Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-06-07
(Ffom,he chicago Tribune }
Terrific Tornado.

Never before has it been our duty TO re-
cord so awful a calamity as that of which we
now sit down to write. The scene of the
tragedy is still before otr minds eye; the
wrecks Of the tempest are still lying scatter
en- about but were it not for the unimpeach-
able char acter of our inforMahts, eye-wit-
nesses of the dreadful calamity, we should he
inclined to believe that they had been labor
ing under some mental hallucination, and
that what we are about to relate was but a
dream OF the Imagination. The reality, how
ever, is too true. The bodies of the three
victims and the wounds of the other persons
constitute evidence too palpable to be set a.
side.
Our readers will Remember the violent hail
storm that took place in this city yesterday
afternoon between four and FIVE o'clock, and
the oppressive heat of the rest of the after
noon. At the same hour the events alluded
to took place in the town of Jefferson, near
Jefferson Mils,tlG miles distant.
A cloud Of a peculiar shape was first obser-
we'd approaching from the Northwest, and
terminating in funnel shaped point, the a.
pex towards and nearly reaching the earth.
AS it came nearer it was discovered to be a
whirlwind, rapidly revolving ana whirling up
various objects in which were plainly seen
large sticks of wood, boards, small trees and
chairs. 1t was coming towards our infori
mants, but did not reach them, but turned to
their right, described sem-circle, and fell
upon large frame house In an instant, and
with crash, the roof was torn off,. and i'm
mediately the whole house was lifted from
its foundation, literally torn to pieces, and
the pieces carried up IN the horrd vortex
The furniture in the house, all of. it, shared
the same fate, the weight of the articles ap.
pearing no obstacle 70 their assent whatever
Aua now we come to part of the Nara
tive sad indeed to relate. In the house were
nine persons. They were all drawn up into
the air, AMI fell at different distances, ant
with great violence to the ground. The wife
Of one of the eye witnesses, Mrs. Page ant
two OF her children, were instantly killed.
All the other persons in the house were great
ly injured. The Injuries with two exception.
consist of singular and heavy bruises all ovei
, the body. One man had his arm broken
and another his wrist badly spra ned. Mr.
!. Page only saved himself from being drawn
up into the air by holding on to large rock
, The house stood upon four large granite
boulders. These we're all moved several fec
from their places.
The whirlwind went ON and passed diago.
nally across post and rail fence. OF lhi:
it tore up twenty rods SO effectually that there
is not the slightest vestige ofa fence remain.
ing. From this it passed to the barn, tore a
, way one side Of it and threw it against 4
horse, causing his death. The side of the
barn zen fell down on three calves and in.
jured them so badly that they died during the
night.
The wbirlwind seemed TO pass off in sou.
thern direction.
Many of the fragments of the buildings
&C.. fell to the ground from great height
, In coming down they fell nearly perpendicu
, larly, and entered the ground like stakos.-
f Hundreds of these were counted by our infor
mant.
The force of the storm was Tremendous
Not only were the boards torn off from tht
{ beams to which they were nailed, but th'
0 beams themselves were wrenched asunder
, The whiriwind was accompanied by
storm of hail, many Of the hailstones being
f the size of walnuts. Some of them were
/ inches inches in circum ference.
We have neither space nor inclination 70
comment on this sad affair to day. Nothin!
{ like it has ever occurred here before, and W,
, hope never will again. 1t realizes the ut
, most horrors Of South American tornado
Had it spent lis force in the city hundreds o
! deaths might have marked its progress.