The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-01
DEATH IN THE STORM.
A Sleeper Crushed by Giant Oak
Great Damage Done

The storm that visited Raleigh Tues
day evening did great damage as it
swept over the State, and from many
quarters yesterday reports came OF
devastation and destruction wrought
property. The tempest was more Sc
we're than was at first supposed, Dur
ham probably being the storm centre,
for the damage done to property there
was greater than at any other point.
Henderson and Louisburg suffered
almost as bad.
-Telegraphic communication has been
badly demoralized since the first app
pearance of the gale. 1t was late in the
day before connection was had with
the outside world yesterday, and even
as late as last night there was no
communication with Washington, ID. C..
The streets of Raleigh presented a
withered appearance yesterday, OBJ
structed every block or so with wreck
ed trees and boughs. Some of the
largest and most stately oaks in the
city were victims of the storms fury.
Out Hillsboro street many beautiful
shade trees were toppled over. Blount
street and Newbern Avenue suffered
almost as bad. Trees and shrubbery
in the capital square were badly dam
aged. Several large trees were blown
over. On Blount street a cottage be-
longing to Mr.. David Williams was
wrecked by a large tree falling on it.
The porch was knocked in and had
the tree fallen across the house, the
result must needs have been disastrous.
The telegraph and electric light wires
were down in many parts of the city.
The saddest story of the dark day
comes from ST. Matthew's township,
near Garner. A large oak gave way to
the fury of the wind and fell over
on the cottage occupied by Mr.. C. w.
Trice and family. The frail building
sank beneath the weight of it's heavy
burden and Mrs. Trice, who had retir-
ed for the night was crushed beneath
the falling timbers. Death must have
resulted simultaneously. Mr.. Trice
and little son were sitting near the
hearth stone when the collapse came,
but they We're only slightly bruised
and made their way from the wreck
age comparatively unhurt.
AT Pittsboro there came near being
a tragedy similar TO the one above re-
lated. in which Congressman Pou play
ed the roll Of hero. A giant oak fell on
Mr.. Lawrence Hintofl's house
crashing through the roof with great
force The cook was inside preparing
a meal and was caught and pinioned
by the falling tinbers. Aid was SUM
moned from Mr.. Ehrie, who is an adj
ioinink neighbor, and Mr.. Pou who was
stopping there, volunteered his ser
vices and rescued the cook. A broken
collar bone was the extent of the VIC
TINS injuries.
In the county, the damage was as
great, if not greater than here in Raj
eigh. Especially is this true of the
western section of the county. Re-
ports of damage to numbers of farm
houses, barns and, etc, were received
yesterday At Wake Forest a small
dwelling was knocked over. Cary was
severely raked by the breeze and sever
al buildings are reported to have been
damaged
Probably Apex suffered as much as
any other small town. In addition to
the destruction of numberless trees
and a large amount of fencing, several
buildings were wrecked. The Golored
Baptist church went down with the
storm. The large smoke stack of the
Cary Lumber Company tumbled over
and fell across the pipes of large
dry kiln producing terrific explosion
which shook the whole town and Sc
verely injured several persons who
were working around the kiln. Many
buildings were reported to have been
unroofed.
The loss to farmers who had failed
to pick their cotton viii no doubt will
be large. The fierce wind stripped
the cotton fields of what cotton was
left on the bolls. Fortunate to say
the great majority of Wake farmers
had very near harvested their cotton
crop. Persons from the country yes
terday reported that the cotton fields
in many localities presented the APP
pearafce of having been visited by
snow storm recently. The cotton
blown from the stalk by the storm
will not be total loss It is the opif,-
ion of the farmers that the greater
part of it can be picked up, though
OF course, the quality of the cotton
viii be damaged.