The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-11
PARIS CYCLONE
II Caused a Sensation in
French Capital.
Breaking Ofthe Storm Caused
a Serious Panic.
Superstitious Are Now Pondering
on a Seeress' Prophecy.


up and excited over the cyclone of yes
terday.. which develops into disaster
Of considerable proportions. The num-
ber of minor casualties and injuries to
persons is large, and further reports
are constantly being received.
Several men and women had their
skulls fractured by the falling of some
gates. behind which they had sought
shelter from the storm.
Nine members of the staff Of Ia
France. who were leaving the Tribuna;
de Commerce. when the storm suddenly
broke. were all seriously injured. one
having his skull fractured. At least a
dozen persons were carried bodily into
the Seine from the bridges and from
the quays, and were rescued with great
difficulty, several being injured and left
In a critical condition, so that they had
To be taken to the hospitals.
The breaking OF the storm was ac-
companied by many demonstrations of
fright by individuals and of crowds
the panic OF one spreading to others, the
lowering sky and the bowling OF the
tempest filling the air with flying debris,
frightening the crowds in the streets out
OF self control. Everybody started &c
run, without much regard to obstacles.
personal or otherwise. that might come
In their way, and there was shouting by
men and screaming and wringing OF
hands by women. to add 10 the confusion.
The damage done TO property was
widespread and serious. The first tenn
pest of wind, which did most OF the dam
age, was Immediately succeeded by tor
rents OF rain, and cellars all over Paris
are flooded.
At Clichy, the roadway of the boule-
ward Nationale subsidized several yards
as a result of the washing away of the
roadbed. The Quai des Orfevres shows
q striking scene OF desolation, buildings
being damaged, things overturned and
oil looking as though swept by a torrent
Of rushing water.
The prefecture of police has issued a
statement that only one person has been
killed in .he cyclone. This understates
the case. A large ward in the Hotel
Dieu is fun of the victims, two of whom
died last night, and several there and in
other hospitals are In precarious con-
dition.
chiefly affected the small area lying
around the Palace de Justice and the
Hotel De Vile. The cyclone appeared
to. be caused by two strong currents
from the northwest and the southeast
The clouds rushed together and whirled
around as they met just over this area
There was no thunder, and no stimuli
taneous movement noticed at the CEN
tIai observatory.
A member Of the staff OF lie Temps
thuS describes the spectacle at the mo-
neht when the storm broke: From the
omnibus on which l was riding / could
sec down the Quai des Orfevres and the
(!uai des Grands-Augustins. | suddenly
saw what appeared 10 be a tall pillar OF
smoke advancing from "A distance.
imagined that a large fire had broken
out. but almost directly saw that the
trees vssre being snapped and countless
chimneys hurled TO the ground. But
almost Instantly the storm passed away
We were not touched. but the quais were
impossible and scene Of indescribable
confusion followed"
humorous newspapers kiosks were
overturned snl the inmates injured. The
roof OF the Opera Comique was blown in
and the Ambig ComiQue and the Folies
Dramat!ques theaters were both dam
aged. Twenty-Five horses were killed
Eight beer houses were wrecked. The
storm was preceded by darkness and by
an oppressive sultriness.
There was not the slightest disturb
ance in the Champs Elysee, the Madeline
the Arc de Triomphe and the Bourse dis
tricts beyond heavy rain.
The. superstitious are finding much
to dwell upon In the fact that Mile. CO.
resdon. the soIf-styled seeress, who
claims to be inspired by the Angel Ga
briel, and who has been the talk OF Paris
Oh account of her supposed gifts OF
prophecy, for many months. predictfd
n storm, such as this last July. Mile
Conesdon has many followers, who are
dcvout believers in her gift. one Of her
prophecies is that a universal war will
come within a year, resulting in the de-
struct;on OF England's power, and ac-
complished by a revolution in Paris.