Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-06-25
A DESTRUCTIVE WHIRLWIND.


threatened comet had s'struck'' in the neigh |
borhood of that city. a correspondent writing /
to the Tri6unc says he endeaYored to trace /
them to their source; and the result was, a
well-authenticated statement that phenome- /
non of a very singular character had been Wis |
ible in the heavens, or, rather, in the atmos- |
phere between the heavens and the earth |
seemingly suspended from above; that this |
body was tunnel shaped, black, moving body, |
of a nebulous character: that it had taken its |
rise, or made its first appearance, at point
over the northern outskirts of the city. Thence
it moved easterly, accompanied by buzzing, |
rumbling noise, and gradually elongating its
figure as it went, approaching the earth nearer
and nearer, until finally, it struck the ground
near the dwelling of Mr.. Root, in Deerfeld,
| tearing down a fence or two, and passing on,
! gradually settling lower and lower. At last,
/ having reached point some five miles IN
| north-essterly direction from this city, near
the dwelling of Mr.. Nathan Budlong in Schuy-
/ ler, it made descent upon his barn, ripped 1t
| up and scattered il to winds. Then passing
! on, tearing up trees, fences and out-houses in
! its terrible course, it finally struck the dwell
| ling OF Mr.. John Warren. The building was
! lifted from its stone foundation, carried dis
| lance of some fifteen feet through the air, and
dashed in splinters upon the ground, leaving
clean plat of grass between tie place where
it had stood and the pile of rubbish. In the
house were 4 family of six-parents and
! children. afr. Warren, seeing the terrible OBJ
ject rushing down upon him, tearing up trees
and fences in its onward course, and bazzing
like a thousand hornets nests combined,
called upon his wife and children instantly to
accompany him to the cellar, and, suiting the
action to the word, seized two of the children
and leaped down the stairway. The wife es
sayed to follow, but her footsteps were tardy
she was moment-an instant too late tie
engine of destruction tore the building up,
carrying herself and child. together with a lit
|. tie son who was behind her, with it, The hus
band had but time to see her ascend with the
, building that tore away from above him. and
then he stood exposed to the day, in his open
cellar. He went to view the ruin OF his home;
it was complete. Here lay the dead and nude
body of his wife. the destroying power having
stripped her clothing from her person; there
lay his son, covered with blood, and scnseless !;
T and, Just beyond, his dwelling lay one such
mass of destruction as probably never was be-
held before. 1t passed on, swinging laziiy a
bout like monster ..eIcphants tranE, - crush
; ing all in its way. Next, Mr.. Budlongs barn
/ was thrown into the air, riddled TO pieces, and
hurled in all directions, as the agent of dcs-
truction swung on. For hundreds of feet to
the south, east and west of the barn, the field
was literally strswn with the broken beams,
: C the contents of the harn-S'raw.
manure, corn-cobs and hay, was scattered over
the entire field. / was permitted to enter the
, residence of Mr.. Budlong, where the corpse
of Mrs. Warren had been laid out, and view it.
1t was clothed in its grave garments, and a
handkerchief concealed certain ghastly bruises
= on the neck, though the blow which caused
. death is evident in 4 wound upon the abdomen.
: Reflections sad and suggestive thronged my
: mind as l looked on the corpse of that mother,
: Ind thought on the fate that had stricken her
l n death, while the infant in her arms was ut
= leerly unharmed and the boy behiad her not so
seriously wounded to cause instant death; !;
= but reflections not in place here.
Thus it went on its way through Schcnccta-
= ly county to Oswego, destroying property of
" Every description in its course, when it made
- mother attempt on life; Mr.. Fu-niss, and
: eamster, who were engaged in loading slaves
. mill, hearing strange noise, turned
round looking upwards, saw barn shovel fly
. Ing through the air, and the next moment q
: trec was dashed across the wagon, knocking
" he teamster down on the slaves and throwing
= Ir. Furniss TO the ground. The latter was
fut slightly injured, but the teamSter is not ex-
- Eected to recover. After this exploit il sped
In to property of Gilbert & PenfieId. Mr. Gil
- Iert perceiving the devastation, and every
ind of movable thing flying through the air.
" hshed into the house, and called upon the
= hmily to come out as soon possible, s.for
le Comet had struck, and their time upon earth
las short!' Not satisfied yet the whiriwind
bxt attacked two barns belonging to Mr..
:, Ienry Rowe, and utterly DESTROYED both.
leyond the barns of Mr.. Rowe the course o.
bis whirlwind is marked distinctly to the Os-
Ego River, by upturned trees, here and there
=, rough orchards and wood lots, but after get
pg about one mile east of Mr.. Rowe's resi-
;: fnce, its principal fury seems to have been
lent and its traces disappear entirely on reach
g the river. Such is brief but truthful ac-
en-. punt of whirlwind which we do not believe
ing Eer had its equal on this globe for fury and
on todigious power. a
ach re- Iool..o- -, = =,
and ,,,a,, NJ; Vi
ris-u -, A'i'i0's' iast
rec miles from the city Of Chicago He
- Pnfessed the murder some days since. 1t is
Etlmafed that $4,000 persons were present;
re crowd pressing broke the platform. but no