Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-10-03
Severe Storms.

A terrible cyclone swept over the
business portion of Little Rock, Ark,
at TAO o'clock last night, carrying
death and destruction in its path.
Shortly after dark a heavy storm came
from the West, accompanied by vivid
flashes of lightning and heavy clashes
of thunder. The skies suddenly clear
ed and the storm was thought to be
over, when suddenly a heavy gale from
the southwest appeared, and for three
minutes the city was in the throes Of
the storm. The wind was terrific.
Trees, telegraph, telephone and electric
light poles were uprooted and carried q
distance of 200 yards. The roofs of
about thirty of the largest buildings in
the city were torn off and hurled
against buildings on the opposite side
of the street, leaving the occupants and
property within to the mercy of the
d%renching rain. which began to fall in
torrents shortly afterwards. When the
cyclone had ceased, it was discovered
that the residence portion of the city
had entirely escaped, but Main street,
i, Third, Markham street, from Center
:, Cumberland, and Second, from Cum
uerland, were almost total wrecks.
The territory covers the principal bust
ness portion of the town. Several peo-
pie are known to have been killed and
injured. The total property loss will
probably approximate a million dollars.
The storm struck the State peniten-
tiary, which stands on a hill in the west
ern part of the city, with fearful force,
destroying the dining room, tearing
down the stable and shops, unroo6ng
the main cell building and demolishing
the warden's Office. Several of the
convicts were seriously injured, one of
whom died an hour afterwards.
About IL o'clock at night q message
was received from the insane asylum,
situated two miles from the city, and
the State pe~nitentisry, calling for a
corps of physicians and other assistance.
1t was stated that a number of patients
at the asylum were fatally injured and
great damage was done to the build
ings. Reports from the penitentiary
say six convicts were badly injured by
falling timbers, two of whom will die.
Mayor Hall as soon as possible called
out the entire fire and police depart
ments and sent ten hackloads of ply
sicians and citizens to the insane asy-
lum and penitentiary. Intense excite
ment prevailed, and it was utterly i'm
possible to learn the names of the killed
and injured. All kinds of exaggerated
reports were in circulation. DR.. Jacob
T. Ingate, who went there several
months ago from Mobile, Ala, to &C.
cept a position in the asylum, was
killed. He was buried beneath the
ruins of one of the buildings. The dam
age to the insane asylum will reach
S100 5000; that at the penitentiary $780,
600, and the Capitol and Richelieu no.
tells were badly damaged.
A dispatch from Memphis dated last
night says "The cyclone which swept
over Arkansas has been serious in the
amount of damage and che extent OF
territory covered. The wires were
swept away. The cyclonic storm made
its appearance in the extreme North
west, moved southeasterly, and was re-
ported yesterday evening central over
the upper Mississippi valley. The
trough of the storm thus occasioned ex-
tended southwark to the northern bor-
der, but there is no report of damage in
Texas. AT IL o'clock a storm of almost
cyclonic proportions struck Memphis.
accompanied By rain and heavy %electri-
cal demonstrations.