Children:
Margaret Kiefer
Harry E Kiefer, Jr
Sibling(s):
William N. Kiefer
Tilghman Kiefer
Luther Kiefer
Edward Kiefer
Sarah Caroline Kiefer
Lizzie Sylvania Kiefer
Israel John Kiefer
Preston Kiefer
Elmer J. Kiefer
Augustas V Kiefer
Minerva M Kiefer
Matilda Kiefer |
Notes:
Easton Express, April 6, 1923 Page 1
Cyclone Strikes Revere
Harry E. Kiefer, Merchant, Crushed to Death By Stones Falling From K.G.E. Hall
Storm, Hovering In Distance For Two Hours, Suddenly Broke With Great Fury and Spent It's Force in Five Minutes
A Storm of cyclonic proportions passed over the upper end of Bucks county yesterday afternoon, striking the little town of Revere with its full force, killing Harry E. Kiefer, the merchant at that place, and a former resident of Easton, wrecking buildings and tearing up trees, bowling over fences and telegraph and telephone poles and spreading havoc generally and causing thousand of dollars damage. The storm broke at about five minutes to five and in five minutes it had spent its force, leaving a narrow stretch of territory strewn with debris. The rainfall was not particularly heavy in the vicinity of Revere but in some other sections so much rain came down in a short space of time that hillsides were washed out. Hours after the storm a landslide occurred at Rocky Falls, blocking the Easton and Philadelphia trolley road and the state highway for hours. An automobile ran into the slide and trolley passengers were transferred around tons of rock and dirt that lay at the foot of the hill.
The Storm at Revere was the most severe in the memory of the oldest inhabitants of that place and the upper end of bucks. For about two hours before the storm broke, great lurky black clouds lay some distance away to the southwest of the little village. The people remarked that the first thunder storm of spring was about due, and went about their work and their business. Now and ten someone would look in the direction of the clouds and not infrequently the remark was made that the storm was a long time coming.
A few minutes before five o'clock the Kiefers, from their store window saw the clouds begin to move, slowly at first; in fact the movement was scarcely perceptible. A moment late the wind began to whistle and the clouds began to dip toward the earth. Then the people for the first time realized that the approaching storm was of a different character from nay they had ever before seen. The next minute the storm was upon them. The sky was as black as night with the ominone clouds directly over the village. Rain began to fall, trees were twisted and broken, roofs began to fly through the air and barns and outbuilding began to fall and widows give way.
Mr. Kiefer ordered his clerk, Sylvester Moninghoff, to go to the second story of the building to close Widows and doors and he himself walked to the front of the first floor to fasten down the showed signs of giving under the press of the wind. His wife and daughter, who were in the store advised against his going out but he went on and just as he stepped outside the door there was a deafening crash that terrified all within hearing distance, and before Mrs. Kiefer and her daughter realized what had happened Mr. Kiefer was buried under tons of stone, mortar and twisted timbers. He was dead when they reached his side. His body was crushed and mangled. As soon as possible Dr. Harvey Grim, who lives a quarter of mile up the road from the store was summoned. He pronounced the merchant dead.
Other residents of Revere and its immediate vicinity who suffered damage are:
Dr. Harvey grim, chimney torn off the side of house damaged.
Charles Krall, whose place is next to Dr. Grim's residence end of house damaged, boards ripped off and some damage from rain.
LeRoy Walters, hotel keeper, windows broken; damage from water.
Reuben Sigafoos, chicken house blown down and straw shed toppled over.
Tony Halla, windows smashed and roof damaged.
The damage to the other farmers in and about the village was no as sever but none escaped entirely.
Places on the Durham road suffered severely. The house and barn of Nicholas Rider were unroofed.
A Small barn near Rider place was torn down.
A house on the road from Durham to Perkasie belong to a family named Biblear was uprooted. A small barn nearby was destroyed.
Posts on the front porch of the home of Dr. Frank Morris near Revere were torn out and several little building on this property were blown down.
At the Property of Catharine Herstine nearby, the wind lifted a shed clear off the ground and then dropped it demolished.
The Milford, NJ section did not suffer very much, Many windows in private homes were broken. The most damage was suffered at the Warren Manufacturing Company where all the windows in all the building of the plant were broken out.
The village was in wild excitement and the news of the tragedy at the Kiefer store soon spread through the countryside. Scores of People, ready and willing, as people in the country always are, to give every assistance possible, flocked to the store, some on foot, some in wagons, others in automobiles. The heavy stones were taken from the crushed body of the merchant and later in the evening the remains were removed to his home at Ferndale, about a mile up the road toward Easton. During the night relatives and friends came from near and far to express their sympathy to the bereaved family.
The Kiefer store, on the right side of the road on the way to Philadelphia from Easton, was located in the first and second stores of the Knight of the Golden Eagle Hall. This is by far the largest and highest building in the town and it seemed to stand straight in the path of the terrific storm. It was a mark for just such a gale. The first gust of wind found it's way under the tine roof, rolled up the tine and carried in a quarter mile up the road, where, some time later, it was found, a twisted, torn mass. It is believed by many that the roof struck the front of the building and this impact, with a terrific force of wind back of it, dislodged the stone wall and sent it crashing to the ground.
Windows on every side of the building were blown in, and the interior, especially on the top and middle floors was seriously damaged.
Across the way stands the revere Hotel, kept by LeRoy Walter, formerly of Easton. This building of bungalow type construction, also suffered considerably. Windows were broken and wind played havoc on the inside of the house. No one there was injured.
Up and down the road and east and west from the center of the cyclone the damage is widespread, but not so severe, nearly every house and building suffering more or less damage. The farm of R. S. Sassman is located next the Kiefer store on the way toward Easton. Every building on the farm shows signs of the battle with storm, and trees were twisted and broken off and others uprooted. It was feared that every tree in the apple orchard was destroyed. Mr. Sassman was in Easton when the storm broke and had no intimation of what happened until he reached home in the early evening No member of the family was injured and the cattle escaped. Mr. Sassman had no way to today of estimating his damage, but as he carried insurance against fire and storm, the loss will not fall so heavily upon him.
The Kiefer store was an unusually well-stocked on for a business place in a town of the size of Revere. On the floors he occupied there were good of every description, and they were of better grades and kinds. Kiefer had the reputation of being square with every person with whom he came in contact and his customers had only words of praise for his business methods and sympathy over his tragic death. He gave as much as he could for every dollar left at his store and his patrons were well satisfied. In addition to conducting the store he held a commission as post master, the post office being located in the rear of the first floor of the building. Nothing belong to the government was damaged and the property was carefully watch during the nigh by relatives and friend of the Kiefer family.
Mr. Kiefer was a hard working conscientious man but the fate seemed to be against him. Five years ago last month, when his store was located on the site now occupied by the Revere Hotel, a fire broke out and completely destroyed his stack and household goods. The fire spread so rapidly that the Kiefer children had to be carried from the house. Undaunted by severe and unexpected reverse. Mr. Kiefer immediately set about to straighten out his affairs and look about for another location to reestablish his business. The K.G.P Hall building was ideal place for a general store and Mr. Kiefer leased it. In a comparatively short time he was again doing business and was said to be getting on his feet, when the fates again turned their attention to him, this time to snuff out his life.
Mr. Kiefer was assisted in the conduct of his business by his wife who gave to the store as much of her time as she could possibly spare from the household duties. The family were pulling together to make good, and were on the road to success when misfortune again overtook them.
The Knights of the Golden Eagle Hall is a three story stone building substantial build. The structure was erected about 20 years ago and as the\? a lodge building as is generally seen in the country town many time the size of Revere. The first and second floors were occupied by Mr. Kiefer as sales and storage rooms and the top room was reserved by the lodge for a meeting place and assembly hall when affairs of a special nature were given to which the families of the members and the general public were invited.
The rain poured into the lodge room and did considerable damage but the downfall was not suffice to cause much if any damage to the second and first floors.
Mr. Kiefer was on of eleven children of Mr. And Mrs. Edward Kiefer and was in the 49th year of his age. For 14 years he was a trolley conductor on the Easton Transit and Philadelphia and Easton Trolley lines, He was a resident of Easton for many years but seven years ago moved to Revere where he opened a general store. After the fire five years ago he moved across the road into the store in which he met his untimely death yesterday.
He is survived by his wife, who was Miss Mary Powell of Easton, and to who he was married 21 years ago; one daughter, Miss Margaret Kiefer, and one son, Harry Kiefer, living at home, and following brothers and sisters; William Kiefer, Frankford, Philadelphia; Tilghman, Easton; Luther, Easton, South Side; Edward Raubsville, Elmer, Stroudsburg; Israel, Easton, South side; Mrs. Sarah Fishler, Easton; Mrs. William Bright, Bethlehem; Mrs. Harry Bassett, Easton; Mrs. Howard Walters, Newark.
Deceased was a member of Bethany United Evangelical Church, Easton; Judson Kilpatrich Camp, No 233, Sons of Veterans, Easton; Revere Castle, No 230, Knights of the Golden Eagle, Revere; Shield of Honor, Ottsville; the Trolley Men's Union, and a beneficial society of Plumbsteadville. |
