Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-06-25

this melancholy affair, we now present our
readers with the remarks of friend who was
an eye witness of the whole scene, and which
will enable them to form a correct idea OF
this awfully sublime spectacle. He says:-I
The first intimation had Of the tornado's
approach, was the wind blowing in from both
sides of the house, in which was sitting
Immediately the cry Of fire was raised-l ran
to the corner of the street, and perceived IN
westerly direction, at about half miles
distance, black column moving onward, not
very rapidly, which had something the APP
pearance of a smothered fire, and wos mis-
taken for it. saw what it was, and ran into
the house and closed all the windows, before
it reached us. The whole atmosphere was
filed with fragments of timber, S'c.-in mo-
ment the house opposite, was unrooted, as If
it had been covered with paper. The house
in which was, being at the edge of the cur
rent, escaped uninured, save that raiter
from the roof of house, about half mile
distant, thirty feet long, struck the edge OF
the window, tearing away the brick work
! and demolishing the sash, and passed into the
wall Of the room.
The track of the tornado, was from north
west to southeast, and from minute inves-
tgation of its effects, docs not appear to have
; been of the nature ofa whirlwind, ordinarily
so called. The violence appears to have
been produced not from a whiring motion,
I but from two currents rushing towards each
I other-at the same time having an onward
motion. In the centre of the track, the force
appears to have been upwards, with some
! thing of whirlng movement. The facts
which substantiate this opinion, are these
In the town, wherever building has been
moved, if it was at the edge Of the current,
its direction was inwards; IT at the centre,
onwards. But these effects are more strong
r ly marked in the woods, where the direction
g of almost every tree, accords with this state
!. mcnt-at the extreme edge, the trees are
, nearly at right angles with the course, slop-
I, ing more as you proceed towards the centre
: where there is some confusion, but the direc-
!, ton is almost invariably with the current.
4 A gentleman of our acquaintance, who
/, happened 10 be in New Brunswick during
! the tornado, remarked to US, that previous &c
!, its commencement, the atmosphere was un
:, usually heavy, and respiration was with the
F greatest oppression. There was, said he
- many mysterious dread, or supernatura
e feeling of something unusual about to occur
III When the intelligence of the disaster
reached Princeton, several ct the Professor
i of the College, Immediately proceeded to tn
scene of devastation. They made mnut
= examination of the spot visited by the lorna
% % do, and will doubtless furnish the public wit
an interesting scientific statement on tn
,. subject Of this occurrcnce-the like Of whlc
E. has never before occurred in this latitude.
As some persons may be disposed 10 dout
,,f' the account respecting the lad, Durham, W
n n will merely state, that during whirlwin
~ which occurred in Burgundy in 1855, the pal
q tcnars of which are given by Able Richar'
~ it is stated that "two men were cnveloped ]
70 the whrlwind and carried to a distance, will
:. out experiencing any injury a young sheE
a herd was lifted high in the air, and throw
- upon the banks of the river-yet his fall We
% not violent, the whrlwind having placed hi
va on the verge where it ceased to act" I'll
h. case of the shepherd is precisely similar
lid that of young Durham, and in fact the who
se "o~o"nt nf the nho"n mentioned tornad
let which took place in the town of Mirabeu
nd bears surprising similarity to the one ,
,rn have just related.