St. Paul daily globe., 1892-07-01
DEATH-DEALING WIND
Gloucester, N. j., Struck by
a Destroying Cyclone at
Monday.
Three Men Struck Dead and
Two Women Crippled
for Life.
Crashing Timbers Kill Two
and Lightning Stiffens the
Third Victim.
The Quaker City and Parts
Of Connecticut Are Also
Ravaged.

GLOUCESTER, n. j., June 30.-At 1:.0
this afternoon wind storm of cyclonic
character struck this city from the
southwest, doing great damage to prop
erty, killing two people and injuring
three others severely. The killed are:
PATRICK HIGHLANDS, aged fifty years, of
Philadelphia.
ROBERT S. HAMILTON, fifty-five, of Glouces-
ter
The injured: Mrs Robert Hamilton, wife
of Robert Hamilton, foot badly crushed;
Mary Hamilton, daughter of Robert Hamil-
ton, seriously injured about the body and
limbs; Patrick Higgins, severe conlusons in
head.
For an hour or more before the storm
burst threatening clouds filled the west
ern sky to the zenith, an occasional
flash of lightning rending them from
top to bottom. The air was close and
heavy, and the light wind that was
blowing sent the clouds before it with
hardly preceptible movement. BY
O'Clock the heavens were almost cuv-
cred. and the people began to hurry to-
wards places of safety. Shortly after
O'Clock few persons who were on the
beach were panic stricken by seeing
plack cloud OF tne
Fearful Funnel-Shape
rushing across the river in a southwest
erly direction from the Pennsylvania
shore. With almost Incredible swift
ness the cyclone bore down towards
this city. The cloud did not approach
with any great forward movement. but
bounded from the water III leaps like a
gigantic football. The path of the cy-
clone was about 800 feet wide, and
whenever it struck the water 1t lashed
it into foaming waves. Fortunately no
ships were in the path Of the wind, and
it wasted its fury upon the river itself.
In the meanwhile people upon the
beach rushed for shelter. Some jumped
into the river, and as the cyclone passed
over them they dove beneath the sur
face. Patrick Highlands was among
those on the beach. He ran towards
FrOmbogen's pavilion. The wind, how
ever, was close on his heels, and as he
dashed into the building the cyclone
struck it. There was crash of falling
walls, and Highlands fell dead across
the doorway with his brains beaten out
by heavy girder. Standing behind the
bar within few feet of where the
fleeing Highlands was struck down was
one of the bartenders. Girders, jOists
and roofing fell all around him, but he
escaped.
Adjoining Frombogen's on the south,
is Haggerty'S saloon. The pavilion
saved it from destruction, but the cor
rugated iron roof was taken off as com
pletely as if done by rOofer. With
what remained of Frombogen's and
Eaggerty's roof in its grasp, the wind
rushed Oh to more destruction, suffering
and death. A toboggan and some
patent swings received part of the
debris from the cloui, and were totally
wrecked.
Killed in His Home.
Three hundred feet behind Frombo-
gems was the humble home of Robert
Hamilton. Hamilton and his wife and
daughter were about to sit down to din
ner. With appalling suddenness the
greater part of Frombogen's pavilion
was hurled upon the house. crushing it
to the ground. Hamilton was instantly
killed and his wife and daughter badly
injured, and will be crippled for life.
After completing the destruction of
Hamllton's house the wind swept on to
the SOuthWard. tearing up trees and
fences, but fortunately no more build
ines were in its path.
Within ten minutes after the destruc-
tion by the wind the sun was shining,
and the gay crowds Of men and women
who fill this place were laughing and
jeSting as usual.