Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-07-25
Terrible Tornado.

4cTI1D16 4OIudUO-
On Saturday, this county was visited by :
terrible tornado which caused the loss of one
life, wounded many people. some severely and
others slightly, and made great havoc with
property. It commenced its work of destrue-
1ion at Braeeville, just west of the G. NJ. R R
Station. The appearance of the clouds is thus
described by an eyewitness of the scene
About ten minutes past 10 o'clock N, two
clouds were seen approaching, one from the
north, which was large and of a deep blue, and
another from the west, smaller, lighter in col
ar, but fringed with ragged dar!s purple edges
and moving with greater rapidity. These
clouds approached at right angles, met, and
commenced whirIing rapidly, drawing into
the vortex, clouds, rain (which fell in torrents
then descending. caught up trees, buildings,
logs. rneks, everything that was in its path,
vhirling them aloft like feathers; crushing the
strongest fabrics built by man as if they were
eggshells, and destroying in an instant the
product of years of labor.
The first descent was on the farm Of Heman
Rood, Esq. whose fences and timber suffered
SOnlcM uaIy luGu SdOhSAAhS AOANNs 'N
farm belonging to DIR. Manly of Gainesville,
at present occupied by Mr.. GiIlett Griffin, en-
tirely demolishing the house and two barns.
Mrs. G. a daughter 5 years old, and Mr. Ma
son a neighbor, were in the house at the time,
Mrs. Mason was dangerously hurt, her head
being terribly cut and bruised. Mrs. G had a
collar bone broken, and was otherwise eonsid-
erably bruised. as was also the little girl.
Across the road was the house nf Mr.. Chas.
Mason, which was also levelled to the ground.
No one was in the building. Sweeping on
through the timber, twisting the largest oaks
into splinters, it next struck the C. & N. R R
Station. This was elevated some six feet above
the ground on stone pillars, and the wind had
full scope. The depot was raised bodily, some
so or 100 feet in the air; whirled around like
top, and scattered into fragments. Mr.. Wood
the Agent, and his son had left the building
a few moments before, and it had no occupant
Considerable freight, two or three tons of gro
eeries, hardware DC, belonging to merchants
in the vicinity, were in the depot, and several
barrels of salt on the platform, all of which
were bcdlIcIcQ ike CHILL anu lew even U tlt
fragments have been found. An express pack
sage of money $500, for a. D. Kibbee, of F arm
lington was in the Office, and some 500 belong
ing partly to the R R Co. and in part to Mr..
Wood, shared the fate of articles of smaller
value, (some ten or twenty dollars ofthis money
was found near Girard, about I5miles distant.)
The grocery of Mr.. Wood, like the depot
building was lifted up high in the air, and its
contents scattered in the track of the tornado,
and for miles-tobacco, sugar, coffee, -four &c,
were found strewed along.
Mrs. Calvin, wife of one of the laborers at the
Station, ran out of her house just as the storm
commenced, to meet her boy who was out Der
rying. She was borne along by the force Of the
wind and elung to a stump but her hold was
torn loose, and a flying fragment of timber
struck her head, killing her instantly. Mr..
John Smith had left his home and was cling
ing to the same stump with Mr.. Calvin. He
maintained his hold, and though cut and
bruised by the flying timbers, is not seriously
injured.
The building of Mr.. George Smith, on the
north side of the Rail Road, the front occupied
as a grocery and rear as a dwelling, was lifted
from its foundation and dropped a few feet
distant, a total wreck. Mrs. Smith hearing the
roar of the tempest, had run into a low kitchen
in the rear, which was not disturbed.
Mr.. Mason, whose wife we before mention
.ed as having been badly injured, was at the
Station and ran under the depot for shelter
from the storm. He was carried over into a
field several rods distant, but escaped with
some slight bruises. .-r
The brick building owned Hy Mr.. Isaac
Lane, occupied by Mr.. L. Wood, was unroOfed
as was also the barn. Two freight cars stood
-on the r R track, one of which was broken
into fragments, and the other, loaded with
-four, was carried off bodily, some distance
from the track. The iron trucks Of one car
weighing nearly two tons, were lifted up and
hurled some twenty or thirty feet Large
stones that formed the foundation of the depot
were carried the same. or greater distance
Rising up and passing over about a mile of
surface, slightly damaging timber, fences DC,
it again swooped down, taking in its track the
fine large orchard of Mr.. Jesse Benedict, up
rooting and destroying it almost entirely, up-
roofing his house and barn, and damaging
fences and crops.
The large frame dwelling Of Mr. William
Benedict. a few rods farther on, was shorn of
Its upper story, and badly shattered below. The
family of some ten or twelve persons were in the
house bat no one was injured. The barn was
partially unrOofed, orchard, fences. timber and
crops damaged. Crossing the Mahoning river,
it next reached the p~reraises of A. ". Parker,
Esq. Formerly editor Of this paPer,) His sub
stantiAl brick house Was unrOofed, and the brick
walls attle gable ends, blown of, out houses
unrOofed, some upset, a large barn entirely de-
nOlished. fences, orchard and crops badly dam
aged. His son, q boy of eight or ten years. who
Was standing in the hOntdOOr was carried over
che yard fence, and across the road, but escaped
with slight injuries. Here as elsewhere, with