DESTRUCTIVE WHIRLWIND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 91, 16 April 1872, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE WHIRLWIND.

(From the Grey River Argus, April 9.) Greymouth - and its inhabitants have become accustomed to visitations from floods

and fires, but the latest novelty in the shape of destructive visitations was a whirlwind of immense force, which cut a straight course through the outskirts of the town, damaging more or less every building in its way. During tbe terrific storm which visited tbe town on Sunday night — one of the most severe that has been experienced for years — a whirlwind came in from the sea at a point somewhere about west, first levelled the kerosine store belonging to Mr. Joyce, then struck with fury the bauk of the row of cottages stnnding in Arney-street, between tbe Catholic Church aud Gresson-street, tearing off roofs, verandahs, chimneys, &c, indiscriminately. The current of wind appears to have been fortuuately narrow, a chain wide, and the clear course which it cut through the buildings was traceable in the morning by the quantity of debris that was scattered around. In Arney-street it tore the large iron cross off the Roman Catholic Church, injured Mr. Dupre's verandah, carried away completely the roof from Mr. Taylor's kifeben, besides smashing the verandah and all the surrounding fencing. The next cottage was occupied by Mr. Honan, Catholic schoolmaster. The roof bad orginally been shingled and afterwards covered with iron. The iron was all torn off, and the old roof smashed in as if it bad been cut along the ridge-pole by an axe. In the next cottage, occupied by Mr. North, the wind burst in afc the back-door and blew the occupants' clothing out by the front, very much' damaging the building. Next to this is tbe two-storey cottage occupied by Inspector Hickson, in which two brick chimneys were blown down, and the roof of tbe back room carried away. The whirlwind then rushed across the police paddock, bursting open the door and windows of the Resident Magistrate's oflice. The force of tbe gale may be judged from the fact that it tore the screws of the lock out of the woodwork, and they were found scattered on the floor in the morning. The police stable was twisted, the prisoners' cells were lifted bodily about a foot, the fence in the prisoners' yard blown out, and the fence at Constable Flannagan's private house, across Johnston 's-street, utterly destroyed. The gale then took its way across the open space in Boundary-street, and struck with all its fury against the large timber yard of Messrs. Watson and Wickes, which iu a moment it reduced to a heap of ruins. The large iron roof of this building measured 30ft. in the centre span, and two lean-tos of 18ft. eacb, making a total span of 66ft., was carried completely away, and about two tons of iron bave utterly disappeared. The gale struck the building at an angle, levelling the upper side wall, at which it must have burst out and leaviug the lower gable standing. Tbe gale then crossed Herbert-street, levelled the fence of Mr. Drew's garden, utterly

obliterated the stable of Mr. Jones, baker; leaving only the house behind, then lifted the cottage occupied by Misa Revell in Hospital-street off its piles, carried the roof off both rooms completely away, leaving it a complete wreck. The occupants were rescued with difficulty. The next cottage it attacked was -Mr. Hardy's, through tbo side of which it sent a sheet of iron, which cut as clean as a knife, through an iron chimney, the weatherboard wall, canvas, paper, and a large framed picture, landing on tbe parlor table. If this had encountered any human beings it must have cut them clean in two. The roof and verandah of Mr. Hardy's cottage were also much damaged. Tlie course of the whirlwind appeared then to have been across Hospital-street, to break a few panes of glass in the large stained window of the Presbyterian Church, and make a whole sweep of the cottage verandahs aud chimneys, until it reached Mr. Abraham's Duke of For remainder of news see fourth page.

Edinburgh Hotel, at the junction of Hospital and Albert streets, round which it swept with much fury, completely demolishing the verandah, lamp, &c, the back kitcheD and brick chimney, and other outhouses. It then struck across to a large building occupied by Mr. Wilson as a boat-building shed, lifting a large quantity of iron on the roof, and sides, and completely demolishing the. second storey of the adjoining building, which was in course of erection by Mr. Wilson. After doing some injury to the roof of Mr. Brirable's stable, the whirlwind struck across the Tidal Creek, and overturned the tramway carriage standing on the line in Tainuistreef. It must now have spent its force, as no damage was done, to the Wesieyan Church, and a few sheets of iron only were lifted from tbe roof of the Manse adjoining. 7 The gale would then pass into tbe bush and expend itself. The whole affair only lasted a few seconds, and those who lived close to where the tornado passed describe the noise caused by it and the crashing of buildings as something awful in the pitchy dark night. Tbe fortunate thing is that the whirlwind did not strike the front street, otherwise the destruction would have been fearful.