The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-24

REMARKABLE EPHENOMENON-WAT WATER
SPOUT AND WH1RLwIND-PEoPERTY
DESTROYED. Yesterday, about one o.
clock, the people of our neighboring
town of New Castle, Delaware, were
thrown into serious alarm by the ad-
vent of most extraordinary visitor,
which came very suddenly from the
clouds. 1t was first observed, as an i'll
telligent eyewitness informs us, oppo-
site the town, on tie New Jersey side
of the river. From the surface of the
water there rose an enormous cone of
cloud from forty to sixty feet in dia-
meter at the base, very dense, very
dark. From an overhanging surcharg-
ed thunder cloud in the sky there de-
pended similar cone, and the apexes
of the two met. The sky at the time
was not clear, the sun was obscured,
but there was no rain falling nor any
general shower. The water in the two
cones was violently in motion, whirl-
ing round and round with the greatest
rapidity, and making a loud noise. It
appeared to he caught up from the river
in great volume, and portions which
fell back in spray shone and sparkled
brightly, making the whole spectacle
most beautiful, though terrifying to the
beholder.
The spout moved rapidly across the
river, taking perhaps some ten or fifteen
minutes to reach this side. 1t entered
the town of New Castle on the upper
side, and struck first frame dwelling
on the river bank, occupied by color
ed family. The force of the shock was
tremendous, yet the column of water
did not envelope the house, but rather
brushed against it. The weather board
ing was torn off, every window bursted,
and the frame studding of the building
wrenched out Of place. The fence
around was turn loose and carried away.
After this exploit it passed on across
the lots toward the shop of Mr.. John
Churnside, tearing up fences and every
thing that came i'll its way; fortunately
for Mr.. Churnside, it passed to the north
of his shop, thereby escaping very
heavy loss ofproperty and perhaps life
the edge Of the maelstrome however
reached some wagons, drills, and now
ing machines standing at the edge of
the shop. A two-horse express wagon
was plCheu up anu CiIIleu SeFcrdl fOuS,
and after being tossed about in every
conceivable manner, was thrown out of
the roaring vortex and broken almost to
atoms.
Another dearbron was drawn in and
torn to peices. A large heavy grain
drill was gathered up and set down on
the opposite side of the road. Near here,
little child was picked up and carried
some distance-perhaps hundred feet
over the fence into a neighboring
yard, where it was set down uninjured
AS it crossed the road immense clouds
of dust and other matter were caught
up and whirled around with the water.
The hurricane-or whatever it might
now be called-proceeded on its way
up the meadow of Mr.. Janvier, taking
up everything that came in the way of
its progress; horses and cattle making
good time to get out of its way. The
storm now appeard to be on the de-
crease. The cylindric funnel had al
most disappeared, and yet while we
stood and watched its progress up to
the meadow, couple of trees which
had withstood the tempest of ages
were torn up by the roots and thrown
aside.- WI. (DeL.) Commercial.