Part 1 of 3 posts on the Great Cyclone of June, 1910, featuring news articles from local and area newspapers.
From the Elizabethville Echo, June 23, 1910:
DESTRUCTIVE CYCLONE
GREAT DAMAGE DONE TO BUILDINGS, FRUIT TREES, AND CROPS, BY WIND AND HAIL
Just a light sample of a western cyclone struck the western end of Lykens Valley last Saturday afternoon, passing across Armstrong and Small Valleys, and after crossing Powl’s Valley its greatest force seems to have been spent. Its force was terrific, and not since the ’50s has such a tornado visited Dauphin County. All along its path can be seen the evidence of destruction and desolation. Some unconfirmed reports say that the storm started on the west side of the Susquehanna near Newtown. It came in the form of a funnel-shaped cloud several hours after the noon hour and could be seen miles away, moving very rapidly.
The first farm in Lykens Valley to be struck was that of Charles Dreibelbis at Killinger where ten trees in the orchard were uprooted and the roof of the barn was blown off.
Edward Zerbe‘s barn damaged and a number of fruit trees blown off.
Mary Landis‘ hay shed knocked over into the road.
Rev. John E. Keefer‘s 50 locust trees, 75 of timber, and about 100 apple trees in his orchard blown over.
The barn of S. S. Bowman on the farm east of Woodside, and occupied by Charles Keefer, was blown down.
From this place the whirlwind crossed Berries Mountain into Armstrong Valley, leaving timber all along its course.
Swooping down the south side of the mountain, Charles Yeager, who purchased the Josiah Snyder farm last winter and took possession this Spring was the first to suffer; a number of trees were uprooted, and over half of the large barn blown down.
The next blow was more severe, the house and barn, and all the outbuildings, occupied by Hiram Stoneroad and family, being totally wrecked. This farm lies east of Yeager’s and is owned by George W. Keiter. Mr. Stoneroad was carried away from the house at least 200 yards by the wind. The garret floor was carried down a short hill, and upon this floor Mrs. Stoneroad found herself after the tornado had passed, having sustained several bruises and stepped into a nail which entered the sole of the foot and nearly penetrating it. Ten-year old Eva Wertz was lying upon the first floor while the rest of the house was destroyed, and baby Stoneroad resting in her little cradle. The first floor had sunk down in the center and in this depression laid the cooking stove, also the baby under the cradle. Both the baby and the little girl were unharmed. God cares for His own. There were several coops of half-grown young chickens carried away from this farm by the storm.
Next east is another farm owned by George Keiter, where he and his family reside. Here the barn was unroofed and the doors blown off.
Elsworth Fitting‘s barn, south of Keiter’s is almost a total wreck, also the hen house. The house was moved several feet, windows smashed and the roof damaged.
At the home of Isaac P. Hoffman nearly all of his valuable young fruit trees were blown down, also a large walnut tree. A large wood pile and the trees no doubt saved the house.
Next east is where Penro Miller lives, on the farm of Isaac Heninger, and here the large barn was unroofed.
From this farm the course was southeast and the barn of Daniel Kocher was considerably damaged.
On the north side of Armstrong Creek, and a mile north of Jacksonville the farm of the late Isaac Hoffman is located. This farm is now owned by Mrs. Ida Beard of Elizabethville, Samuel Hoffman and family occupying it. Here the damage done was extremely great. The barn was sheared down to the foundation walls and the brick house was blown off down to the ceiling of the second story. During all the excitement and noise, Mrs. Hoffman said to her husband, “We’re in the Lord’s hands.” Nelson Troutman and a boy were out with the horses, and they did not realize that the barn was gone until it was all over. The corn in Mrs. Hoffman’s field near the barn had the appearance of having been scorched on Sunday.
The picnic grove of G. W. D. Enders was next hit and most of the large timber fell. The telephone wires along this grove were also wrecked.
Southeast of the grove the barn of Isaac F. Enders was slightly damaged and about 75 fruit trees laid low.
The barn of Isaac A. Enders was a total wreck and one fine cow was killed. Mr. Enders stood on his porch and saw his barn and apple orchard being demolished. He estimated his loss at $1500.
The steeple and belfry of the Lutheran and reformed Church in Jacksonville was torn out taking the frame work along and throwing it in the lot next to the church. All the properties from the church to the store of the Helt Estate were damaged by having trees uprooted or outbuildings overturned and barns moved. The Helt Estate’s store property was partly unroofed, windows broken, a part of the barn roof was blown off and the summer house moved four feet.
C. C. Enders‘ glass front in his store was smashed, the tin roof on the house was torn up and portions of it were found 2 miles away. While distributing the mail several newspapers were torn out of the postmasters hands and blown out the rear door.
The large trees in front of the U. B. Parsonage fell and broke the fences. Not one property in Jacksonville escaped without any damage.
Leaving the town, the next to be hit was George G. Wilbert‘s new barn. The north end of it was wrecked and a portion of the roof carried away. Nearly all trees on the farm are down. The house was so badly shaken that some furniture was overturned. One of the small children on the porch would have been carried away had not the father caught her.
Over the ridge to Small Valley and destroyed the barn and some of the outbuildings of Philip Dietrich, killing one horse. On one of the outbuildings still standing a piece of timber was driven through the gable end and out thru the roof. At this place was found a lot of the wreckage of Isaac A. Enders‘ barn. A pair of shafts was brought there by the storm and driven into the earth nearly two feet.
The house of Thomas Hoover occupied by Ira Hoover and Byron Shoop and their families is a total wreck. The trees in the orchard were all uprooted and rolled on piles.
James A. Hoffman’s two tracts of timber were badly torn up and many trees twisted off.
Mrs. James Walters‘ 3 acres of oak and chestnut, John Sweigard’s and John Enders’ woods above Enterline were also hard hit.
In Powl’s Valley, about 1/3 of John Enders‘ big barn is down.
Lewis Enders‘ house, barn and blacksmith shop wrecked and no one at home at the time. George Shultz‘s barn moved and orchard destroyed. Uriah Snyder‘s woods damaged. The wagon shed of Curtin Rummel was destroyed, buggies and other vehicles carried away some distance and damaged. When the cloud struck the large dam in Powl’s Creek, the water shot up into the air 100 feet; then there is a wide path across Peters Mountain strewn with trees showing the course taken.
A severe hail storm swept over these valleys about the same time, but most of the damage by hail was done in Upper Powl’s Valley. on the dam of Rev. James Shoop the wheat was nearly all destroyed, and there are four or five other farms where only half a crop will be harvested.
A conservative estimate would place the extent of damages at $150,000, and it may be a great deal more.
[The Echo is indebted to a number of friends for information in making up the article above. Among them, Mr. Bowman of the Sentinel, and our regular correspondents at Fisherville, Enders and Small Valley, for which we return thanks. We have taken these notes and combined the facts under one heading — Editor.]
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Article from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.