The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-06-15
Especial to the Press. I

a. LopecldI TO Ine PreSS.
SAco, June 14.-The edge of a wild
western cyclone struck here this after
noon at half past five. The dust blew in
such clouds that it was impossible to see
across the streets, but fortunately the
center of the storm passed to the east
ward Of the city proper, although it
caused havoc in the outskirts. In the
city itself chimneys and small trees were
blown down and big tree just below
Cataract falls was blown into the river.
In behring's lumber yard on Seaman
street boards blew around like shingles.
An old barn on the corner of Franklin
street and the Buxton road, owned by
Walter McKusick, was blown fiat half
the roof and one end of it being landed
out in the road. The loss is small.
Ex-Alderman Jesse P. Smiths big
barn, about two miles out on the Buxton
road, was also ruined by the wind. 1t
was a strongly built structure, which
was being raised and was elevated on
jack screws when the storm struck it,
The barn was completely collapsed and
one cow was buried in the ruins. Mr..
Smith is a milkman and generally keeps
fifty COWS, but the rest of his herd were
at that time down in the pasture. Seven
men who had been working under the
barn minute before got out just in time
to escape being crushed.
Five miles out of the city, George
A. Bean, the twenty years old
son of John Bean,
Was Caught in the Ruins
of his fathers new barn, which was
nearly completed, and which was leveled
to the ground by the wind His head
was caught in the falling timbers, and he
was extricated with difficulty. He re-
tanned his senses, and only a small bruise
appeared on his head, but his condition
is critical. OF the barn, not one whole
stick of timber was left. The barn was
practically completed except putting in
the doors and windows.
Gilman's train out from Portland,
leaving there at 5.15, struck the storm
while it was on the bridge over the Dun
stan river at Scarboro. The force of the
gale literally stayed the progress of the
train, and the cars rocked like ships at
sea.
Women and Children shriel1ed,
and men sprang from their seats and
crowded to the windward side of the
cars, to prevent them from going over.
The gale had big sweep down the river
| and the train must have been directly in
the centre of the storm. The rain came
down in sheets, and beat in fiercely un-
der the car windows.
Hon. Willis T.. Emmons, deputy col
lector of customs in Portland, quietly
played cards in the smoker during all the
disturbance.
All the evening there was terrific.dis-
play of lightning, but no damage is
known to have resulted in this vicinity.
The telegraph poles at West Biddeford
are all down and telegraph communica-
| ton to Boston on the Western division of
| the Boston & Maine is interrupted.
| AT North Saco the farm house of Geo.
STUART on the Flag Pond road, five miles
from the city,
Was Struck by Lightning
| at $50. Mr.. Stuart had his leg broken a
month ago by being caught under barn
that was being moved and had been lying
on lounge down stairs. He hobbled to
the window to look out just as bolt of
| lightning came down the chimney. The
| lightning in some way crossed the room
and struck Mr. Stuart on the right side
of his face, paralyzing his face, eve and
| arm. 1t also burned the cotton bandage
around his leg and broke the plaster
cast. A doctor was summoned from
| Saco and it is thought Mr.. Stuart will re-
cover in time. A number of trees in the
| ,ioiy i+xYx hInxxTT, n