Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-07-24
fBy our own Reporter. J
THE GREAT TORNADO.
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Farther Particulars.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS,

!
many incidents and particulars Of interest.
The tornado first struck about mile north
west Of BraceYille station, on the C. & NJ.
Road. Il appeared 10 settle down upon the
earth, and then pursued direct southwest
course. A man who saw it when about a
mile north Of the station, describes it as
having the appearance of two clouds revol-
wing toward each other like two immense
wheels, accompanied by tremendous roar
ing and surging sound. The tornado first
ran through the timber for about quarter of
a mile, when it reached two frame dwellings,
one of which was owned by Mr.. Manly, cf
Garrettsville, and occupied by Mr.. Gillett
Griffin, who was himself away, but whose
wife and two children were at home. The
other house near by was occupied by Mr..
Charles W. Mason and wife. Mr.. NJ. was at
the station at the time, and his wife, when
she saw the storm coming, ran to Mr.. Grif-
fms. Two ordinary frame barns were near
| by. The storm first struck Mr.. Grifin's
house, frame house some % by 80 feet in
size, taking it up bodily and carrying it over
a wood pile some seven feet high, and land
ing it five rods away. At this time
Mrs. Griffin, Mrs. Mason and the two chill
dren were in the house. As the house was
lifted up, Mrs. Griffin either jumped or fell
out in some way, she does not know how, and
in falling, broke her collar bOne,a and received
some further injuries. As the house struck
the ground it was smashed to pieces, and
Mrs. Mason, going down with it, had her
skull broken, and received other very seri-
GUS injuries. She was living yesterday noon,
but there is no hope of her recovery. One of
thechildren escaped uninjured;the other( both
being girls,) was caught between the heavy
timbers and confined in very narrow space
until help could be obtained fromthe station
to lift off the weight that was pushing her
down. The girls were from to 10 years of
age. Mrs. Griffin, suffering great pain from
her injuries, ran to the station for help.
Mr. Mason's house was next struck and
swept away completely. The heaviest pOr
tion of the house was scattered over a space
of about two acres, the lighter portion being
carried far and wide. A fact that shows the
character of the wind, is that the Mason
house was carried TO the South and the Grif-
fin house, 20 rods away, was blown to the
north, showing that it was a whirlwind. The
barns were demolished.
The storm then reached the railroad track
where it passed through the woods. Here
the scene yesterday was wild and exciting.
Huge trees were torn up by the roots and
splintered to pieces; saplings were almost
tied up in knots; great piles of scattered
trees lay about, and trunks that had stood
the gales of half a century were bent and
broken like reeds. The track was covered
with fallen trees.
The station house was apparently in the
centre Of the tornado. The owner of one Ofthe
groceries which were destroyed, saw it when
struck. He says the depot, "a frame build
ing 26 by 46 feet, and the grocery adjoining,
belonging to Lucius WOOD, od,statiOnmaster,w were
carried right up into the air above the top Of
the highest trees, when they were evidently
wrenched and torn apart into thousand
fragments and scattered over q large space
of country. The grocery opposite, belong
ing to George Smith, was torn to pieces, and
carried away for some rods. No one hap
pened to be in the building at the time.
One of the freight cars was torn from its
trucks, and lies overturned about GO fOet from
the track, broken up. The other was thrown
some 600 feet without touching the interven-
ing ground, and then dashed to pieces
The first one contained about five tons of
freight.
Mr. Smith, the owner of the grocery, had
been away down the track. He had nearly
reached home on his return, when he saw
the storm coming. He ran home and saw
his wife and son at dinner. He told them to
get out of the house for the storm was com
ing. Mrs. Smith ran into a little shed in
the rear of the grocery, and was left unhurt.
The son, John Smith, ran first toward the
track and then 10 large hollow stump, to
which he clung as the storm came down up
on him. He says the wind was SO strong
that it fairly lifted his feet from under him,
and he held only by his hands with all
his strength. While so doing he was struck
by a rail or board, and his head, hands and
hip badly bruised. Mrs. Ga lvin came run
ming up and lay down by the stump to which
he was elinging. He knew nc. more of her
until he saw her lying dead about three rods
away, having been struck by rail, and her
skull crushed.
Tho storm next struck the house and barn
belonging to Mr.. Woods, quarter of a mile
away, unroOfng each. Il
The gale then pursued its direct course
about two miles and half through the
woods, but appeared to have lost its whirl-l Z
wind character. It rushed on, bearing down
/ everything before it, and overturning an uni
occupied log house. It next unroofed barn
and large dwelling house belonging to Mr..
Jesse Benedict, and completely destroyed
his fine orchard. The frame barn of VIM.
Benedict was next strnek and almost entire
! " demolished. Two feather beds from one
of the chambers were blown away and pick
ed up afterwards in Lordstown, about six
! miles away, as were some sheets, &c. It
then tore the top off of his large cheese
house, tore down q corn house, and unroofed
| his barn.
Continuing on, it then unrOofed a large
barn of Mr.. Asa W. Parker, and tore off the
upper part of his house. A frame house,
frame barn and large cider mill, occupied by
a Mr.. Kramer, were next torn down. Mr..
Kramer was slightly injured, his wife's col
lar bone was broken and girl Is years old,
was considerably bruised. At the same
house, a man named Carpenter, who lived
there, was in one of the chambers. He was
thrown 60 or 20 feet upon pile of stones and
very badly injured, so that his recovery is
considered doubtful.
The storm then passed from Braceville
across the corner Of Warren township, in
which it tore down a huge log house, wO-