New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-19

grass plots and the trees were almost
bent to the ground with the force OF the
wind Newspapers and other bits OF
wreckage taken UP in the arms of the
storm. were scurrying through the air,
making the whole district look like a
crazy guilt.
| Three large trees near the sea wall of
the Battery were uprooted by the gale,
but so great was the force of the wind
| that after being half torn from the soil
they were broken off about three feet
above the ground and their limbs sent
SQUIRTING through the air. To the north
west. the stand which had been erected
for the Roosevelt landing was reduced
to a heap Of junk within the space of
two minutes. The festoons and garlands
OF flags and bunting, with the poles and
wires on which they were strung, were
fattened before the fury of the tornado
and carried into the waters Of the bay.
At another part of the park was a
! large hospital tent. The wind, which
was now blowing at rate estimated at
more than seventy miles an hour. lifted
the canvas clear of its fastenings- In
| the tent DIT the IsliiS we've Two WoiuSl
nurses and three men. They had had
no warning and were almost paralyzed
with fear when they found the whole
structure falling about their heads. Be
fore they could seek places of safety
the heavy canvas covering fell to the
ground. almost suffocating them beneath
its folds It was only with great diff
! hot he, rescued
Another unusual feature at the Bat
terry was the great number Of plate
glass windows that were smashed in
the skyscrapers in State street and lower
Broadway Some of these heavy panes
of glass were thrown to the ground with
terrific force. Many of them narrowly
missed striking men and women In the
streets. and the noise they made as they
struck the asphalt pavements added to
the confusion and terror of the occasion.
Excursion Graft Struggle.
few minutes after the storm had
reached the Battery the excursion boat
| Orient. which was just returning from
| Glen Island. struggled with all the power
of her engines to make her berth at Pier
! l. sle NOrIH RIVER. ~ opHCA tllAiCS
she managed to work her way against
the windswept pillows on the river until
she reached point opposite her pier.
Just as she was about to warp into the
landing, however, the force Of the wind
would catch her on her broadside and
sweep her down again
| When she finally did succeed in max
ing the pier. many of her passengers
were drenched. Outside of losing his
! flag pole as he was riding out the gale
| in the shelter of Wards Island. Captain
Lewis said that his boat had sustained
| no damage.
| Captain Lewis reported that while he
| was anchored off the island he saw the
Grand Republic fighting her way against
| the full force of the storm. She was
| damned with thousands of excursionists,
Many had to remain on the upper decks,
where they were huddled together,
| drenched to the skin.
| One of the sights along Broadway was
| the manner in which almost every Office
| building was brilliantly lighted shortly
after 3 o'clock. The clouds and the
| heavy downpour caused such a pail of
blackness to fall on the city that it was
| impossible to see without lights. The
result was that the Office buildings gave
| the appearance of night scene.
Storm Hits the Circus.
| The path of the storm, after it spent
| It's first strength at the lower end of
Manhattan Island, seemed TO split and
spread itself in a dozen different direc-
tons. One branch of the gale swept up
| the centre of the island. leaving panic
and death in its wake, and fell upon the
section about the Polo Grounds and
| Washington Heights with vehement
rage
In Manhattan Field. at 155th street
| and Eighth avenue, the big tent of the
Adam Forepaugh & Sells circus was
| caught by the gale and almost ripped
from its poles and stakes. 1t was just
in the middle of the afternoon perform
ence that the storm broke over the field
The circus attendants had thrown back
some of the flaps, owing to the heat
within. Just as the audience, which
numbered several thousand, were watch
ing the trapeze act in the central arena
there was a sudden. rising roar of wind
and rain, and in a second the storm had
broken over the tent
simultaneously with the roar of the
wind and the crashing of thunder the
tent was enveloped in almost complete
darkness: in fact. it was so gloomy I'M
der the canvas that the audience could
hardly make out the figures of the Der
formers. A wave of uneasiness and
terror swept over the crowd. Women
with small children started to leave their
seats and a panic was imminent.
Polo Grounds Crowd Drenehed,
The performers in the arena realized
what had happened and knew that upon
them depended the safety of the audi
ence- With great GOODNESS they con-
tinued to go through their acts, and at
the same time the band struck I'D a
lively tune. Ushers and attendants went
through the audience, assuring them
that there was no danger as long as
they kept their seat and remained cool.
Every few seconds the great canvas
of the tent would billow and tug at its
fastenings with such strength that it
threatened 10 collapse at every moment,
AS soon as the performance was over.
and the first fury of the gale had abated,
the crowds made a mad rush for the ele
waited road and the surface cars. Many