The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-06-08
CYCLONE IN ILLINOIS.
Observation-Disclosures Ef.
feet Upon vegetatien-Alfose
Wonderful Phenomenon.


Wonderful Phenomenon.
A remarkable phenomenon occu rred
on Friday last near Mason City, about
six miles west of Jacksonville, Illinois.
1t is regarded as one Of the most re-
markable tornadoes or incident C yclopes
ever witnessed in this or any other
country. A correspondent OF the Chi
cago Tribune says that on the morning
OF the day stated, while the air was in
tensely sultry, an inky-hued cloud or
smoke-like column was observed gath
ering near the earth's surface. Soon
this great black column, the base OF
which rested on the earth, shot up three
distinct and well-defined; but narrower
and spire-like cloud columns, which
continued to ascend rapidly until they
reached and seemed TO attach them
selves closely to a passing cloud above.
The frighttul spectacle continued to
move eartward slowly, but constantly,
for some fifteen minutes; then changed
its course slightly to the southeastward,
greatly to the relief OF the people of
Mason, who were expecting to see their
town torn to pieces by the angry ele-
ments. For some fifteen minutes longer
the dreadful apparition moved slowly
on, changing its shape considerably as
FUR
like columns soon disappeared, leaving
! none but the inner column resting upon
the great base cloud below, and still al
taching itself to the cloud above. Sud.
denly the awful appartion disappeared,
as if it had been but vision or a
dream, and not q fearful reality. While
the black column was moving, a cold
current OF air coming from the west
was most sensiblv felt at Mason City,
and mile away from It's track an odor
much like that OF burning su phur was
inhaled by several persons. A gentle.
man, who had been a soldier, and was
in many battles, stood but hundred
yards from the tornado when it passed
and he says that small flashes OF cleo
tricity were constantly visible in the
storm column, passing from the earth
to the cloud above, and that rapid pop
ping, cracking report; were heard, re-
minding him most forcibly Of an in
fantry regiment in battle, firing their
muskets as fast as possible.
AS fearful as was the appearance OF
this column or columns, resting upon
the earth and reaching to and taking
fast hold on the clouds Of heaven, more
marvellous, if possible, was its destruc.
tive work upon the earth in its path.
way, which was nearly three miles in
length and varyin in width from
twenty to eighty feet. Not spear OF
grass; not a stalk of cora or wheat =;
not shrub; not a particle OF green
vegetation was lett alive. Had the fires
descended from heaven and fallen in
the pathway OF this tornado, as they did
on Sodom, the destruction OF every liv.
ing thing OF the vegetable kingdom
could not have been more complete.
For some distance in its path the earth
was literally plowed up to the depth OF
six inches. In passing over the I'M
broken prairie, so inconceivably rapid
must have been the rotary motion OF
the wind OF the tornado that the earth
was gathered up from the deep roots OF
the prairie grass, and the turf, with its
bare roots as clean as if they had been
washed. was lifted from the earth and
left strewn in the storms pathway.
Where the course of the tornado led
through a wheat field, every stalk OF
wheat standing in its path was torn
down and twisted into every conceivable
space; and where an Usage hedge lay
across its way for the width OF its path,
the hedge bushes were torn into shreds.
But the most wonderful of all the
phenomena connected with this tornado
is that the column of whirling air must
have been intensely hot, as is shown by
the fact that every spear OF grass, stalk
Of corn and wheat, every green thing
in its path, were literally dried to a
crisp The prairie grass along the
storms track. which was luxurlanty
green before the tornado passed, was
lett as brown and dead as it is found in
midwinter. The leaves Of the hedge
where the tornado passed across in its
way crumbled as do the dead. dry leaves
of the forest after the blasting autumn
frost has done its work. The young
corn which stood in its way is as black
as if a whitening fire had passed through
it. Another feature Of this tornado was,
that while its rotary motion must have
been OF inconceivably great velocity, lis
progressive motion was not above the
rate of six miles an hour. The ont
lines OF its pathway were so well defined
that five feet from the outer line OF total
destruction OF vegetation Of every kind
| not vestige Of It's effects could be seen.
In fact, the outlines OF its path OF des-
truction were almost as clear y marked
as that OF a mowers swath through the
meadow, and it's work more complete.
Fortunately no house stood in the tor
nado's line of march. 1t passed be.
tween a farm house and barn, but es-
capped both. It's onward movement was
so slow that man or beast, if in its way,
could easily escape. The progressive
motion OF a tornado is usually at the
rate of thirty to sixty miles an hour;
the fact OF this one moving at the rate
Of six miles per hour was most singular
The path Of tornado is usually a
quarter or a half mile in width; thi:
one was but twenty to eighty feet II
width. This is another unusual feature
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