Sunbury, PA Storm, Jan 1889

The Wreck at Sunbury

SUNBURY, Pa., January 9 – At 5:30 o’clock this evening, a rain and windstorm came up suddenly and blew over several of the stacks of the Sunbury saw mill. The mill is situated between the Reading and Pennsylvania railroads on the outskirts of the city. First, is a puddling mill having six furnaces. Stack No. two was thrown over on the roof, dropping with it stack No. 3. They crashed through the slate roof, completely demolishing the puddling department of the mill. Thirty-five men were employed in this department and half of them were buried in the debris. A fire alarm was sounded and soon hundreds surrounded the mill. Men were carried out half naked and men are at work yet, as it is supposed several others are in the ruins. Two men were taken out dead; nine are seriously injured and four are missing, supposed to be dead in the ruins of the mill.

The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, GA 10 Jan 1889

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The gale was terrific at Sunbury, Pa. The two smokestacks of the Sunbury Iron manufactory were blown down, crashing into the {illegible}. C.C. Showers, of Milton, a puddler, was killed; also a tramp who was warming himself at the furnace. Several were fatally injured.

The following were injured: James Faust, William Genthed, Brit Jones, James McDonald, of Sugar North; Albert Williams, of Lancaster; John Recpion, of {illegible}, and Robert Beasley, of Lancaster, head crushed in and broken ribs, also injured internally.

Two little boys, aged about 14, named Walter Israel and Harry {illegible}, were playing about the mill at the time. The former had his face and head cut and the latter head and side bruised.

The News, Frederick, MD 11 Jan 1889
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Transcribed by Bekky Tatar-Kinsey. Thank you, Bekky!