New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-04
A TERRIFIC TORNADO.
Of The N. Y. Tribune.


On Friday, 18th, nfteoric phenomenon was OBJ
served in the town Of Constable, in this CFranklipb
County. It's appearance and action were similar 10
the description Of the ore seen near Utica Several
buildings were destroyed, but no lives lost. l wild
bot weary you by writing particulars, bst pass to no.
tce tornado that visited this county one year ago
today was and am still much surprised that mat
Ter Of such importance little noticed in peodi-
cas protesting to contain the news Of the day. The
phenomenon Of the 18th, observed in various places,
canno. bear comparison, in respect to violence OF ac
ton or destruction Of property with the tornado that
passed over the eastern portion Of Franklin County al
that time.
extract from letter 10 friend, written few
days after the storm. Imay premise that the tornado
has beaten track along the northern decvty of the
Adirondack Mountains and that the Chateaugay Hills
"a rLr Of Franklin County, is the place where wild
,ornadoes tall men, ard umbling waterfalls are sup
posed TO .fooaie.
son Tuesday the 3Cth Of June, at about a. m,
we noticed dark cloud rising in the west which con-
tinued TO emit brilliant flashes Of lightning. II rose
slowly and grapdly toward the zenith, which il had
nearly reached when another cloud darker than tho
first was rising 10 the SOUTH This was peculiar,
ard attracted general attention. Many persons were
watching the phenomenon with great interest to see tho
result when tie two grand and imposing storms should
meet. Nor did they wait long; the cloud from tho
ing The heavens were thrown into such confusion as it
has been the 10. Of few to witness. The yspor
seemed broken to fragments by the shock. Inc
clouds FELL so near the earth TO touch the tops OF the
forest trees, and in places came quite to the
ground. Another moment and hurricane mixed
with whirlwDds struck us with nconceivable force
and suddenness. Ii can only be appreciated py us
effects To say that il blew down buildings and tore
up and twisted off the largest trees would be very
general and common statement; allow me, therefore.
give you few particulars of the devastation In this
ard an adjoining town, Cha.eaugay. Commencing at
the west line of Burke, 1t took strip about nan =
mile in width, travelling directly east until pasaed
our boundary into the town Of Chateaugay where its
course turned little northwsrd, thus spending
portion of its force upon the forest IL crossed the
levin Of Chateaugay and was traced some distance
further. The length of its path IL about Is miles IL
is we'll that it passed through spasely-seted region,
otherwise its effect would have been terrible indeed
AS il il, more than ioo dweiing-h0nses anu
two hundred other buildings are wholly or par.
tally destroyed. About one bali OF these are ievcied
to the ground, only few boards and tmbers marking
the place Of the former building and IN some instances
even these were removed by the force Of the wind.
store rear us was swept entirely away, so mar
person very laconieally informed me nothing renamed
but piece Of the counter and pair OF boots. Inc
proprietor of the store taken from an ashery as
fell tumblipg about him and carried TO an orchard
where he held fast for dear life and tried to AVOID tho
shower of boards and timber that drove past Nun:
Our worthy doctor was In similar manner picheo
from the street and thrown into the yard Of neigh.
bor Horses and cattle, and even birds were iouno
killed by the storm. Orchards We're torn up and some
Of the trees removed to adjoining iafms. To-day
have listened to funeral discourse In church SHAT
tered by the blast but still used as place OF meeting
toremember and speak of who lost his life In tho
tornado OF course many ere withouta home OF snet'
ter but this Of the year h, does not occasion
suffering All are accommodated in some way either
in shanties hastily thrown up or IN portions OF re-
naming houses The work of rebuildingis gong
idly forward. The srange appearance when oai'a-
ipes have assumed. when not tOtally demolished, IL
lii, MI IN matter
Think Of buildings which once formed continuous
line for farm purposes, separated twisted raekeu,
their roofs orn off and scattered by the orce ., aS
Winds In one place, where in recent walk stopped
10 examine row of new farm buildings, there Is lett no
trace except cellar and few pieces OF broken tur-
| niture.
eled by people coming to and offer assistance VI
course nee not rarge upon the broken limbs anu
adth escapes the who had his scalp torn
off; the numbers who were taken up ana carried IN
credible distances; the teams and drivers tambled
beadcng; the acres Of road and fields covered with
fragments of shinges boerds and timber the unac-
nesIy thss S S"ss are
to be expected in tornado OF such extent ana Sio-
leDce.
in diameter being carried by the wind toa distance OF
,try rods and thrown with such force as to batter
down stone walls; Of rails being driven end foremost
deep into the ground and broken by the shock, and
bar fence posts twisted out Of the ground and carried
so fr as TO be found with difficulty or not at all bur
such things very numerous as many can testify.
"From this place to Chateaugay Is five miles; N
that distance not barn is left standing If except
three wrecks that still cling to doubtful position.
The remainder, about fifty in number, are quite de:
molished and part Of them taken away, timber and
all As passed along the street TO observe the devas-
tatiop, noticed pieces Of calico and cloth clipgng to
the ie'..i lining csncnes Of tree. Probably no such
dest,ucoI Of feather beds has been Tor many
wears as occurred along this street. one pIece OF
cloth taken from the store found in Lake Cham-
| plain, nearly fifty miles distant.
"The tornado was about four minutes in passing
certainly not more, if estimates be relied on Tho
| Damage is variously estimated at from $loO0W TO
$500 6CO. Contributions are now coming in, and reet
| committees appointed. 2. ID.