Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-24
The Tennessee River Bridge To-
tally Wreeked-MirseuIOus
Escape Of Passenger
Train.
Names Of Several Of the Victims
Disaster and DesOiatiOn at
other Points.
A Creek Drawn Up into a Water
sDOut-Remarkable PhenOm-
ena Here and Elsewhere.

The elements were fesrfully disturbe d
in this locality Sunday afternoon. From
an early hour Saturday evening to noon
Sunday, dense clouds were driven from
thesouthwest,o occasionally pouring down
torrents OF rain. At noon Sunday the
wind changed. its direction, and in
creased its velocity, coming directly
from the west, but no rain fell until late
in the afternoon, when the wind had
increased into the force of q fearful
storm. The clouds were driven with
such velocity, that for several minutes,
at different times, great open spaces
or chasms were made in the clouds, rs if
the mass had been driven asunder by
the bowling winds. The fury OF the
storm seemed to rage greatest in the
clouds; vet trees and fences were torn
considerably at several points in the city
and vicinity. We heard Of an instance
that came nearly resulting fatally. On
Sunday afternoon, while the storm
ragged fiercest, Mr.. Charles ". Schultz,
assistant cashier Of the First national
bank, was visiting Mr.. A. y. LivermOTe,
on Shelby street, and while standing at
the front door, with his hand on the
door-bell, the wind came with terrible
force against the front OF the house, tear
ing away the cornice, which fell, nearly
catching Mr.. Schultz beneath it-he
escaping death by most timely and
actively jumping into the doorway. He
did not escape entirely, however, as pOT-
rions Of the falling cOrnice struck him
and inflicted serious injuries, the nature
of which we have not learned at this
writing, but hope they may not prove
as serious as was supposed yesterday.
The walls of the Elliott block, on the
levee. recently burned, were blown
down, without damaging the surround
ing property. These walls have been an
object of considerable dread to the Oecu-
SAINTS Of the buildings in the immediate
vicinity, and the work of the storm OF
Sunday has relieved the prevailing
anxiety. We learn that an old dilap-
idated mule was caught beneath the
falling walls and crushed to death.
Besides the breaking Of limbs from trees
and shrub6erY and the blowing down of
pickets and fencing, We have heard OF
no other damage in or near the city.
The dispatches given below prove that
the fury of the storm was 1earfully ex-
periepced on the line Of the Memphis
and Charleston railway, the bridge over
Tennessee river being entirely swept
away-the second time that structure
has been demolished by storm. The de-
struetion Of this bridge yesterday, we are
informed, came near resulting most dis
astrousIy, as the westward-bound passen-
ger train (So. q had received no intelli-
gence of the disaster, and rushed head
long on to the approaches before the en-
ginser discovered that the bridge had
been swept away, and the engine, bag
gage and mail cars were precipitated in
to the chasm, the passenger coaches
being held back by the wheels becoming
entangled with the telegraph wire, ,andr
mained on the track right at the edge OF
the break. It is the greatest miracle
that no one was killed, and but one in
iured-the engineer being badly scald-
ed. A theory has been suggested to us IN
regard to the effect of storms on the city
Of Memphis, which we give for what it
is worth: At this point there is bend in
the river, shaped like a horseshoe, lying
east and west--the city situated on the
toe Of the shoe. A storm coming from
TIE northwest las is most usual strikes
the northern prong OF the shoe, and the
great current of atmosphere, which is
known to be controlled Dy the current
of the river, diverts the course Of the
storm, causing it to pass to the north
ward Of these bluff; the same rule work
ing with storms from the southwest.
And it is said also in support Of this the
ory that a storm coming directly rom
the west is Influenced by both prongs Of
the horseshoe bend to the extent that
the clouds are divided, each half taking
the direction given by each leg Of the
horseshoe. It is also claimed by this
theory that Crawley's ridge has some
thing to Do with diverting storms from
this latitude, inasmuch az the direction
Of the wind is driven upward by the
yidae, aud dOss not descend again
within a hundred or more miles, accord
ing to the force Of the storm, from the
ridge. The theory, thought may not be
entirely correct, certainly has something
in it deserving Of consideration. We
seldom are visited with a storm here,
but we hear OF its more disastrous ef-
fects either north or south Of us, and
sometimes both; and in the one OF
Sunday we had evidence Of fearful
storm raging in the clouds far above the
earth, tue fury of which did not APP
proach the earth until far away to the
eastward. We do not indorse or reject
the theory above advanced, but give
place to it in order TO invite attention
Of scientists to it. Certainly if Il is a
correct one it will give Memphians q
most comfortable assurance Of safety
and security against wind d-storms.
TUsCUMBIA IN RUINS.
Since the above was In type, We learn
the following particulars from a gentle
man from the vicinity OF Tuscumbia:
He states that the tornado was about q
mile wide, ami Travelled with great force,
destroying everything Ia its sweep,
blowing down houses and uprOoting the
largest forest trees. The tornado was 8
regular whirlwind, and Travelled in 8
northeast direction. It is feared thai
great damage has been done through
out the country. Among the large
buildings destroyed were tie academy
and the fairgrounds, the latter beinl
entirely leveled tosthe ground. One sec
tjop of the Franklin house portico wa
swept away, and the new jsil unrooted
According TO bis statement oyer fort,
houses we're destroyed, including tn'
/ snest residences in the town. The neV
,>ademy, 50 badly damaged, cost ffteei
tbous-. nd dollars, and bad just opene'
last geptenS;.-. Ths ssS:Prn boun'
train on the Memphis and ChHrieStei