DAMAGE IN THE NARRABRI
DISTRICT.
BUSINESS PREMISES WRECKED.
MANY BUILDINGS UNROOFED.
DETAILS OF LOSSES.
NARRABRI, Saturday.
One of the most severe cyclones,-almost equal to
that of last year, when it was estimated that £4000
worth of damage was done -passed over the town this afternoon.
The weather throughout the day was oppressive and the sky overcast.
About 3.40 p.m. there were indications of a severe storm in the
west, and lightning accompanied by heavy claps of thunder,
followed almost immediately.
The residents became alarmed, and windows doors, &c., were
securely fastened down, preparations being made for the worst.
Immense clouds of dust were noticed coming from
the west and the roaring of the wind and the peals
of thunder almost made many of the residents panic
stricken, some people taking refuge in places that they
considered were the safest.
When the full force of the storm reached the town
it carried before it almost every conceivable article
that was movable. Hail fell with terrific force, and
rain amounting to almost 60 points fell within a short
space of time.
Houses were unroofed, some being completely
levelled to the ground.
THE RESIDENTS ALMOST PANIC
STRICKEN
The storm only lasted about five minutes. People
were almost panic-stricken. At the northern end of
the town many places suffered considerably, in some
instances only chimneys being left. This portion of
the town also suffered terrible damage during the
cyclone of 1809.
Mr. E. Rooney's residence, a four roomed cottage
was completely wrecked, also his detached kitchen
and store
Mr. W. T. Ground's residence of four rooms
suffered considerably, the roof being blown off and
the furniture destroyed. The fencing, outhouses,
&c., were also blown down.
Mr. T. Nation's residence suffered considerably,
all the windows being smashed and the outhouses
blown down.
Mr. F. Tribe's place was damaged to a great ex
tent, the verandah being completely carried away,
The whole of the structure was twisted a good deal.
Mr. A. Tindall's premises suffered considerably, the
doors being completely blown away.
Mrs. Knight's had a roof blown off, and her furniture
was ruined.
A house, the property of Mr. G. Smith, was completely
demolished, besides many trees in the street.
Mr. Henry Perrett suffered the loss of a chimney,
a verandah &c. Another place belonging to the
same person was completely unroofed, the chimney
and kitchen being levelled to the ground.
A hayshed of Dr. Segol was blown down. Nearly
all of the telegraph posts and wires at this portion of
the town were also blown down.
Mr. H. G. Spencer had the roof of his house blown
off, damage to the private residence and shop being
estimated at £150. A good deal of fencing was also
destroyed
Mr. E. W. Carrington's store suffered consider-
ably , tho windows being broken tho verandah blown
down, and most of the stock destroyed.
Mr. F. W. Tranter's business premises and stores
suffered to a great extent. The roof was blown off
both places. The estimated damage in this case is £300
Mr. J. Fardill, grocer, had the windows of his
premises smashed, the roof was partly taken off, and
considerable damage was done to the stock. A house
on the opposite side of the street was almost completely
wrecked, the roof and verandah being demolished.
The workshops of Messrs. Boake Brothers, coach
builders, were blown down, several sulkies and bug-
gies being destroyed.
Mr. H. Panton's residence suffered considerably
The chimneys and the roof were blown down.
Mr. H. Locke's blacksmith shop was partly blown
down and his private residence was unroofed.
DAMAGE IN TOWN
In Narrabri proper a good deal of damage was
done Mr. E. V. Coleman s shop, a two story
building in Maitland street, had the roof completely
blown away. The windows in the shop were
smashed, and considerable damage was done to the
stock.
The roof of Mr. M. Hardy's business premises was
taken off. The old buildings at the side of Mr. C.
Wall's Commercial Hotel were completely unroofed
Mr. J. Turner's stables were unroofed and Mr. E.
H. Wall's premises were partly unroofed.
The Commercial Hotel occupied by Mr. W. Con-
way had the roof partly removed and the chimney
blown down, the estimated damage being £150.
The windows in the local post office were blown
in. Mr. W. H. Coleman's hotel also suffered considerably,
the stables at the rear being blown down.
The goods shed at the local railway station was
blown down and a couple of trucks were removed
from the rails.
Mr. S. Faulkner's premises were damaged considerably.
Reports from the outlying districts are not yet to
hand. The telegraph lines along the railway line on
the eastern side of the town are blown down and
greatly damaged.
A MAN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
Mr. W. Herbert, a man employed by Mr. E. H.
Wall, was killed near Narrabri by lightning.

Source:
The Sydney Morning Herald
Monday 6 January 1902
page 7
Transcription, janilye 2014.