The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-14
1t Was a Funnel-shaped Cloud, with n
Bright Red Spot that GIowed Like
an Incnndescent Lamp.
SEVERAL PEOPLE KILLED
AND A LARGE NUMBER MORE OR
LESS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
Large Amount of Properly DESTROYED
in the MetropoIis-yillage Of Cher
ry Hill, n. j., Demolished.

NEW YORK, July 13-The first tornado
in many years struck New York this after
noon, and resulted fatally in one instance,
besides wrecking a large amount OF valu-
able property. The tornado descended upon
the upper part of eastern New York known
as Cypress Hills, at half-past 4 o'clock,
continued on its way to the Tower Plains
district. and from there travelled to Wood
haven. One life was lost, and the damage
to property was great. A number of peo-
pie were badly hurt.
The cloud was first seen going over Cy-
press Hills. 1t was funnel shaped and
hung very low to the ground. At the upper
end was a red spot. that appeared more like
an incandescent light than anything else.
The storm swept over the city. wrecking
handsome and costly monuments. 1t tore
down trees for about two hundred feet,
and then turned into Jamaica avenue at
Crescent street, up Jamaica avenue for
about half a mile. Trees were torn down.
and telephone, telegraph and trolley wires
demolished. Right in the middle Of the
wreckage six cars were caught. They be-
longed to the Brooklyn & Suburban railroad
and were struck when in front Of the Stew
art home. The cars were filled with pas
sengers and there was great excitement.
Half a dozen persons were slightly injured.
The tornado wrecked thirty houses at
woodhaven and very large schoolhouse
there There were twenty residents OF
woodhaven hit by the various objects
which were carried through the air. Trees
and chimneys sailed through the air as
though they were no heavier than feathers
At Woodhaven a woman was in an out
house. The house was picked up and car
ried by the storm for more than block.
Finally the woman was landed on one
side of the street and the house on the
other. The woman had a marvellous
escape from serious injury, receiving only
a slight cut on the forehead. Mrs. Louisa
Ketreeauin, of Third avenue, near Rock
away, was killed. She stood in the door
way of her house when a flying beam
struck her on the head, crushing IL her
| skull and killing her instantly. The fire
| department and the police were called to
| the scene, but the house was a complete
wreck. and the damage could not be re-
paired by the authorities.
! The cable and trolley cars In Harlem
and north of the Harlem river were eff
fectvey blocked for hours by fallen trees
| and telegraph poles. Several of the big
! thoroughfares were made impossible for
| traffic, owing to the network of wires and
other distractions that had been made by
! the wind and hail. The florists on the
west side of the city were the greatest
sufferers. The conservatories of Charles
Amman, West Nicholas and One-hun-
| dred-and-nineteenth streets, were practi-
cally wrecked by the strom of wind and
hail. -Four hundred glasses were blown in
and growing plants were beaten down by
| the pellets, which were as large as wal
nuts. The large skylight over the dining
room OF the Hotel Warthrop was blown in
and the dining room was deluged. Thirty
| panes of glass in the residence of Jordan
L. Mott, at One-hundred-and-thirt
street and Fifth avenue, were smashed ,y
the force of the downpour of hail, and the
rain soaked and ruined much of the furni-
| ture and bric-a-brac.