The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-23
ELIZABETH STORM SWEPT
Steeples Blown Down, Houses Un-
rooted and Trees u prooted.
TORNADO CUTS A WIDE SWATH.

Three Church steeples and tho Roofs of
Two Theatres Carried Away and Many
Houses Damaged-Graves Uncovered
by the Uprooting OF Trees, and Tele-
,ranb and Telephone Wires Torn Down
ELIZABETH, N. ]. (SpeciaD.-A tornado
swept iuto the southwestern corner OF this
city, moved along path 1909 feet Wide IN
a northeasterly direction, bowled down
three church steeples, swept away portions
of tho roofs Of two theatres. twisted one
house q quarter way around on its founda.
tIon. and laid bare the bones OF skeletons
IN one churchyard, did about S15O,0oo
worth OF damage and passed out at the
northeast corner OF the town. So fierce
storm Is not recalled by the oldest inhabi-
tant, and vet, with all the damage 1t did, not
q sincle life was lost, and very few persons
were injured.
The tornado coul not have taken path
across the city where the possibilities OF
damage were 50 great. The damaged sec
tfon included the most prominent churcn
and other buildings, few, II any, OF when
escaped. The tornado Is supposed to nave
been caused by the meeting OF two ViolenI
thunderstorms, one from the southwest anu
the other from the northwest, giving the
DIR currents a rotary motion which with
their fearful force were almost irreslstio!e.
At the end Of ten minutes that part OF the
CITY which lay in its path was lett 10
state Of fchaos. The largest trees we're up.
rooted, telegraph and telephone poles were
torn down, doors and windows were blown
In and shattered, and fences torn down. IL
took about ten minutes for the tornado TO
pass through the city, and then the rain
fell In torrents, flooding everything and
adding to the damage done by the vino.
AS soon as citizens thought 1t safe, to
venture into the street, 1t seemed as II nall
the town had turned out to find out what
damage had been done. A great mass OF
wooden timbers lay in the northeast corner
OF the yard OF the First Presbyterian
Church. That was all that remained OF
the s.eeple, and those who should know
ssid that hundred feet or the spire had
been carried away. Back OF the church
edi6ce is the churchyard, filled with the
tombstones and monuments which marx
the graves OF many OF the city's dead.
The churchyard presented. an uncanny
sight. Several tombstones were p!oWn
down, while four or five trees had been
uprooted, exposing bones In the graves
they had shade for years.
Directly opposite the church Is the Ly,
ceum Theatre. A portion OF the roof OF
This building was torn of and large sky
light over the stage was carried away.
block to the south and east, at the corner
OF East Jersey street and Jefferson street,
stands the Star Theatre. The roof over
what Is called the stage gallery and about
half the main roof OF. the theatre were
ripped off, carried across Webster street
and deposited at the entrance to the Cen
n Tho aiHa nf .I6f-
ferson street. A good portion OF the west
aide OF the Central Baptist Church was
damaged, and almost Mt the same moment
that the roof Of the theatre struck the
church the storm struck the church sptre
and toppled It over into East Jersey street.
The root OF the nave OF Christ Church was
carried off and the fiat roof OF the steeple
to the Third Presbyterian Church was
ripped up, carried 200 feet along and across
house OF Mrs. Hess. All OF these buildings
had their interiors seriously damaged by
rain after the roofs were torn OIL.
Leaving the churches and the theatres,
the storm continued on In northeasterly
direction, completely blocked Madison
avenue with uprooted and broken trees,
and then struck William street. Here 1t
played all kinds Of pranks with the houses.
Patrick Clark's barn was blown into
smlthereenS, anQ W. r. dueyS uouse was
lifted from its foundation and twisted a
quarter way around. More than dozen
houses In this section OF the town were un-
rooied and otherwise damaged.
Plainfeld suffered by having the trolley
lines blocked for three hours. Scores OF
orchards In South Plainfeld were ruined.
In Dunellen new house belonging to Mrs:
Louisa Perry was blown down. All
through Plainfeld the streets were blocked
with fallen trees. The opera house in
Clinton was struck by lightning and only
saved from destruction BY the hard work
of the fire department. In Newark the
big power house OF the South Orange ave-
nue. electric road was struck by lightning
and destroyed by fire. Some OF the en-
ployes In the building had very narrow es'
capes.