The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-06-27
Extraordinary Phenomenon Loss
OF Life,

Under this heading the Utica. Y. Y. Her
aid. OF Monday. gives an account Of mos,
remarkable phenomenon which na,l, is ap-
pcarance in that neighbo.hood On Saturday
afternoon. We cond",>c the IIcrald's state
ment.
y tunel-ike column of cloudy OF nebulous
substance was seen on SATURDAY. afternoon.
extending from the heavens nearly to the
earth. where it seemed 10 diminish almost to
Il point. but expanding gradually as ii ascend
cd. until the peculiar form was lost in the
clouded SKY. 1t passed over the city accom-
panied by rushing. buzzinc noise and sool.
passed from 81 ght. occasioning III the people
Of Utica only sportivc conversation for the
hcur Its effects. however. were afterwards
a>certaincd to he most wonderful Il first
settled to the earth near the residence Of Nj
10 Root. in Deerticld. where one or two fences
were torn down. Between here and Mr. Ma
than Rublong'>. the mysterious agency set
tied to the earth. and in an instant scattered
4 barn to pieces. and tore up several trees on
the opposite side of the road: next the well
house of Mrs Richardson was demolished.
and quite 4 number OF trees and fences were
destroyed the path of destruction then tend
ed in direct line TO the southeast. as marked
by numerous PROSTATE trees and riddled fen
ccs. until it approached the Baptist parsonage
house. occupied h, Mr.. John Warren
Mr. Warren gives the following accoun.
of The sad disaster at his house,
Mr.. Warren informs Us that t" WIS en-
gagged in his garden At about 1 o'clock. and
SAN The approach Of the cloudy effect. As !.
threw up the trees. ~ is course pointed ii
the direction cf his own house. he ran 10 The
dwelling. caught two OF his Older children.
aid called To hi> wife to save the other three
and herself by following him 70 The cellar
/ The husband had descended TWO or three
steps with h. charge. ar,, the wife with al
infant ard two older children had reached III,
cellar door. hen the house was struck The
whole framework was lifted from the stone
foundation: the entire woodwork above the
first tionr was carried some twenty feet and
then dropped in grant, perfection otruin.whi,c
The >laepcr> attached. which caught in The
tound.tion. Wa finally turned root-Iike over
III" entire mass. Nr. Warren with two Of
the children. remained in the cellar enclosure.
without injury: Ms Warren was found on
the ground about ten fee. from the cellar
door, almost cniiryi, >triYr'~, f her clothing.
and - severely injured about her neck and
body that she died within al hour after the
calamity. although entirely conscious: her in
t:,nt WAS found near hv. and almost entirely
free from injury. Vet utterly destitute ~
clr-l;rg: d little hoy who WAS following HI
mother to the cellar is now living unconscious
from the wounds he received in The common
wreck: his recovery is very doubtful: al
older girl escaped without any injury The
dwelling WIS Two stories. l>1o6 feet. and
substantially built. In rear Of il was barn,
distant about Eve rods. 2,5x:i2 feet. which Was
literally >hivercd into >plintcr~.
! Next it uprootcd several large trees. scat
tered the fences. crossed III, road and demo
i>hrd now large and substantial barn. ;5:5A-o
feet upon is base scattering large timher>
about the :icld> at a distance of from ti,c 20
fifteen rods. distributing portions Of the roc:
in various directions. and actually taking IL
an iron cylinder tilr, >hins machine, weighing
perhaps four hundred pounds. and dcpo>;1in,
ii Al least eighty feet from the barn. \ COW
belonging to Mr.. b.. standing near the barn.
WAS killed without any apparent outward
wound. About eighty rods further on II Z.
right line. 4 small barn belonging To The >,.r'c
gentleman was demolished. and what i Hr-y
singular in this instance hut little of the NJ
tcrial Of which it was constructed Is 10 ae
found anywhere. The dwelling Of Mr.. Hu.-
long had a narrow escape. \ Single or two
torn from one corner Of the roof indicate
how narrow it escaped destruction,
+ Beyond the premises of Mr.. B.. for lhoG,
4 mile. PROSTATE trees and fences evidence
the track of the destructive messenger. l.
however seemed TO have released It's hold NJ
on the earth soon after leaving the farm ~
Mr.. b.. for it WIS distinctly seen to rise from
the surface and dissolve It's comcal shape int
general cloudy form. The phenomenon Wa
followed bv violent rain and wind Twomca
at work in field SAW the strange appariton
approach. and took to their heels. barely Is
Gaping It's tracks as ii passed on. Il seemed
to rise from the earth in four or five minutes
from the time il was seen. and the evidences
before lis of destruction lie III district n
over four or five miles in extent. in dix
>outhea>terlv direction from where il ti~>'
touch WIS felt. and in a track about - roG>
in width. Whatever of material >ui>taac'
presented itself in this track WAS >wcr, away,
and the ruin presented is certainly fearful u
behold.
Had the mysterious body settled upon;..>
city ard passed down Genestc street. ,ctr'
would not al this hour remain vc>ti-c 81 =
present formation. OF what the dt>tTf:t','t
power was composed We are not prepare; ~
Affirm. hut of its force we can truthtuI!y Il
test. Huge trees were tossed from their dee
rooted resting places as rtadil, a. 4 sar'ln'.
would pull rad>h from The sandy earn
fences and even fence posts were >c..tteEcIlh..
directions. as ii they were chips. az" h%.''
lngS offered 10 more resistance than CAP
board to Il forty horse power engine. l."
moving mass of ruin is represented by a.. "-.'
saw it to have been vaporv substance a.
was not accompanied by any wind or Storm
but it seemed an independent agency. ir.''F
Ing on It's own account. at aspced Of pcTh's,
a mile 4 minute. In lis motion there W. i
constant revolution. and when il was n>l-
this whirlirg peculiarly became more tern,
and violent. The peculiar huzzlng >o.-'
which was noticed in it> passage b, our '"I
citizens was also remarked bvthc people a-'i'-
its course in Dccrtcd and SCHUYLER.
The lady who was killed WIS tilr;!-o
wears of age: the child 80 badly injured :
about five years nj age. The buildin: VII.