The Cootamundra Cyclone.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11953, 23 May 1903, Page 7

The Cootamundra Cyclone.

METEORIC ELECTRICITY

REMARKABLE PHENOMENA,

The Australian papers which arrived by a iecent mail give details of the extraordinary cyclone or.electrical disturbance which wrought such havoc at Cootamiundra, JNew South Wales, a week or two back, lne flood waters at Cootamundra had no sooner subsided leaving wrecked streets reyeaaeu, than the"residents were rudely awakened by a second great disaster, which completely wrecked a portion of the town, lifting roots and destroying buildings in all directions As to what rtally caused the disaster is not exactly known, but it seems to have been something in the nature of an electric ourxent or cyclone. JTho Government Astronomer, in tho absence of reliable data, calls it a '"meteoric electrical sphere." However, -whatever the phenomenon was, it traversed the main street shortly riter midnight f>n Friday, 26th ult., and in a few seconds did a great deal of damage. . It appears that the few persons who were about heard a roaring noise, which was immediately followed by a fire ball, whicJi seemed to strike White's Globe Hotel, and apparently proceeded along towards Wallendoon. ' It lasted only a few seconds. Wind was blowing at the time, but it did not appear to have any force. It avos dark after the flash of the fire ball. Those who were not in the track of the fire ball had no idea that damage had been done to the buildings it struck. They' could not discern for noise whether it waa thunder or crashing timber. The sight of trees and branches strewn about.was the first intimation that any damtiige had been done. Constable Manglesdorf, who saw the lire ball, says he and Constable Wilson walked onto the middle of the roadway, and soon after there was a roaring noise .They then noticed sheets of iron and other building material scattered about the road. He remarked to his mate that there had been a-cyclone, but there was very little wind blowing, and certainly not sufficient to carry iron and timber ifrom the wrecked buildings hundreds ojgyards. Another mysterious feature was that Constable Wilson lost his cap, and afterwards found it on the other sido of the street. As he did not feel any stronor wind at the time, the disappearance of his cap was peculiar. The disturbance struck Mr C. Attwood's residence <on the hill, and after doing it slight damage iti wrenched the stable of the City Bank to pieces. Trees in the garden weri torn up, and thie back balcony earned away and the chimneys destroyed. It crossed Parker Street and. wrecked the balcony of the Globe Hotel, unroofed all the outbuildings at the post and telegraoh office; and slightly damaged the roof. The buck portion of the Commercial Bank was taken off, and the iron pillars of the bal . •cony shifted. Messrs G. Thompson and Co.'s isuffered severely, their roof being wrenched to pieces,, the debris being carried against the new premises of the "Herald." Walls were broken down and scaffolding pulled to pieces. ;The building that it fairly seized was th-a Commercial Hotel. These premises were completely wrecked, and how the inmates .escaped injury is miraculous. One of the boarders, beds in a room, heard a roaring noise, and thinking something terrible was going to happen, covered his head with at pillow. All at once the roof earned away, and the bricks began to fall. Fully sixty bricks fell on bis bed^ the legs of which were bent do,wn by the weight. Wright was got out, and suffered only from bruises, The roof of Mi* F. Southee's large produce shed fell into the street. Mr F. Nash's premises, lower down the street, were badly wrecked. The ceilings and roofs were lifted bodily. In one of the bedrooms, occupied by -the1., daughters of Mr Nash, the bed curtains were caught up .between the top of the wall and the ceiling, vet no one was iniured. Trees were taken across the railway line, and a narrow track was made through the oaddocks away to the east.

The damage is estimated at £4000. The following is a list of the princioal sufferers in the town, and estimated damaare—J. Rvan, Commercial Hotel, £1500: T. Nash, butcher's shop. £800- W. White Globe Hotel. £500; Commercial Bank, £500; S. Ward. Terminus Hotel. £2^50: City Banlc, £200 : J. J. Leahv, office arid bulk room, £75 • G. Thompson and Co., produce, £50 : esiecutors late D. Mackav. £50; J. Deal, two cottasres, £50:. courthouse, £50: post office £40; W. H. Richardson, blacksmith's shop, £30.