The New Hampshire Gazette And Republican Union

Violent Tornado-The Steam Factory Unroofed

The most violent gust of wind ever experienced in Portsmouth, passed over the town about 5 o'clock last Friday afternoon. It gathered in the north. or north-west, and came with great fury against the large factory of the Portsmouth Steam Company, situated on the north-western border of the town, raising the roof several feet into the air and carrying nearly the whole of it away from the walls, some twenty feet, perhaps, at the southern end only remaining. The building is about 200 feet long by 70 in breadth, and six stories high.— The roof was constructed with very light timbers or joist, and covered with boards and tin painted —the structure to appearances simply resting on the walls without being otherwise secured. No part of it fell less than a hundred feet from the building, and the larger portion, including the tin covering, copper gutters, boards and joist, was blown full 100 yards. A large mass fell upon a one-story brick stable a few yards in the rear of the residence of Robert Rice, Esq., crushing the entire roof and destroying a large portion of the strong brick walls. Other timbers struck a wooden dwelling-house, occupied by Mrs. Scavey, one end of which was forced in so as to expose the interior of the lower floor.

Strange to say this remarkable accident was attended with no loss of life, and no other damage in town than that already named, if we except the blowing-down of a couple of chimneys at the Navy Yard, and the breaking of limbs from two or three trees. The force of the cloud seems to have been broken upon the Steam Mill. The wind subsequently passed over the town and down the Piscataqua in a south-easterly direction. From three to four hundred operatives were at the time employed in the Mill-a number in the upper story used for dressing cloth, the lathing of which was carried away-not one of whom was seriously injured, and half a dozen, perhaps, only slightly bruised.

We have not heard the loss estimated. It will. however, probably cost some four or five thousand dollars to put on a new roof as good as the old one, and require a few weeks time to complete the work. The company will also meet with an additional loss in consequence of the mill standing still, at least a portion of the time. We understand that prompt measures will be taken to guard as far as possible, against damage to the machinery should the weather come on rainy.