Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-06-25
Extraordinary Phenomenon.
LOSS OF LIFE-MYSTERlOUS MOVE
MENTS OE AN ATMOSPHERIC BODY.

MENTS OE AN ATMOSPHERIC BODY.
On Saturday afternoon very many of our citi-
; zens noted the appearance of very remarkable
formation of cloudy substance extending from the
theavens nearly TO the earth, where it seemed 10
diminish almost TO a point, but expanding gradu-
ally as it ascented, until the peculiar form was
lost in the cloudy sky. This remarkable and tun-
nell ike column of cloudy mist, passed over the
city at about four o'clock, and was remarked not
only by its peculiar appearance, but by rushing.
buzzing noise, as it.sweP off in the direction Of
Deerield Ii was watched for some moments,
and the people generally believed it to be water
spout, as its conica form corresponded. with all
ideas of such natural phenomenon. 1t soon pas
sed from sig bt, and was made the sportive con-
versa,ion for the hour, without the least concep-
ton of what the body consisted, of its desruct-
i've power. Its effects, however, have been most
wonderful. and may justly attract the attention
and scrutiny of the scientific world.
The conical mass settled to the earth few
minutes past four at point the residence
of Milo Root in Deerfeld. wherr one or two fem
ces were torn down and scattered about the fields.
Here the destructive power seemed merely to touch
the surface {: between this point and the residence
of Nathan Budlong, in Schuyler. ii distance of one
or two miles, Frustrated tree and fence can only
attest to its desructlveness. At Mr.. N. Budlong's
the mysterious agency settled TO the eart and in
an instant scattered barn to pieces. and tore up
several trees the opposite side of the road; mex,
sta nding directly in south easterly line from
where it first touched the earth was demolished,
and quite d number of trees in her orchard were
destroyed the path Of destruction then tended in
direct line to the southeast marked by numel-
GUS PROSTATE trees and rddled fences, until it ap.
preached the Baptist parsonage house occupied
by Mr.. John Warren
. Mr.. W. informs us that he was engaged in his
garden at about o'clock and saw the approach of
the cloudy object, it threw up the trees. As its
course pointed in the direction of his own house,
he ran to the dwelling. caugh, two of his older
children and called to his wife to save the otrer
three and herself by following him to the cellar
The husband had descended two or three steps
with his charge, and the wife, with an infant, and
two older children had reached the cellar door
when the house was STRUCK. The whole frame
work was lifted from the stone foundation the
entire wood work above the first floor was ca rried
some twenty feet and then dropped in a grand
perfection of ruin, while the first floor with the
slefpcrs attached, which caught in the found ation
was finally turned roof-like over the entire mass
Mr.. Warren with two of the children remained
in the cellar enclosure without injury; Mrs War
rem. waa found on the ground about ten feet from
the cellar door almost entirely stripped of her cloth
; ing and so severely wounded about the neck and
body that she died within an hour after the caam-
ity, although entirely conscious her infant was
found near by and almost entirely free from injury.
yet utterly destitute of clothing little boy who
was following his mother to the cellar is now ~
ing unconscious from the injury he received in the
: common wreck. His recovery is very doubtful
an older g rl escaped without an injury. The
dwelling was two stories, lSX26 feet, and substan.
TALLY built. In rear of it was a barn, distant
about five rods. 25x32 feet. which literally
shivered into spin,ers.
Next in the souheasterly line Of its course it
uprooed several large trees, scattered the fences
crossed the road and demolished largo barn
belonging to Mr.. John M Bndlong. This build
ing WAS Of recent and very substantial build 35
by so feet upon its base, yet the destructive ele-
ment tore it 10 pieces, scattering large ,irnbers
anout the fields at distance of from FIVE to fifteen
rods distributing the roof in various directions,
and actually taking up iron cylinder threshing
machine, weighing perhaps four hundred pounds
and deposited it at least eighty feet from the barn.
A COW belonging to Mr.. B. standing near the
barn was killed without any apparent outward
wound. About 80 rods further a direc, line, a
smaller barn belonging to the same gentleman
was demolished. and what is very singular in
this instance, but little of the erial of which i,
was constructed is to be found any where. A
few shivered boards and tmbers alone attest to its
previous existence. The dwelling Of Mr.. BUD
long had a narrow escape. A shingle or two
torn from the roof, indicate how narrowly it escap-
ed destruction
Beyond the premises of Mr. B.. for about mile
PROSTATE trees and fences evidence the track of
the destructive messenger. 1t however seemed to
release its hold upon the earth soon after leaving
the farm of MIR. b., for it distinctly seen to
rise from the surface and dissolve its conica shane
into a general cloudy form The phenomenon
was followed by violent rain and wind Two
men at work in field the strange apparition
approach and took to their HEELS barely escaping
its track as it passed on. 1t seemed to raise from
the earth in four or five minutes from the time it
was first seen. and the evidences of destructi IN
| hof lie in djSfrio
miles in extent in sou,heasierly direction from
where its first touch was felt, and in track about
fifteen rods in width Whatever of material sub. |
stance presented iteself in this track was sven,
away and the ruin presented is certainly fearful to
behold.
Had the mysterious body settled upon this city
and passed down Gennesee street, there would |
not al this hour remain vestige oits present for
nation. OF what the destructive power was COM
posed we are not prepared to affirm, but its force
we Can truthful'y attest. Huge trees were tossed
from their deep rooted resting places as readily as
gardener would pull up radish from the sandy
earth fences and even fence posts were scattered
in all directions if they were chips, and build
| ings offered no mo:e Resistance than a clapboard
| TO a forty horsepower engine. The moving mass
! Of ruin is represented by all who saw i, 10 have
been vapory substance; it was not accompanied
| by any wind or storms. but seemed an inbepend-
en' agency, travelling on its own account, at
| there was constant revolution, and W hen il was
rising this whiring peculiarly becams more ter.
rife and violent The peculiar buying sound
which was noticed in its passage by our citizens
was remarked by the people along its course in
| Deerf-ld and Schuyler
All the peculiarilies attending the phenomenon
seem TO demand scientific investigation as to the
cause and pecuiirr effect. What agency could
pro duce such results except electricity We are un-
able to comprehend; and ye, the strange proofs
of destruction exhibited not well be expjaihed
on any popular theory connected with this wonder
full agency. The trees are still green in the leaf
and healthy in the bud, and neither wood or metal
lie substances with which the element came in
contact bear the slightest mark of heat, or shows
lii nsnal a1ked effect Of oil