Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-02-24
From ne Cincinnati Commercial.
The Tornndo-IfcHn and specuIa-
lions.

From The Cincinnati Commercial.
The Tornnde-lfcnns and specuIa-
tf0nss
HARRISON, o Feb. l5th.-On yester-
day evening we wrote to you some Of
the particulars ofthe hurricane that pas
sed through this region on that day
To-day as we have been passing through
the town attending TO other business
the effects Of the storm have been be-
fore US. And as there are some pecu-
liar features in this tornado. we have
concluded TO give you few more items
and observations on the subject.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
We have seen persons from the track
of the storm FIVE miles west OF Harrison.
In that direction the tornado was about
as wide as in Harrison, 500 10 500 feet
and the same we learn was the width
northeast as far as Venice. In Dear
born County, Ind, four miles west of
Harrison, Mr.. Graham's house was en-
TREY demolished, his furniture beds. &c.
blown away, his horses hogs and cows
killed and his wife's nose cut OF. Jo-
seph Glarden, close by had his house
torn down and barn roof of. Widow
Cuens house blown down, and most of
the material of which il was made was
blown entirely away, and her household
furniture scattered for miles. Mr..
GrIbbs heavy frame barn 20 by so feet,
filled with grain, hay, corn. &c. was
moved from its foundation. Mr.. Mason
]. Cloud, wko lives near Logan Cross
roads, lives in a new hewed log house.
One side was raised up and one log
blown out, and blown entirely away 50
that ii could not be found. This last
item we do not vouch for, but Mr.. Briggs
Of Harrison, who is gentleman of well
balanced mind, assured us that it IS
strictly true.
East Of Harrison the tornado was
equally destructive. In one place il.
blew down a log cabin, and as there was
strong meat barrel in the room where
the family was, the timber falling on
that, saved them from being crushed to
death. We heard Of other houses and
barns being blown down and DESTROYED,
but it is useless to particularize. IL is
enough to say that it leveled everything
in its track.
PECULIAR FEATURE IN THE STORM.
We do not know that we are the first
to have noticed the fact we are about to
assume, but we have never seen il pub
lished. 1t is this Most ofthe damage
TO buildings is evidently caused BY va
cum which is created in the atmos-
phere just in the wake of the mighty
current; or from some peculiar combi-
nation OF the gases, there is a vacuum
created in the air, aud the rushing in Of
the heavy atmosphere causes the cur
rent of air which is so destructive. Now
let us to the facts: From close enquiry
Of those WHO were just on the edge Of
the current, we learn that the wind, in
stead OF bio wing in the direction Of the
main current, blew directly inward to-
ward the centre. And the roofs Of hou-
ses, and fences along each side, were
thrown directly toward the centre Of the
track, while those in the centre were ear
ried directly along with the storm
Very few, ifany, Of the buildings were
stove IN by the wind. When they were
burstsd in il was by timbers borne along
in the air. But every thing indicates
BURSTING OUT, or an EXPLOSION Of the
houses. The roof appear to have been
raised up and then carried away. Nor
were they raised up by the wind first
breaking in the windows and doors, for
very few were burst open. But there
must hare been such racRuni created IN
he atmosphere. that The air inside Of the
buildings expanded so suddenly as to raise
eff the roofs.
In proof OF this let us instance few
facts. The roof Of the Presbyterian
Church was all taken of. The win
dows were but slightly broken, no doors
TO windward, and no way for the wind to
get under the roof. Those who saw Il
say that the roof rose directly up for 60
: or 20 feet, and then passed entirely over
} the fine steeple OF the church. The
stceple is on the east end, but Il Is en-
tirely uninjured. IL Is evident 10 any
ole that wind that was strong enough
TO tear up that roof without some IN
WARD expansion, would have borne the
: steeple away as feather. But the
strangest case we noticed was the de-
struction Of Rice g. Thompson's cur
: penter shop. II was n strongly built,
two story shop, 40 by % feet. Tho
posts ofthe building run from the stills
TO the eve. Two men were at work In
the upper story. Shortly after the storm
, commenced, the crashing without and
the shaking Of the building caused the
+, workmen 10 attempt 10 leave the upper
story. They went TO the door, but could
s not pull II open notwithstanding II was
to the leeward. Becoming more fright
e enod, they turned 10 go 10 n window to
get out. About this time they felt the
: building raise, and the roof Sent off.
when they lodged under their work
d benches for protection. In few min.
utes they went 10 the door again and Il
y opened easily, when 10 their astonish-
ment they found that by power and
: process not easily comprehended, the
Q lower story had been swept from under
them, breaking of all the posts just be.
. low the joice, and carrying with the
lower story all the benches, lumber and
tools therein, and letting the SECOND
story drop down easily and in good or.
!. der, except roodess, and without much
= jar, as the workmen were unhurt. How
suddenly this lower story must have beer
IS torn out, not to have taken the uppe
one with IL Can any one comprehend
% the power OF Him "who rides upon thu
J. whirlwind, and directs the storm" Blu
r just before the roof went of, il appear
the workmen could not open the door
a Was this not the expansion Of the al
Is caused by an outward Vacuum. Thes'
facts, connected with the fact of the in
ward rush Of the current at the edges o
n the tornado, Is pretty conclusive tina
this il why this storm was more destruc
IS tive TO the buildings in proportion, thar
10 the forest trees.
e. We would like to see the opinions o
- other men on this subject. Whethe
the vacuum Is before the wind, and th
lie Cause of il, or whether IL is just in IN