Awful Weather in the United States.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 889, 15 March 1889, Page 10

Awful Weather in the United States.

ANOTHER DREADFUL EXPERIENCE. American papers to hand tell of fearful sufferings in the Eastern States in January last. We give some details as follows : Pittsburg, Jan. 9 —There wa9 a terrible wind and hailstorm here this afternoon. The front of J. R. Weldon & Co.’s book-store, on Ward street, was blown down and the walls of the new 6-story building in the rear toppled over. It is believed fifty persons were caught in the ruins. The bodies of seventeen dead have been recovered. Six others are missing and twenty persons are injured, some of whom will probably die. The storm that caused the disaster lasted thirty minutes, and was the heaviest known in this section for years. The wind blew a hurricane, while rain and hail fell in torrents. The catastrophe created intense excitement, and in a few minutes afterwards the streets surrounding the fallen building were black with people. Hundreds of willing hands, heedless of the danger to themselves, went to work to extricate the victims. Reading, Penn., Jan. 10.—A tornado struck this city yesterday afternoon, unroofing houses, factories and residences. The paint shops of the Reading Railroad were

blown down and then oaught fire, imprisoning five men, who were roasted to death. 1“° Rending Silk Mill, a short distance from the paint Bhops, was crushed like an egg-shell. The most reliable estimate places the number in the building when it went down m the neighbourhood of 175, and about one hundred of these were rescued by friends or dragged themselves out immediately after the accident. The falling walls burst the water pipes and tho cellars were soon flooded. J. he rain poured down in torrent 3, the atmosphere became heavy and oppressive, and it was almost as dark as night. The wind travelled at tho rate of fifty miles an hour. It struck some private houses aud unroofed a dozen residences. Huge sheets of tin were earned half a aouare away. , .. It is thought that over one hundred lives were lost by the collapse of the silk mill. _ Sunbury, Penn., Jan. 10.—A terrible rain and wind-storm came up suddenly yesterday afternoon, and blew over two of the smokestacks of the Sunbury Nail Mill. They orushed through the loof and buried nearly twenty men in the debris. Nine severely wounded were taken out. Two men were killed. Several men are unaccounted for. Philadelphia, Jan. 10.—Twenty buildings in Camden were unroofed by the storm last evening. Two churches were also unroofed. One child was killed by a falling roof. A number of buildings were damaged. Montreal, Jan. 9. —The damage by the sleet-storm between here and Toronto will not be much less than a million dollars. The wires are down and forest trees are uprooted throughout the whole region. Boston, Jan. 10.—A severe gale prevails along the coast and throughout New England. The telegraph wires are down in every direction. Gloucester by telephone reports a sohooner ashore on Bass Hocus. One body has been washed ashore. Chicago, Jan. 10.— Advices from many points In Northern Wisconsin and Michigan report that yesterday’s storm was of great severity. Railroads in many sections are badly blocked by drifted snow. The lumbermen in Wisconsin, however, are greatly pleased.