Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-05-31
From the Chicago Tribune, 9th

TERRIFIC ToRNADo.-Never before
has it been our duty to record so awful
calamity as that to which we now sii
down to write. The scene Of the TRACE
dy is still before our minds eye; the
wrecks of the tempest are still lying
scattered about; but, were it not for
the unimpeachable character Of our
informants, witnesses of the dread
full calamity, we should be inclined to
believe that they had been laboring un-
der some mental hallucination, and that
what we are about to relate was but a
dream of the imagination. The reality,
however, is too true. The bodies Of
the three victims and the wounds of the
other persons constitute evidence too
palpable to be set aside.
Our readers will remember the vio-
lent 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 afternoon. At
the same hour the events to which We
allude took place in the town of Jeffer-
son, near jefferson Mills, sixteen miles
distant.
A cloud Of a peculiar shape was first
observed approaching from the north
west, and terminating in a funnel
shaped point, the apex toward and
nearly reaching the earth. AS it came
nearer, it was discovered to be a ,ohirl-
,Oiud, rapidly revolving, and whirling up
various objects, in which were plainly
seen large sticks of wood, boards, small
trees and chairs. 1t was coming to-
ward our informants, but did not reach
them, but turned to their right de-
scribed semi-circle, and fell upon a
large frame house. In an instant, and
with crash, the roof was torn off, and
Immediately the whole house was lifted
from its foundation, literally torn to
pieces, and the pieces carried up in the
horrid vortex. The furniture in the
house, all of it, shared the same fate,
the weight of the articles appearing no
obstacle to their ascent whatever.
And now we come to part of the
narrative, sad, indeed, to relate. In
the house were nine persons. They
were all drawn up in the air, and fell,
at different distances, and with great
violence, to the ground. The wife of
one of the eye-witnesses Mrs. Page.
and two of her children were instantly
killed. All the other persons in the
house were greatly injured. The in
juries with two exceptions, consist of
and heavy bruises all over the
body. One man had his arm broken,
and another his wrist badly sprained.-
Mr.. Page only saved himself from be-
ing drawn up into the air by holding on
to large rock. The house stood upon
four large granite powders. These
were all moved several feet from their
places.
The whirlwind went on, and passed
across post-and-rail fence.
Of this 1T tore up twenty rods so ef-
fectually that there is not the slightest
vestige of fence remaining. From
this it passed to the barn, tore away
one side of it, and threw it against a
horse, causing its death. The side of
the barn then fell down on three calves,
and injured them so badly that they
died during the night.
The whirlwind seemed to pass off in
q southwark direction.
Many of the fragments of the build
ing, &c, fell to the ground from a great
height. In coming down they fell near
y perpendicular, and entered the
ground like stakes. Hundreds of these
were counted by our informant.
The force of the storm was tremen-
1ous. Not only were the boards torn
off from the beams to which they were
nailed, but the beams themselves were
assunder.
The whirlwind was accompanied by
\ storm of hail, many of the hailstones
being the size of walnuts. Some of
hem were nine inches in circumference.
We have neither space nor inclina-
lion for comment on this sad affair to-
day. Nothing like it has ever occurred
here before, and we hope never will
again. 1t realizes the utmost horrors
Of South American tornado. Had it
spent its force in the city, hundreds of
deaths would have marked its progress.