The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-05
TORNADO HITS PATERSON
Four Persons Are Killed and Many
Houses Wrecked,
FLYING DEBRIS HURTS SCORES

4 Woman Dies from Fright and Boy
is Guillotined Tornado Demolished
Houses and Factories in the Twinklins
| of an Eye Without Warning-Many
! Miraculous Escapes From Death.
| Paterson, n. IA dense black cloud,
assuming the shape Of Il cone, and
whirling with furious rapidity. loomed
up over the top of Garrett Mountain,
Just southeast of Paterson. at o'clock
p. m. In less than ten minutes it swept
over that section Of the city known as
South Paterson, killing four persons,
seriously injuring fifteen. and hurting
more than hundred. and wrecking
six buildings and damaging more than
200 others. Then it passed over the
Passaic River, across the meadows, and
disappeared in the air.
The tornado was directly preceded
by literal cataract of rain. Close to
The depot Of the Lackawanna Railroad
it first struck the earth. 1t swept up
Main street and passed through big
brick house at No. $50. tearing it to
pieces
Here occurred the first death.
Joseph Van Dorm. Il plumber. was at
work inside. He was crushed lifeless.
Four companions were also buried in
| this wreck, but were dug out fearfully
manglcd and taken to ST. Joseph's Hos.
pital.
1t was this hospital which the tor
nado next attacked. 1t stood right in
! the path of the blast, and its solid con-
struction only saved it from destruc-
| tlon Its windows, awnings and frame
porticos were whirled up into the inky
sky, nearly every pane Of glass was
smashed. and about forty big shade
trees in the grounds were torn out by
their roots and deposited in the nearby
road.
Stern & Pohly's silk mill in Front
street caught one edge of the tornado
and escaped with the loss of a big
section of its room. The structure
| was crowded with operatives. however,
and the doors were locked to prevent
! them from rushing out to certain death
among the flying debris.
The Passaic Rolling Mills next re-
ceiyed the full fury of the blast. The
roof was torn off and sections of the
wall fell in. Over dozen workmen
were injured there.
John Saunders and John Connolly
sustained such severe injuries that
they were carried to ST. Jeseph's Hos
pital.
In the Sandy Hill section the tornado
transformed a score Of pretty frame
cottages into heaps Of kindling wood.
The inmates were compelled to take
their chances in the open air. Charles
p. Lowerie, blacksmith. rushed out OF
his shop just as it fell at his heels.
At Chestnut and Clay streets the
wind tore to pieces 4 big laundry
building and the huge timbers began
to descend upon the house at 73 Chest
nut street almost opposite. One of the
frightened inmates, an eight-year-old
boy named Charles Hancock, ran out.
As, he did so Il timber weighing 200
pounds came down upon him like a
cannon ball. completely severlng his
head from his body.
Not a tree or telegraph pole was left
standing in the track Of the storm.
The General Hospital buildings were
next visited. They sustained damages
similar to those of st. .Ioseph's.
For q moment the blast swirled IN
it's course and struck corner Of the
magnificent residence of the late At
torney- General. John W. Griggs. 1t
was severely damaged.
Mary Nevins. seventy years old, was
the third victim of the tornado. Her
home in Straight street was on the edge
If the wind current. She was so fright
ened, however. by the roar and dark
ness, that she fell dead on her door,
step from heart disease.
wrecked. The storm tied up local
traffic of all kinds. Trolley wires were
blown down everywhere.
Men, women and children ran fran
tically about the streets, bleeding from
wounds inflicted by the flying debris.
Every doctor in town lad his hands
full. and the hospitals We're beSieSed
when the storm abated.
To add to the horrors Of the storm.
fires broke out in several sections Of
the city, caused by falling buildings.
The heavy rainfall materially aided
the fremen, however, in extinguishing
the flames.
About 4 O'Clock the sky cleared
again and rescue parties were made up
to render all The necessary help to suf-
ferers. At first it was reported that
several hundred people had been killed.
a view Of the havoc wrought by the
storm makes it seem miraculous that
the death list is so small.
At midnight the police had secured
record of 125 persons who had been
treated at tie different hospitals.
One case was recalled at t c General
Hospital, where a silver of wood had
been driven three inches into the hip
Of an unknown man.
The damage was greatly increased by
heavy rainstorm, which began about
10 o'clock p. M. and continued for two
hours. The deluge seriously hampered