Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-09-25
WIND AND RAIN.
Buildings Wrecked by the
Storms Fury.
New Bed ford Visited by Severe Cy.
clone Damage 100000.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. sept. 23-ILI-
,ity was visited hy que % the most violent
storms IN IT, history. % component llrt ui
which was a yyTitahlr cyclone. Tine result
.ng destruction 20 property l. estimated at
sl2j. 900, and for hours it was feared that
several lives has been lost in building
which was wrecked ty the terrific wind.
The storm commenced az about o % clock
in the morning. when rain falling ia sheets
was accompanied r,-a dis iay pf lightning
seldom euualrd. Just after this hour two
men standing on the Fairhayru shore saw a
bolt of lightning descend iu q zi-Zag course.
followed Icy terrifying peal VI thunder.
which shook the ground This fash Of light
appeared o. meet the land ia the vicinity Of
the cotton house 7f che Bennett mil. Fear
ing fire they az once made their way in the
direction of place from which an alarm
might be given.
several clerks in the miH who had just
prepared 10 20 their work were team lUTarilv
blinded hy the desn ending ball 0' '.rr. Their
first thought was that IL hal ~tr1ra IH-
water, but when a moment later thas saw
the yard men rushing from tbs she'd "a +
knew that the building had been tho target.
The master mechanic WAS notified. ami with
out delay the mill fire department was put
at work.
No time was lost in giving the alarm.
which summoned d good share ~ che a'-
uaratus ut the e.ty The cotton house costs
upon pies and at high tide Il i- practically
surrounded ty water. access uelu- gained
only at the extreme north and south ends
When the hremen arrived the tide Wa nHar-
Is full. having turned only short time Doe
fore. aud the water inter- u--i % ~e-'uu- r.-
stacle u their apP-aa b.
Wutln- in ana BttaekiEs th" fly" from a
distance. losing ul course uE this. tu"tr only
chance. considerable valuable time. they
slowly drove harr tine flames 80 last tar dis
tauer from the shore to the building could
Le hridg-d ty lad ler>. stored ia the build
ing we're some .GO0 bales ot cotton.
Estimated roughly and without making
deductions for the damaged cotton which
will be disposed of To other concerns. o. be-
worked up into inferior goods. lhe total loss
WH- about : 100 900 The loss On the build
ing is practically total. aud will be about
$4,000 All of the damage l. amply covered
by Insurance.
In the very midst Of the greatest excite
ment attendant upon the lre. a worse result
of the storm transferred the attention ~
the crowd and everybody else tu
the corner OF CoggeShah and North Front
streets. where the cyclone had swept new
three-stOry building from its foundations,
shattered It into Atndiing wood, and buried
several persons beneath tons ot sp.iEtered
timDers and general debris
IL vas at Inc most luEloH~ IDluL OF ku"
tempest that this uutortGnate occurrence
took place The building was located az the
southeast corner li the streets and belonged
at this time to the contractor, Thomas NJ
Chase. who was erecting il for James Har-
graves. The =trustura zvR- oi Ih"-uI pro-
portions on the ground floor, amt three fuI
stories in height. with hip roof and d9rmers
above, making a full fourth story. The
building had been all finished on the rx-
terror, except for the lower floor, where
plate glass was 10 90 in ami inside was
ready for the fathers. ~ far as could be-
seen, it was as good construction a. modern
methods provide i3r such buildings
Then came the huge OF rain. The street
was cro wded with people, who hustled for
the nearest point Of shelter. Many rushed
into the lower story ~ the unfinished bUtlt-
ing-hOw manyuo one knew.
Then the blast Of the cyclone swept along.
It entered the window openings Of the new
building. tugged at the rafters and their an
chorage~. rising in wrath till it gathered it,
mighty force under the biz roof. aad lifted
il bodily from the walls The suction beg
hind was too much for the walls aud. with a
frightfui crash. they too left the foundations
and Joined the roof in a general tancia #
shattered tmUers on the ground. As It fell.
the whole structure cantcd u the East and
North, falling in such q way that IL covered
the South sidewalk and half the street.