Last Thursday Morning’s Cyclone Was Worst In History Of District—Much Damage In Town And County — Armouries Unroofed, Silos Blown Down And Hundreds Of Trees Destroyed.

Last Thursday morning’s storm was the worst known in the memory of the oldest inhabitant of the district. The storm came on between 9 and 10 o’clock in the morning with a terrific gale and heavy rain causing thousands of dollars of damage in Picton and throughout the county. It came up from the southwest, off the lake, the centre of the storm striking the county at about the vicinity of Wellington. It covered an area of several miles wide reaching from the Big Swamp, some four or five miles north of Picton, to Cherry Valley and beyond on the south. Outside of this the storm was not severe. There was some wind and rain but no damage was done. In the area where the storm was at its worst there seemed to be a wide variation in the degrees of intensity. While the storm was bad over all this district it seemed to swoop down in places, uprooting trees and destroying buildings, while on either side a short distance away no damage was done.

In fact the storm seemed to bear all the evidences of a real western cyclone only not as wide spread or as severe. The destruction was not confined to a straight line or any particular district. Here and there over this area wherever it struck it left destruction in its wake. Sometimes only a tree or two would be twisted and uprooted, while others standing near by would be practically unhurt, or again it might be that the limbs on one side of the tree would be twisted off as though they had been severed by a huge flail. The evidence of the wreckage seemed to establish the fact that the storm was a huge mass of terrific whirlwinds and whenever these struck down, was where the damage was done. It was unlike the ordinary wind storm with a practically even pressure over the whole area with the wind blowing in a direct line. With this storm the rain and wind came in a whirling, swirling motion and with a force that nothing could withstand.

In such a storm one gets an idea of the marvelous force of the wind and of the destruction that it can cause in a few minutes. The worst of its intensity only lasted for a short time but during this time the sky was so darkened by the thick mass of clouds and rain that it seemed almost like nightfall and when the lights went off it left things almost in darkness. It is difficult to estimate the amount of the damage done in the county but it would probably exceed $50,000. The worst individual loser is Mr. Thos. Alexander of Yerexville, whose barn was utterly destroyed. His loss is estimated at $5000. The damage to the armouries roof will probably reach as great a sum. The only one injured was a Mr. Miller of North Marysburg who was on a load of hay which was blown over. Mr. Miller fell on a fence and the load of hay on top of him breaking some ribs, one rib puncturing the lungs. He is reported to be recovering.

The storm was severe in Picton and business was entirely at a standstill while it lasted. As soon as it was over reports began to come in of the damage done. The big armoury building in the centre of the town lost nearly all of the roof on one side. The heavy slate roof of this big building was lifted clear off and the wreckage strewed for a hundred yards. Part of it fell on the edge of the Regent Theatre roof damaging it slightly and carrying away the eave troughing. Another big portion struck the iron railing on Mary St. east carrying it over the bank. Mary Street and William St. were blocked with the wreckage and windows in residences in that section were broken with the flying slate. Part of the roof that was not removed was shifted so badly that it will have to be replaced. The roof on the side of the armouries to the west, the direction from which the storm approached is uninjured and it would seem that the damage was caused by the suction of air due to the whirling motion of the storm. The heavy rain flooded the floor of the Armouries with an inch or two of water.

One of the big silos at the A. C. Miller Canning Company plant, which is situated about 200 feet from the rear of the Armouries, was blown down. These were the only serious damages to buildings in the town, but dozens of trees were blown down in various districts blocking the streets and putting electric light and power lines out of commission.

The maple grove behind Dr. Philp’s residence on King Street was badly wrecked, four or five of the trees being utterly destroyed. Part of a big elm fell over the corner of E. C. Garbutt’s house on Centre St., a big tree went down on Elizabeth St. near the Baptist church completely blocking the road. Two big trees fell across Washburn Street. On Main West several trees went down. Mary Street west was blocked and two big trees fell on Mary St. East, one of them across Sam Burns’ residence, doing some damage. This meant serious damage to the hydro lines but a gang of workmen were put at work at once and connection was established again by the middle of the afternoon. This was good work. The telephone lines were also partially out of commission but only for a short time.

Mr. Chas. Lighthall’s house, just off Cherry Valley road at Butts Corners was entirely destroyed, the building and furniture being scattered, fortunately there was no one in the house at the time. A plate glass window was broken at Adams and VanDusen’s store.

While the damage was widespread and many losses are reported all over the storm area, the greatest sufferers were at Yerexville, about a mile and a half or two miles north of Picton, Here Mr. Thos. Alexander’s barn was utterly destroyed; John Rolston’s barn lost more than half of the roof and was badly damaged; F. Drummond lost part of the roof of his barn and his house was damaged; W. C. Blakely’s barn roof was damaged; E. Welbanks’ silo was blown down and barn roof damaged, Stephen Wright’s barn was blown down; Alf. Nutley’s barn was injured and all through the orchards of this district trees were uprooted and destroyed.

The storm struck the county at Huyck’s Point and considerable damage was done for a couple of concessions of Hillier township. Here W. A. Foster’s silo was blown down, Earl Pierson’s barn struck by lightning but did not burn, trees blown down and orchards injured. At Wellington the damage was not heavy, the loss chiefly being confined to across Hallowell township much damage was done to this fine orchard section. Orser’s and Leavens’ cherry orchards suffered to some extent. North of Bloomfield Finley Stone’s barn was damaged and H. D. Leaven’s silo blown down. The chimney of Earl Pearsoll’s house on the Belleville road was blown off. Near the old chapel just a mile east of Picton a fine elm grove is a wreck, some 12 or 15 immense trees lying in a windrow. In Greenbush, south of Picton, Thomas McKinley’s house was struck and set on fire but the fire was put out. In the Cherry Valley and East and West Lake districts there was some damage to trees and orchards. Down through North Marysburg the damage was severe. A barn on the property owned by Clarence Pierce was blown down. All through the area fences were blown down and other minor damages done. Fortunately the damage to the crops was not serious. Oat fields were flattened by the force of the storm but they will recover. Other crops were only slightly damaged.

On the bay and harbor there were exciting times while the storm was on, The Brockville was on her way to Glen Island with an excursion party from Napanee, when the storm struck her while coming up the reach. Some of the awning and railings were carried away but she weathered the gale and came on into Picton returning to Glen Island when the storm abated.

Near Thompsons’ Point they passed the Quinte Lady which was capsized. This is a fishing boat, the property of Messrs. McQueen and Sherman, fish buyers. The crew, Chas. Brent and Jas. Sharman were rescued by Mr. Ernest Maden who put out with his power boat from the Lennox shore, the men clinging to the bow of their water logged craft which was rapidly sinking until help arrived.

The force of the storm sucked the water out of the harbour at Picton, lowering it several feet and leaving the bottom of the bay dry for feet from the dock. The water did not resume its usual level for some time for when some of the local motor boat owners visited their boat houses four hours later they found the water some two or three feet lower than usual.