was not shut.
Mr.. Trier heard a cry and ran to the
windows. Out on the street in front of
his shop there was an unusual stir. Men
were running from the shop with their
coats Tapping in the breeze. Women
stood upon the street shrieking at the top
of their voices.
Down in the ward shower of brick
came flying. In the shed old William
McAIaney was at work. The boards,
bricks and dust came raining down on
the shed roof.
bad luck to you, up there. Is it try
ing 10 kill me, you -" he shouted.
Trier's shop escaped all damage cave
the trile caused by flying bricks. But
across East Kinney street big tree was
snapped OF and laid across the yard of
house. There was tho utmost alarm for
a few minutes. No one was hurt.
THE FIRST SIGNS.
The first intimation the people on
Passaic avenue, Bowery and tue cross
streets below jackson street had of the
cyclone was when skylights and shutters
began flying through the air. At first
oxff< 4, hat. .fr.k.
usually accompanies thunderstorm.
Ten seconds later a volume OF air, more
terrific, swept over the section and tore
off tin roofs as IL they were sheets OF
paper
frightened when the skylights and smut
ters fioated through the air, but the
rumbling of the tin roofs created such
terror that the people again sought refuge
in the houses.
strewn with debris. Parts OF the roofs
are entangled in the telegraph wires. A
number OF skylights dangle dangerously
from the wires.
The tin roof on Cashion's tannery on
Chapel street was lifted a hundred feet
in the air, landing 100 yards from the
factory. A part Of the building was also
blown down. The roof on Alderman
Heinkel's big double house near Passaic
avenue was blown down. long shed
which ran along the sidewalk Tor nIty
feet was knocked over the Central Rail-
road tracks fully i've hundred yards
away.
SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED.
The roof of the double three story tene-
ment at Mes. 1l3 aud lis Bowery street
was yanked of and windows of the house
shattered The roof of No. Isl Bowery
dropped into the yard. The two year old
child of John White at No 153 Bowery
street was struck on the head and arm by
q pane of glass and badly cut. She was
taken to her home.
Thomas Slavin, a driver employed by
Simon Brothers. was driving on Bowery
street. He was struck on the head by
falling skylight and badly injured. He
WAS removed to his home on the PLANK
road. His condition is said to be serious
The tin root OF a building fourteen feet
high was lifted of. Thomas Gregory's
peanut stand, which stood on the Bowery
near st. Aloysius' Church was blown
back into loi and wrecked A skylight
lifted from house on Mott street was
found at the corner of Bowery and Schalk
streets. The roof OF Lupfon's double
house ut Nos 143 and las Bowery. was
ripped 1 II aud is new dangling from the
telegraph wires On Chapel street four
of the street car pole are down and lie
across the track. A telegraph pole. heav-
lily laden with wires. was thrown against