Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2015 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= USGenNet Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Daily Argus News Crawfordsville, Indiana Saturday, October 16, 1886 THE GALE AT BUFFALO A Portion of the City Flooded, Property Destroyed and Lives Lost. BUFFALO, N.Y. - Oct. 15. - The most disastrous storm that Buffalo has known for many years struck this city Thursday evening. The wind blew sixty- three miles an hour, raising the lake from six to twelve feet, flooding all the lower edges of the city, covering the Island, the Tifft farm,the lake road and the entire Thirteenth ward. Many houses were moved from their foundations, and at least a score of dwellings were demolished. Five lives are reported lost. The whole western and southern edge of the city was flooded. The scenes of misery and destitution on the island and along the water front Friday morning were beyond example. It was estimated that over 200 women and children were absolutely without food and shelter. The island beach presented a scene of desolation and distress. The little frame houses of the squatters along the sea wall were washed over the West Shore and B., N.Y. & P. tracks, most of them in the condition of kindling wood, and wrecks were scattered about to every direction, while amidst the ruins of their homes the poor people were cry- ing and wringing their hands over the loss of nearly everything they had in the world. The tracks of the West Shore were torn up and washed back in some places a distance of ten feet. When the waves began their work of destruction on the little farm-houses, driving the inmates into the water, four brave young men secured two skiffs and went to the rescue, performing many deeds of valor. About twenty families owe their lives to the heroism of the quartette. On the shore road beyond the Tifft farm the storm wrought great destruction. Friday morning the dead body of an old man, John Edwards, was found swaying back and forth in four feet of water, 200 feet back from the lake. The beach road from the Lehigh tracks onward, in the direction of Bay View was covered with a foaming sea. The water had swept back over the meadows wrecking every house within sight. Jacob Dietch, a toll-gate keeper on the road to Bay View lost two children, Annie aged 7, and Jacob aged 1, from exposure. The horrors of the night were begun when the wind and surging water wrenched the building from its fastenings and carried it three-quarters of a mile. The parents were saved after a frightful experience. Mr. and Mrs. Quinn, a newly married couple were driven from their house and took refuge in a tree near the beach remaining there all night. Their house was afloat on the meadows Friday morning a quarter of a mile away. A saloon was carried 400 feet in- land. The Queen City Rowing club's boat-house, filled with valuable boats, was swept away at mid- night; loss about $7,000. The yacht Emma L. was wrecked and sunk off Porter avenue. In the city proper trees were blown down, windows smashed and much other havoc caused by the storm. The north wing of the new music hall, in course of construction was completely wrecked, roof and all being gone. It is estimated that the loss in this instance will reach $25,000. The tower of the new Emanuel Baptist church, corner Thirteenth and Rhode Island streets, eighty feet high, new and built of wood, fell into the street about 8 o'clock Thursday even- ing. The loss is estimated at $25,000. A subscription has been started for the re- lief of the destitute people on the island and along the beach. ========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more of our growing collection of FREE online information by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ ==========================================================================