Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1890 — TORNADO AT WILKESBARRE. [ARTICLE]

TORNADO AT WILKESBARRE.

Grant Loss of Llfr and Destruction of Property, At 5 o’clock Tuesday afternoon the most terrible tornado that was ever experienced in that locality struck Wilkesbarre, Penn. It came up the river. From what point jt originated is not now known. The suddenness of its coming was one of its most awful features. The heavens were as black as night, and the wind blew with most frightful velocity. Whole rows of trees were blown down. Following this hundreds of houses were unroofed, partially blown over or completely demolished, and, worse than all, the visitation of death was sent upon a number of people. How many were killed is not known at this time. Large districts in several sections of the city are in absolute ruin, and the women and ohildren are in the streets crying and wringing their hands in absolute dismay. The damage will reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. Passenger trains and locomotives at the depot were blown ovbr, and overy wire in' the city—electric light, telephone and telegraph—is down. The devastation is to be compared with nothing in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. Everybody is rejoicing that no fires have as yet followed, for the streets are impassable with trees and fallen buildings, and engines could not be drawn through them. The total death loss, so far as ascertained, is twelve. Four men are known to have been killed in the Hazard wire-rope-works. A house on Scott street, occupied by miners, who hai just returned from work, fell in, and three of the inmates were killed. The huge stack of the Kytle planing mill fell on a man and two horses, and all were killed. A little colored girl was killed by a falling building on South Main sreett. Two men suffered death by the falling of a portion of Stegmaier’s brewery, and a third incurred the same fate through the almost complete demolition of S. L. Brown’s handsome business biock on East Market street, Thoke are undoubtedly fifteen or sixteen others killed. Reports come from Sugar Notch, a min ing town three miles from Wilkesbarre. saying the destruction of property there is terrible, and that fifteen persons are killed. At Parsons and Mill Creek, four miles below Wilkesbarre, coal breakers in all dU rections have been more or less damaged, and the number of killed will reach ten. A dispatch from Scranton says that trainmen of incoming trains report that the village of Sumnerville, thirty miles west of Scranton, was struck by the tornado and totally apnihilated. A large three-story barn, the property of S. K. Fletcher, just south of Bright wood, was burned on the 19th. Owing to the time of year, but little live stock was in the buildiug, and all was saved except one fine young horse, valued at S2OO, Hay, grain and tools valued at SI,OOO were consumed. The total loss is estimated a* $3,500, and is covered by insurance. The barn was one of the landmarks' of Marion county. « Yesterday at North Manchester fire destroyed frame buildings occupied by Mrs John Rldgely, milliner; Benjamin Oppe» helm & Co. , dry goods, and John S. Hainqy, agricultural implements, lira. Kidgely was damaged $3,000, withs2,soo insurance; Oppenheim & Co., SIO,OOO, with SSOO insurance, and Mr, Halney, $1,500 with no ins su ranee. ——