The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-08-15

ment, scattering them in every direction.
Some of the bricks were found fifty rods from
the house.
Mr.. Stone and his family were in the house
at the time, his wife sick He received many
bruises, but no bones were broken, and he is
now doing well. One girl found the timbers
in falling had confined her by her dress, so
that it was impossible for her to escape till some
one came to her assistance, and tore her dress
from her, leaving it under the timbers. She
received no injury.
Itnext struck the house and barn Of Samu-
ell Jordan, destroying them entirely. Moth
inc but part of the lower floor is left in its for
mer place-not q stick or a splinter is stand
ing-yet the family most miraculously escaped
uninjured. As it passed through the fields
before reaching these houses. Isaw one place
where it had ploughed the ground to the depth
of eight inches one rod in length and ten feet
in breadth, securing the soil and stones entire
ly off to that depth. At another place, a stone
weighing some six hundred pounds, one third
embedded in the earth, was thrown from Its
place number of feet. As it passed through
Mr.. Stones orchard it tore up the trees carry
ing some of them ten and twenty rods-some
were left clinging to the earth by small por-
ton of the roots, the trunks of others were
twisted nearly off. An eye witness says that
when it struck the buildings CT Mr.. Stone, so
quick was its execution, that the appearance
was more like large body of smoke than any
thing be could think of. Powder could hardly
have been more sudden in its operation. AT
ter clearing away little, the air seemed filled
with sticks, boards, broken timber, and rub
bish, which fell in many places at great dis
tances from the buildings. Many who saw 1t
at different stages of its course, described it as
sending forth frequent flashes of lightning, and
it was generally accompanied by great noise
resembling continued thunder.
1t next struck the buildings of John Lane,
completely demolishing his barn, and unroof-
ing his house. A school-house near by was
moved from its foundation without being bro
ken in pieces. The children, eleven in num-
Der, ran out of the school-house before the wind
reached it, tothe house of Mr.. Crawford. At
ter nearly all of them had entered Mr.. Craw-
ford's house, that was also leveled with the
ground. One little boy, about five years of
age, who did not reach the house, was blown
into tree, the tree blown down, and he re-
ceived no injury. Mr.. Crawford's family we're
absent. Richard Lane lost his barn.
Passing from Ripley into Dexter, the barn
of James Lane was blown down. Next the
buildings of Samuel Abbot, consisting Of
new house, not finished, and his old house and
barn were destroyed. A portion of the old
house, into which the family ran, was left stand
ing, but of no value. No one was injured
Not a stick of his fence for the distance of for
ty rods remained in its former place, but the
fragments might be seen strewn over the
neighboring fields, 10, 90, 80, and forty rods
distant. Some pieces of his buildings have
been found four or five miles from the place
where they stood. Of niue hives of bees not
a trace can be found of four. Where it stop
ped, or where it first commenced, is not known
to us. but we hear of no damage to buildings
west of Ripley. 1t is said 10 have been seen,
however, in New Portland, and Kingsbury,
whence ii rose into the air, and did not touch
the ground again until it reached Ripley.