The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-01-18
Destructive Gale!
Silk rliIl in Cyclones Path
and Greatly Damaged.
PART OF ROOF BLOWN 400 FEET
FROrl THE BUILDING.
Over Two Hundred Persons In the
MiIi-None Seriously Injured
A Miraculous Escape.

ings are razed to the ground by wind IL
Is called II cyclone or tornado, in this
section Of the country the weather OBJ
server dubs it "hieh wind" BE it
called "high wind or cyclone. the
fierce gale that swooped down upon
section Of this place at forty-mile-an-
hour gait at 1.25 p. NJ. Saturday left
ruin in its path and spread constcrna-
tion in Reynoldsville. The only de.
struction Of any consequence at this
place was at the silk mill. without
moments warning the young cyclone"
pounced upon the south end of the mill
and in few seconds totally destroyed
90 feet OF the second story, leveling the
walls oven with the second floor, and
tore out the southwest corner Of
the building down to the foundation.
While the frealiish gale was getting in
its destructive work on the silk mill,
over two hundred employees were in
the building and it is miraculous that
there were no lives lost or serious injur-
les sustained. A few received slight
| injuries. The screams OF the frighten-
ed employees, who are mostly boys and
| girls. and the mad rush to get out Of
the building is indescrbable. The cx-
citement was intense in town when the
news spread that the silk mill had been
blown down, and in a few minutes after
the destruction large crowd was hur-
rying across the trestlc sidewalk us fast
as they could in the face OF the high
wind that was still sweeping up the
valley. Our people expected nothing
else but that number OF persons were
killed and others badly injured when
they saw what the wind had done at
the MILL which could be seen from any
place on the north side of the creek
Had the wind destroyed the north
end Of the building there would have
been loss of life and greater loss OF
property. On the second floor of that
portion of the mill destroyed there were
only a few machines and few en-
ployees at work, and on the first floor
OF that portion Of the mill were forty
eight looms that were not running.
The second story of the mill, and the
large rafters of second floor, were de-
stroyed over the idle looms.
When the gale struck the building it
raised 30 feet OF the roof including the
heavy beams, and carried it 200 feet
away from the building, then the wall
on the west side fell in on second floor,
the wall on east side fell outside OF
building and the end wall fell towards
the south, some OF the brick OF end wall
were carried one hundred feet away
from the building. When the wind
struck the building there was loud
report and those on the second floor, in
destroyed portion, saw the roof raise
and before they could get out of the
way some OF them were caught in the
debris. Two or three twisters who
started to go down the stairs in south
end OF building were blown down the
stairs with brick, &C., flying around
them, but escaped without injury. w.
G. Blankenship, one-legged twister,
who was working near the west side OF
second floor, had the narrowest escape
OF any. He was caught between the
frame Of the machine he had been work
ing on and the brick wall. When he
extricated himself he went to back
stairs in his excitement and finding the
stairs obstructed he jumped down to
the first floor.
1t is estimated that the damage to
machinery and silk goods will amount
to 81 900 and the damage to building is
from sc. 900 to 1000. The end OF the
building where the wind ceased its de-
men are at work cleaning away the de-
bris The mill was started again Mon
day morning.
Some OF the large windows were car
ried some distance from the mill by
the wind and only few lights of glass
were broken.
j. w. Place, president of the silk mill,
who was at his office in New York City,
was telegraphed Of the winds work at
the mill and he started for Reynolds
vile that evening, arriving at Ridgway
Sunday noon and he drove from Ridg'
way-40 miles-to Reynoldsville Sunday
afternoon,
Mrs. Annie Winslow, like many an
other woman in Reynoldsville, started
to the silk mill Saturday when she
learned what had happened. She took
three sheets with her for bandages, sup
posing, of course, that number would
be badly injured.
On the hill near Hopkins mill the
wind uprooted trees and at the mill il
unroofed $50 board piles and twisted
: things around badly in the lumber yard
East OF town trees were blown dowr
but no serious damage to property wa.