The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-06-28 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO.

A tornado which visited North Missouri and Kansas
on the evening of the 30th of May appears to have
been one of the most destructive character. It was
preceded by a severe storm of wind and rain, which
suddenly ceased, and then appeared a "funnel-shaped
cloud," which swept along at the rate of twenty miles
an hour, laying everything waste in its path. The
account given of the demolition of a farmhouse near
Independence, Missouri, shows the terrible nature of
the cyclone. The house occupied by a Mr. and
Mrs. Harris and four children was without a
moment's warning lifted up with its inmates into
the centre of the funnel completely out of sight
—carried a distance of three hundred yards, and
then dashed down, "a mass of shivered and broken
timbers and mangled humanity." Mr. Harris, his
wife, and two children were killed, and the others
so injured that their death was regarded as inevitable.
Fragments of the house were found at the distance of
a mile from where it originally stood. Persons who
witnessed the scene about 200 yards off felt, it is stated,
no effects of the storm at all. They at first heard a
tremendous roaring, and on looking saw the funnel.
shaped cloud advancing with extreme velocity, at times
close to the earth, then bounding upwards and almost
disappearing. The air was impregnated by a sulphur-
ous smell, and the electric currents could be plainly
seen and heard snapping like gunshots. They saw
Harris's house drawn into the vortex of the cloud, and
in a few seconds falling timbers rained upon them
from all directions. —Pall Mall Gazette.
WASTE LANDS IN AUSTRIA.

A good example has just been set by Austria to the
various Governments in Europe, and to our own in
particular. The Inspector-General of Austrian rail-
ways has, by command of the Government, just
addressed a circular to the boards of directors
of all the railways in the Empire, urging upon
them the advisability of cultivating osiers on
the waste lands adjoining their lines, both as a
source of income which was by no means to be despised,
and as an encouragement to the wicker and basket.
making industries of the country generally. He
pointed out that, of the 800 or more different kinds
of willows with which botanists are now ac-
quainted, there are three in particular, one or other
of which would do well on the different soils
met with on their lines. These varieties are the
Salix viminalis, especially fitted for very damp
ground; the Sala purpurea, which does well on dry
sandy soils; and the Salix pruinosa, which yields
satisfactory results on poor lands that are now almost
absolutely barren. When we consider the little care
required for osier culture, we cannot but think that
this is the best suggestion yet made to railway com-
panies for the utilisation of their waste lands. Our own
companies have been advised frequently to go in for
fruit culture, but the suggestions have never been car-
ried out, inasmuch as the costs of cultivation and of
watching the fruit to sea that it does not get stolen,
have been felt to be such as would preclude the possi-
bility of profit.—G;obe.