The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-07-01
A Battle of the Elements.

The following graphic description of a
terrible storm which occurred in the vlcln-
ity of st. Louis on the morning ofsJune
Is is given by Sergeant Prender, the
United States Signal-service observer in
that city:
At midnight the sky was free from
clouds, and remarkably clear, and the wind
was blowing from the northeast at the
velocity of four miles per hour. After
this clouds formed steadily. On the
Northern horizon was cumulus stratus
of clouds; in the zenith cumulus, and in
the southern and eastern horizons an IT.
regular stratus.
At2a m. the sky was overcast with
nimbus clouds, large rain drops fell, and
white electric sheet, spread from horizon
to horizon, kept continuously flashing for
about half an hour.
At 2:3O the sheet-lightning was inter-
luded with frequent and sharp electrical
discharges, rolling thunder, heavy rain and
diminishing atmospheric pressure.
At3 o'clock there were sharp cOntinu-
Gus discharges, accompanied by deafening
thunders.
At $3.50 the rain poured heavily, amid
forked and zigzag lightning; the baron
eter oseillated very much, and fairly
danced up and down.
At 3:45 the wind raised to ve.ocity of
16 miles per hour. y very heavy, beating
rain prevailed. Balls of lightnining de
scended frequently and rapidly to the
earth and exploded with deafening
thunders, and Jared the earth as fshaken
with a light earthquake; the continuity
of the sheet lightning spanning across
from horizon to horizon, and the fire.
quency of bal lightning lighted up the
earth for probably twenty minutes, bright
er, but more intense, than the suns rays
would have done. This dazzling, tlashy
brightness awOke thousands to the reallZ-
alton of the storm, and all manner OF ex-
pedients were used to shield the optics
from the binding influence of the flashes.
At 3:55 the wind increased i'll velocity to
As miles per hour. The rain fell in tor
rents, flooding the streets and sidewalks
with water several inches deep. Streams
of electric fire descended from the clouds
to the earth. About this time the storm
was at its height. and a scene of terrific
and most inconceivable grandeur was pre-
scented. Water and lightning rolled out OF
the clouds like water over Niagara Falls
and dropped on the earth in great sheets.
The thunder bounded with great vibrating
force.
At o'clock the wind decreased in velO.
city to IS miles per hour. The thermome-
ter Oscillated remarkably. The thermom-
eter fell in hours IA degrees.
Between and o'clock the storm grad
ually lessened in force. The winds velO-
city fell TO Is miles an hour, and again i'll
creased to &c miles.
At 6 O'Clock the rain fall diminished rap
idly.
At $50 the wind increased in velocity,
until it reached the rate of 40 miles per
hour.
Att o'clock the storm ceased.
The wind, besides being high in velocity
from the north. was remarkable for cir
cling from the right to the LETT, or con-
trary TO the movement of the hands of a
watch. The rain descended for about four
hours, and in that time three and half
inches of water fell, being the largest
quantity in so short a time that has fallen
in this vicinity since rainfall records have
been kept in this locality.
The storm was a tropical one, and is of
very rare occurrence north of the Gulf OF
Mexico, and this one is probably the first
to visit st. Louis. 1t was altogether local
to this city, and seemed to have descended
in the neighborhoOd of Alton, Ill and
moved over st. Louis, and then arose again
after moving about hundred miles.