The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-24
TERRIBLE TORNADO.
Devastation by Wind and Lightning in Fairfield
County, Conn.-Great Loss Of Property
Venerable Memorials Swept Away.


Our people had scarcely recovered from the
shock and effects OF the storm of one week ago
when they were again visited by storm in every
way more serious. drive through the principal
streets OF this city and vicinity and along the
highways Of the surrounding country will furnish
ample proof Of the assertion DesolatiOn is the
picture everywhere presented.
NATURES WARNING.
Yesterday morning at sunrise the thermometer
indicated seventy-eight degrees showing what
hot night we had passed. The air was unusually
clear and still, and as the day advanced the tenn
perature and cloud indications in the west bespoke
what might be expected to happen before night
At twelve M. the thermometer touched 90 de-
grees, and an hour later the first rumbling sound
was heard from clouds that were Enthusiastically
preparing their artillery for our special benefit.
For three and half hours these sounds continued.
Nearer and nearer they approached, when, at half
past four, the storm burst upon in all it's fury.
The very food gates of heaven seemed to be open,
and the waters of second deluge hurled upon us.
Flashes OF lightning were incessant and electric
bolts very frequent. In company with all
this came mighty wind, in power
and duration unequalled by anything that
we have had since the great September gale of
1926, when whole farms were devastated and hun
dreds of acres of woodland laid waste its track
still plainly traceable by stumps Of trees as yet
decayed
1t lasted about thirty minutes and swept region
three and one half miles wide by eight miles long,
commencing within the borders Of Wilton, taking q
southwardly direction through NOrwalk, South
Norwalk, Westport and Saugatuck, finally losing
Itself on the broad waters Of Long Island Sound.
CONSEQUENCES.
In Wilton more than two hundred trees were up
rooted, and the branches that were wrenched Off
and quantity of fruit prematurely forced from the
"a ngf ar SaII N In fpnp
OF Mr.. f. s. Wheeer's residence, near the railroad
station, an aged buttonwOod, which had withstOod
tered by bolt In his yard, where are many forest
trees, at least four of the finest were blown down.
Around the residence OF his brother, the Hon. John
Wheeler, scene Of destruction is presented which
pen is powerless to picture.
Near the house Of Mr.. Rufus Wakeman trees with
out number are either broken or wholly blown
down.
Mr.. Jesse Bradley had chimney demolished and
sad havoc made among his young fruit trees
memory Of him will long exist At the rear OF Mr..
+. II. Nashs barn the largest apple tree in town
yielded to the force Of the wind and with its bur
cially were victims OF the winds power, and were
most numerically dealt with. Captain Frederick
Jarvis lost half dozen apple trees, and Mr.. Frank
Raymond, close by, as many more, besides damage
to his farm buildings.
In many places fences of stone were thrown from
In Norwak great damage resulted. The noble
elm trees in ST. Paul's (EpiscopaD churchyard sue
the yard OF Mrs. James Moody Hoyt, the eye was
panied to see noble specimens of fancy and eXpen-
sive trees laid low Rev. s. b. 8. Bisse suffered by
loss OF trees, and Colonel F. st. John Lockwood,
President OF the First National Bank, has reason to
remember the terrible visitation.
At the loot Of Mill Hill great willow tree gave
way, and in its fall demolished o chimney in Mr.. ].
A. Honeckers bakery, besides sending heavy
skylighr across the street fifty feet distant.
The Norwalk Hotel people looked from their win
dows, and beholdng trees and branches flying on
every hand. thought their fanced place of safety
very unsafe. Close by the Methodist Episcopal
church willow tree came down with q rush,
smashing things in its course, but, fortunately,
striking no person.
All along the route between NOrwalk and this
city people are this morning engaged in removing
debris in the shape of broken limbs, and throughout
the city there Is scarcely q doOryard that cannot
tell story of one or more OF its favOrite trees
initiated. At this writing it is imOssibep to esti-
mate the damage but 1t may be counted by thou
sands Of dollars.
The rain was prodigious, and drenched the earth
unlike anything OF the kind we have had for years.
All the streams are swollen, and drought, Tor this
season at least, Is an impossbility. The streets
present look as to cleanliness unlike that seen
for many day.
THE HARVEST.
The corn fields are O curiosity, the stalks laying
close to the ground, IL huge roller had been
driven over them. Buckwheat Is literally ruined
where exposed to a full rake Of the gale AS Tor
apples, which more plenty than during any
year since 1885, IL is estimated that 10 900 bushels
on the ground within the limits Of the towns Of
Norwalk and Westport.