The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-04-01

iron post holding the immense tower was
bent and looked as though it had been
twisted by some powerful force. The
tower il a total wreck, and not half of
it will ever be able to be Of use again,
thus entailing loss of some $1,000 at
one rattle.
This was not the only damage done in
west Austin. Pressler's garden looked
as though a Sherman cyclone had passed
over it, Trees were torn up by their
roots and limbs were snapped off as
though they had been cut by axes. Other
trees that had wthstood the wind were
split down through the center, showing
with what terrific force the wind had
come. All along from Shoal creek west
to the Confederate Home could be seen
the force of the storm. Trees were
swept down on either side. Telegraph,
telephone electric light and power wires
were all blown down. and in one or two
cases the posts supporting them had been
snapped off ut the ground. The tin roofs
Of sevral houses had been torn off In a
most artistic manner.
As the first gust of wind struck that
section of the town, one of the Rapid
Transit cars was going up the hill by
Pressler's beer garden and it was with
difficulty that the motorman held on to
the car. as the wind threatened every
minute to blow MN on.
Over in GAINESVILLE, the small negro
hamlet to the west of the city. the wind
made itself felt by blowing down some
of the fences and one or two houses,
though no one was reported as being in
jured.
A half dozen panels of the fence sur
rounding the JAS. ii. Raymond property,
facing Sixth street, were blown down
smooth to the ground, showing with
what force the wind was coming.
While west Austin suffered no little
from the terrific wind, north Austin also
came i'm for a good share of attention
at the hands of the wind man. Mr.. Burt
new twO-story residence at
the corner of West Seventeenth and the
Avenue was struck by the wind at about
2.30, and went over in the twinkling of
an eye, striking the house of Mr.. Will
Vining adjoining and smashing in sew
era windows, though the force with
which it struck was not severe enough
to drive ii clean through Mr.. Winnings
residence. AS it was, however, two chill
dren playing in the room near where the
house was struck came very near being
killed by the flying debris. 1t was GER
tainly a very narrow escape, however,
and il is fortunate that the damage was
no worse.
In addition to this accident, large
she'd in the rear of DIR. Brenizer's new
residence, that is now in course of con-
structon, was blown down, though no
damage was resultant therefrom.
Several large trees in front of the court
house and in the capitol grounds were
literally ripped open or torn up by the
roots.
In west Austin the wind blew so fierce
" that several window frames were
blown out of green houses, and small
shrubbery and roses were torn all to
pieces.
East Austin also came in for a good
share of attention, and several wild gusts
Of wind that hit Males lumber yard
to turn over. several piles OF
lumber A buggy driven by two men,
going up the hill on East Sixth street 70
Robinson Hill, when the first gust of
wind struck, was turned completely over
though fortunately neither the men nor
The horse were hurt.
All the time that the wind was blow
ing, which was about half an hour at its
very hardest, the rain was coming down
in binding, driving sheets that washed
the face of the universe as though it de-
sired to wash it away. Vivid flashes of
lightning and wild bursts of thunder kept
accompaniment to the wild howl of the
Wlnu, anu lilt ClllLtuS vi huStln Ntlt
treated to the spectacle of witnessing n
full blown cyclone under full Roadway.
While every section of the city was Wis
tied by II terrific wind, north Austin in
the neighborhood of the University suf-
forcd most. There the spectacle pre-
sented after the storm was over was a
sad one indeed. The University grounds
themselves looked like some waste, so
full were they of trees that had been up
rooted or split asunder as they stood.
While the grounds presented Il sad spec
acle the University proper and the
Hall adjoining presented a
Several of the chimneys on the Universe
y building proper had been blown off, |
md the entire roof of the Breckenridge
Hall had not only been lifted bodily but
lad been carried 100 yards down the hill
md deposited on the residence of Mrs. |
Fanny Shepard, near the football
grounds. and, strange to say, did not kill
my one though there We're several in
he house at the time. The entire roof
If the hall being thus removed, the rain |
iad full sway at it, and within n very
hort time the entire building was flood |
ii with water, there being several inches |
If it on each floor, while the basement
vas flooded The frightened students
heir property as soon as they could col |
ect their wits, and within very short
line all was confusion. inasmuch as they
lad to hustle out and hunt up new lodg-
ngs.
North of the University. Mahoney's
'hapel came in for afull share of atten-
ion ut the hands of the cyclone. The
,ast end of the church was blown in as
nicely as though driven in by some pow
,rful engine, and the roof was ripped off
with nicely that elected admiration.
Just north of this church stands the
of DIR. Graves. and while it was
not blown down il was so twisted around
that the inmates could not open any doors
to get out The wind struck the house
full tilt, and in an instant had turned it
around so as to twist all the doors out of
place and fixed them in such manner
that the frightened inmates could not
open them and make good their escape:
They finally found one door that you'd
open. and thus secured their freedom
but by this time the danger had nassed
and the house, though badly warned. WAS
it standing. The wind was evidently
twisting one, for the reason that the
'oof OF breckenridge Hall was carried in
IN easterly direction, while the roof of |
he church was carried northwest. and
ne twisting of DR.. Graves residence |
shows that the wind was continually |
In addition TO this damage |
-, :" a number of tin roofs were syvent
y In 's section Of the city. among the
y ~ IN; ~ that of n small t aiuns re ou
ence on San Marcos street. bet ween
ineteehth and Tw,ntiets streets, and