The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-24
A Torr,Hdo.

ana rain, Ine ClCf WAS NlSACeu DN I'LL
rious tornado of wind, the most terri
BILE and devastating ever Known in the
West. The track of tue whirlwiad'
was Westward, and it spared nothing
in it's course. Commencing about n
mile and hnlf West Of Notre Dame
University, which is situated about IL
mile from the city, it passed Westward,
spending its fury, as near as can be
ascertHined, about ten miles West of
South Bend, in straight line. The
track Of the tornado was over two
hundred yal,ls wide. 1t swept through
the businessccentre of the place, de-
molishing or seriously damaging near
ly every building and structure in its
course.
The roofs and chimncys of substan-
tial etlifices were swept away like straw,
and many frame buildings were totally
destroyed. Trees, shr,lbery, fences
and out-houses we're torn to atoms, and
swept away before the gate, on the
wings of the wind. Nothing in the
course of the enragcd elements was
saved. The solid walks of brick blocks
seemed to offer no more resistance to
it than the barns and temporary struc-
lures. Wherever grove or piece of
woods lay in the route of the tempest,
the stllw,,rt oaks and naples were
prostrated like saplings in the hands
of q giant, leaving road as even us if
cut by the woodman's axe.
From Notre Dame University, to the
East of which the vhirlwind COM
mcnced, the ground IS gradually slop-
ing toward the town proper. There
are very few, if any. buildings of note
from there. to the city, the highway
leading through the fine groves and
well-cultivated farm lands which
mostly belong to the college. This
was fortunate, as the fury of the gale
was probably spent in passing over
this portion of its route. Yl.e road
from the Notre Dame crosses the st.
Joseph River some distance from the
business portion of the place.
At the head of the long list of losses
by the furious gale, stands the bridge
over the st. Joseph River, which w:.s
a massive structure, 300 feet in length,
spanning the river like nn immense
culvert from shore to shore The
bridge was wide enough for teams to
pass each other with ease. IT was a
covered structure, the original cost
being upwards of $4,000. This i'm
nense work was swel.t away like IL
rope of sand, its different sections and
ruins being plunged into the swollen
river. The loss of this bridge is almost
q fatal blow to South Bend, as it is
the only one leading from the depot
to the University, which commences
its fall term irsa few days. The many
hundred pupils and their baggage will
have to be conveyed across the river
in an improvised ferry Notre
Dame willconsequently suffer greatly
from it's isolation from the city and the
depot. This bridge was q new struc-
turc, and bnilt with great care as to
strength. When it was swept away
man and boy were crossing. They
clung to the timbets, and were rescued
after the whirlwind had passed, with
but slight injury, Their escape from
death WAS truly miraculous.
The court house, which stands near
the centre of the village, was about
the first building struck by the blast
This is a large brick structure, sur
rounded by tall orees. Its massive
roof was lifted and hurled into the
adjoining grounds in an instant. The
huge trees fell to the ground, their
trunks twisted off like saplings The
roof itself was greatly damaged, SO
much so that an entirely new one
must be built to replace it with. The
rain poured down in torrents. damag-
ing and nearly spelling al the fllrnl-
t,lre in the building.
The large brick buildings in course
of erection to supply the places OF
those destroyed by the fire, We're
leveled to tae ground. The soil
walls offered but little resistance to
the fearful wind. Thousands OF dol
lars worth of brick lie scattered where
the new editices were growing into
life. Hundreds Of private residences