The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-06

while there poised itself. apparently to sur
Yey more completely and with burning
glance the prey 1t was rushing to destroy
Corruscalions played athwart the savage
black visage of the fierce tempest. In q
twinkling the grim storm crouched again
upon the earth, and with an indescribabe
roaring, and shriekiug, and confusion OF
deafening sounds, sprang at the devoted little
town. Ere it reached its goala
wHtsTL1NG wHIRLTrND
broke off from the main body and scootcd
up the railroad track by the DEPOT and passed
around the southeastern side of the village.
The main cyclone, by resulting force of re.
pul,ion, slightly deviated from its course,
and went little more, for the moment, TO
the northward. This caused gap between
the two divisions Of the hurricane thus
made, and this gap passed over the centre
OF the town. Had it not been for this
diversion the whole fury of the cyclone
must have dashed itself upon the place, and
it must inevitably have been laid in utter
waste and desolation. AS it was, the main
hurricane edged it on the southwest, and
the lesser one crossed its northeastern end.
In this gap also, fortunately, the train was
stopped by the force of the contrary winds.
and thus was saved from destruction. At
the point oh the track between the depo! and
DR.. Montgomery's house, and west OF the
dep0s some four hundred yards. Dir. R. B.
Ethridge, railroad agent, gentleman some
forty years old, stood on the track near the
depot watching the departing train and the
coming storm. In trice he was
CAUGHT UP BY THE WINDS
and dashed to the ground. Recognizing the
danger of the situation. he grasped the iron
rail near him, and wound both arms around
it in his PROSTATE condition. Holding tightly
for dear life 10 this manner. he was enabled
to control his body and legs from the fury of
the tempest, but be was beaten up and down
against the ground in this position for the
space Of two minutes. On getting up during
q momentary lul to try and make the shel.
ter Of the DEPOT he was hurled under the
deE0', and lost fine string of Augusta
Blacklist he had just paid haIf-dolar for at
the train. Nothing has ever been heard Of
the fish since. Mr.. W. S. Vining, der0'
watchm1n, had also invested In piscatorial
delc,cies, and after starting TO bis home,
some fifty yards north of the track, stopped
for parting glance likewise at the
storm and cars. Without any no.
tice whatever he was lifted from
where he was standing on the side OF
the track and abruptly set down ten
feet distant on the hard ground. Scrambling
to his feet be ran as well as be could to his
house and got it between him and the wind.
Venturing around the corner to get admit
lance through the door, the wind, by sheer
force, broke his hold of the door.kuob four
successive times, and dashed him off the
steps. With the fifth effort he got in, and
found his young wife, with her little baby in
her arms closely Rugged to her breast, sitting
in the middle Of the room, filled with despair
ing apprehe that death was imminent.
This first severe onslaught lasted five min
utes, succeeded by heavy rain and bail. In
fifteen minutes afterwards second blow
prevailed, which frightened the people who
had come out back into their selected places
of safety, feeling that escape was not yet sure.
Soon Mr.. Vining yentured out to give what
aid he could TO those on whom the seventies
of the cyclone had fallen, and in passing the
portico Of Wilson's store, saw
OLD BAPTIST LUKE,
darby preacher. standing stupefed by the
terrors that surrounded him. Old Luke,
aroused to consciousness by the sound of a
friendly voice, Instantly pitched into pray
ing like be was at night-meetiDg. Under
the admirable direction Of Mr.. ". 5. Vim
ing, who volunteered kindly to act as guide.
your CORES Ondent made the tour Of the
town, and followed the track Of the cyclone
for several miles on foot. The chief devas-
tation was done on the southwestern side Of
the village. The main storm crossed the
railroad five hundred yards west Of the
depot ut a deep cut, in which it Frustrated
three huge pines that bad been wrenched
off, thus barring the advance of the passing
train. At this point, on the north side Of
the railroad and in front or the advancing
cyclone, stood the residence Of DR.. j. }.
Montgomery, square-bult two-story frame
house with eigut rooms, fronting south
from portlco and yard of flowers
and shrubbery. The roof of the style, COM
monty known as hipped-roof, was torn of
and borne quarter of a mile away. The
eastern side OF the building was blown out,
the furniture broken, and household goods
scattered, a big pine lying crushed and crush
ing the front gate, and a huge oak uprootcd
by the side of the dwelling, on the east. The
kitchen, stables, barn, fencing, and clubhouse
were demolished, and the place left IS If
swept by the bosom Of destruction. The
children were absent from home, but Or.
aud Mrs. Montgomery were in room on
the eastern side Of the house, the latter con-
fined to her bed with severe sickness which
has kept her confirmed invalid for two
wears, when the destrL ction OF The dwelling
mad happened. DR.. Montgomery took bis
HELPLESS wife ia his arms and carried her 10
a place behind the roots Of an uotorn tree.
Torrents of rain descended, and the heavy
hai-storm beat upon them IN this exposed
position, and when friends found them, as
the heavens clelrad. both were exhausted.
Husband and wife are now sick in bed,
FRUSTRATED
by the nervous shock and distresses of the
dreadful occasion. Ten years ago DR.. Mont
pjmery was the victim Of a cyclone at Sand
town, by which his losses were great and bis
sltferiugs severe, his children having then
been blown five hundred yards. A small
farmer named John Steps occupied two
room frame house onequarter OF mile on
from this residence. IL stood on four pillars,
two and one-balr feet high, and was In the
edge of a cultivated field, and faced south
east, with the chimney in the southwest end.
MIR. Sleeps aud his sister Jane were in 1t
when The hurricane came. The rear shed
was bio wn away, the roof taken of, house
hold goods then lifted through the uncover
ed TOP and soWn broadcast, while the house
was carried from its pillars twenty feet. AS
the building was breaking up the brother
jumped from the aperture of the fireplace,
from which The chimney had been blown
away, and the sister escaped through the
door, both fiodug refuge beside the well.
curbing in the yard, and both being terribly
battered 10y huge hail-stones. Fences, sta
bles, cribs, and all went. The storm tore
across The fields, telling scattered timber and
..,o.;r, ,ba O, RI h u,f ,{sbris and reached