Long Branch, NY "Syracuse" Tornado, Sept 1912 - More Damages

North of Liverpool the storm first struck the farm of Bartholomew Smith, blowing the roof off the barn, blowing in windows of the house and whirling furniture about. H. M. Younglove's greenhouse across the road was blown to pieces. Mowing machines were carried [illegible] feet by the wind.....

The home of Thomas E. Bennett was torn from its stone foundation and carried at least twenty feet. Mr. Bennett and his wife were unhurt. He tried to protect her from heavy beams and boards that fell about them and his shoulder was dislocated and his chest injured, though it is not thought seriously. Across from the Bennett's Lewis Keith's home was destroyed and the aged man and his family narrowly escaped death or serious injury. Several tons of coal in a woodshed were moved several feet, woodshed and all.

At Pitcher Hill among the wrecked buildings are the house and barn of Mr. Chapman, the home of H. U. Wendell, home and barn of William Michaels, the schoolhouse and other buildings to say nothing of those that are unroofed or twisted. The farmers there are stared in the face by ruin.

Mr. Chapman was the only one downstairs when his home was demolished and he was killed. His family and friends were upstairs and were only comparatively slightly hurt. He was crushed by heavy timbers under one corner of the store. He had evidently been trying to close the door when the wind tumbled the building down. Mrs. Chapman, who was slightly injured by falling bricks and timber was frantic. Girls upstairs were hurled down with the house and cut and bruised.

After the building fell Miss Laura Hazelmyre, a guest at the house, climbed out and was seen standing on the roof covered with blood. She had saved the life of Edna Odin, a girl of 12, by throwing her out of the window though how or why she did it she does not know. Miss Hazelmyre was bruised and lacerated all over her body an a large piece was torn from one of her limbs but she was able to be up this morning and to limp along the road. Miss Hazlemyre is only about 18 years old and other in the house, excepting Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. Louis Haber, were all children.

All were upstairs save Mr. Chapman. Mrs. Chapman crazed by the terrible disaster, managed to get out of the wreckage that was once a home an tried to find her husband. He was found crushed and died in St. Joseph's hospital. It was necessary to saw away several [illegible] before Mr. Chapman could be gotten out.

Jacob Kronder, and employee of William Merrell at Pitcher Hill, is likely to die. He and Merrell were in the barn when the cyclone came. A beam struck Kronder and he went down. The wind seemed to pick up the barn and carry it and Mr. Merrell rode in the storm, praying to God as he was carried along. Wagons were driven pas him by the wind. In an instant it was over, but it seemed like years. Merrell's home and furniture and several barns were destroyed.

John Wilkinson was between his house and barn when the cyclone struck him and he was knocked down by flying timbers. His injuries while not apparently serious may develop seriously.

William Michaels's house, just south of the Chapman's place, is twisted out of shape and his barn is completely demolished. In the wreckage of the barn lies a white horse, killed by the falling timbers. The house outside does not look so bad but inside it is a wreck. It is twisted out of shape, plastering is fallen everywhere. Mr. Michaels was going from the barn to the house and the wind blew him against the house with great force...

The homes of Earl Benz and Albert Jewell are in ruins. Fred Zwicki lost part of his house and all of his barn. A big wagon was hurled through his henhouse.

Willard Davis lost the roof from his house and not a shred was left together of his barn. In his [illegible] are dead chickens by the score. His family of children were in the house but were not hurt. Mr. Davis was in a lot near his home and was knocked down by the wind, while flying timbers were carried over his head. He was not injured.

The home of Sidney Price and his barn were wrecked. One cow as left in the cellar of the barn this morning and neighbors and friends tried to get it out. Another cow was hurt and spectators begged that it be killed. It is said that it would be. The front of Mr. Price's house was torn off and only two rooms were undamaged. From the front upstairs a little picture could be seen this morning evidently hurled from the wall and fastened by the wind across the end of a partition that it had torn off.

Frank Reen is probably fatally injured. His ribs are broken and he lies in his home hovering between life and death. He was outdoors near the barn. The wind caught the big barn, moved it thirty feet toward the road and buried him under one corner. Mrs. Reen hurried out and tried to drag her husband from the wreckage. As last she succeeded.

The barn was taken up bodily and carried in the wind's teeth. In the house, every window was broken out. Katherine, his daughter, aged 11, was struck on the wrist by flying glass and was knocked down. The house was twisted and every door was out of place...

Jacob Gratzer, living near Reen, hurried to the assistance of his neighbor when the storm passed. Gratzer's own house was badly damaged. He and Mrs. Gratzer went to the aid of Reen and helped Mrs. Reen get him into the house. Mrs. Reen to-day was prostrated...

Sweeping over Reen's the wind struck the home of Sebastian Barthel on Temple road. Six mighty trees were torn from the earth and piled in heaps. The corner of Mr. Barthel's house was unroofed. An old log cabin, probably a century old, was undamaged...

George Hunt's barn was demolished in Buckley road and his house was wrecked. Mr. Hunt was blown from the barn to the house. A new buggy was caught up and smashed. Grain from the barn was hurled against the trees that were blown down.

Martin Slee's house was badly damaged. The family were not all at home and none were injured.

The barn of A. J. Blaike [?] on Sand road was demolished, two henhouses were destroyed and the roof blown from his house. The family was sitting on the porch when the cyclone was seen coming. They got inside and tried to push the door shut, but all their strength could not do it. A boy was blown across the room.

On Bear road Edward Clark's roof was blown off and barn damaged and orchard completely ruined. George Smith lost his barn and stock. The Waterbury brick schoolhouse roof was taken away. Trees block the road around it and poles and wires are strewn everywhere.

Mr. Price's loss alone is $10,000....

At the junction of Bear and Dunham roads is the home of F. H. Stinard. The tin roof was ripped off [illegible]. A big wagon was carried up into the air and whirled round and round, then dropped next to a henhouse. Dead chickens and cows and horses are everywhere.

On Dunham road Frank Hall's barn was moved a distance of four feet and then left standing.

Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, NY 16 Sept 1912