Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-11-21

stalks Of corn are turned backward, that
10 toward the s. E.;-proceeding to-
wards the centre OF the track, their in
clinations to The south bee ame constantly
less and less, turning gradually towards
the course Of the storm, until when W.
roach the centre, they lie to the n. +
exactly in the line OF the storm. This
curvature is in all cases more observable
on the northern, than on the southern
side Of the track. In the latter case
the stalks Of corn lie more nearly AT
right angles to the course Of the storm,
(but inclning forward y still, on reach
ing the centre, they turn to the north
east, and become coincident with that
course.
8. Numerous examples are seen where
the bodies rs they fell towards the CEN
ire Of the track, or after they had fallen,
were turned farther round towards the
direction in which the tornado was mo-
wing, that is, towards the rorthenst.
4. The ruins Of buildings that were
demolished, are scattered in nearly n
right line towards the centre of the
track hut they frequently are strewed
quite across The cent,a al parts, reaching
in some instances almost to the opposite
margin. in This case, they are often
found covered with trees, and other bod
ieslying in precisely the opposite direction
b. In a few Instances very limited
spots ARE found where the pr"stratc bod
lea, as hills Of corn, lie in all directions
Examples occur where one portion Of
the same hill of corn isturned westward,
and another portion eastward.
In garden near II. are a Few rows
Of pole beans, apparently untouched by
the storm, while within n few feet on
either hand, the most violent effects are
exhibited. Near l.. barn was de-
molished, and dove-co,e scattered in
fragments, while hen-ioos, which stood
feeblv on blocks was unharmed. Large
trees in the immediate vicinity were torn
up by the roots. A house that stood be-
tween |. and l.. was completely torn in
pieces, leaving nothing but the southern
hall Of The ground floor. In the loom ol
this floor, "A woman was washing, aud
another was nt work in II basement room.
Immediately below, while her child was
asleep in Grad in a room above, ai
the northeastern angle Of the house. -
They saw the tornado approaching the
woman in the basement ran up and
caught her child in her arms, and inmc-
dia,ely afterwards found herself ana child
in an open field, II few PAGES north ot
the house, the child having been carried
q few feet from the spot where they were
while the mother was carried eighteen
or twenty feet farther to the westward |
The other woman meanwhile vas swept
OH from the floor where she was standing
and carried norihward and deposited inI
the cellar, the fuor of the northern hall
Of the house having been borne away
nlong with other parts Of the building i
None Of The patty were seriously inlur
ed. A bureau that was in The room
where the woman was washing, was
carried half n mile to the eastward, and
portions of it were found sticking in the
sides of n barn, having penetrated the
thick wall Of plank. A silk cape also
was taken from this house, and carried
over East Rock to the distance Of three
miles. in barn that was blown down
on the east side Of East Rock, a boy
that was on the loaG of hay in the barn
was transported across the street and
deposited in neighboring field un-
harmed.
In other cases, however, forces seem
10 have acted with greater violence upon
individual parts Of bodies. Numerous
instances occurred where hens were
completely stripped Of their feathers
"A wagon was taken up along with the
shed in which it was standing. The
shed was scattered in fragments, and
the wagon was carried norhwald hun
tred feet or more and dashed sideways
against barn, leaving q full impre ssion
OF one Of the wheels on the walls Of the
barn. Having nearly reached the cen
tire OF the track, 1t took turn TO the
northeast and was de posted at the dis
tance Of several rods in an exceedingly
mutilated state, the top having been car
ried off and not yet found, and the strong
iron springs broken and bent in man
ncr that denoted an exceedingly violent
action. No part Of this violence is to be
ascrbed to the force with which il fell
tn the ground; for it must have fallen
very gently, since the ground was scarce
ly broken at ALL The same fact was OBJ
served in the cases of trees and other
heavy bodies that were raised into the
atmosphere and transported To distance
They did not generally appear to have
fallen with the ordinary furce Of falling
bodies.
These forces which acted upon the
individual parts Of body often appear
To have acted in contrary directions -
The legs Of the same table were found
deposited at the distance of many feet
from each other in different directions
and this was true also Of the hinges of
the snme door.
We examined diligently for evidence
Of an explosive force acting on buildings
from within. in consequence Of n sudden
pfraction Of the air on The outside Of the |
bulldog, ngreeably 10 what is reported
Of the New Brunswick tornado, and of
other similar storms. We found but one
case that favored such a supposiiion. -
This was the ease of barn where the |
walls were thrown out on every side,
A .sl.