American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-01
A DISASTROUS HURRICANS.

A DISASTROUS HURRICANS
: TERRIBLE EFFECTS q FIND STORM l
= Through she Air-Catfle md II orss
kiIled-E.cnpes and lncidenss.
From the New York SUM-
About six o'clock Saturday even
ing q disastrous hurricane brok,
over Portage, Pa. 1t came from
the west, and was first noticed il
the shape of two black clouds, which
increased rapidly in size and ap
preached each other with grea
velocity. They rushed swiftly to
ward the village. When about q
mile away, at the beginning of Wye
kOff mountain, the two clouds came
together with a binding flash OF
lightning and fearful clap OF
thunder. The cloud became a re-
volving pillar and rushed along the
mountain with rush and roar that
terrified the inhabitants of the val
ley. Many fled across the river to
the open fields. The cloud in its
progress tore up great trees, demo-
ished everything in the shape of a
bnilding that stood in its path, and
filed the air with timber, trees and
debris. The cloud constantly re-
vOlved, and now and then wou d
leap hundred feet in the air, and
then sweep down upon the earth
with fury. 1t followed the course
of the mountain for q mile below
the village.
The road runs along the base of
the mountain, and this was literally
choked up with the debris thrown
down by the hurricane. At a point
mile below the village the hill
runs clear down the river, and from
the road to the opposite side, the
stream being crossed by a long
covered bridge. The hurricane
struck this bridge and lifted it
bodily from its abutments, break
ing it in three pieces. One piece
was thrown into a field ten rods
away; another, Thirty feet long,
and weighing many tons, was car
ried long distance down the stream
into which it finally fell and the
third, almost as large. having been
caught in the midst of the cloud,
was borne nearly mile away where
the wreck fell on the farm of Chas.
crushing into his barn.
yard and killing cow and horse.
Mr.. Goodman and his family saw
the black mass coming, aud fled in
terror to the fields. NJ damage
was done below his farm.
The wind cloud passed off to tho
south of the villge, and the damage
done there was confined to that
caused by the belt of wind accom-
the wind cloud, which did
not seem to cover an area more than
= quarter of mile wide. 1t was a
gale, however, and unroofed
seven houses in the village, demol-
ished the steeple of the Union
Church, removed several buildings
from their foundations, and IN
rooted hundreds of trees, rendering
one or two streets impossible. A
small building containing a calf
was lifted in the air and carried a
hundred feet, when it fell into the
river and f1oated down the stream.
When the wind struck the river,
it dashed the water into waves, and
turned it into whirlpools. A party
Of five young men were swimming
in Bunt's Eddy, and were caught
by the storm. Branches OF trees
and other moving ar icles filed the
air along the shore, and the party
thought it safest to remain in the
water. They had terrible struggle.
There was no loss of life, but
narrow escapes in the valley
during the progress of the hurri-
cane through it. William Clark, of
this village, attempted to go to his
barn to shut his COW in. He was
lifted from his feet by the gale and
thrown heavily againgt his house.
. farmer named johnson was driv-
ing along the road when the storm |
him. He jumped from his |
carriage and clasped a small tree.
His horse was blown down an en-
and his carriage swept
away in q hundred pieces.
A large raft was moored in the
liver below where the bridge stood.
When the bridge was carried away
he raft was torn loose, and was
blown clear across the river, and
orced high and dry on the other
shore.
Trees we're carried three hundred
eet. The steeple of the Union
Church was lifted in the air, and
oppled on the roof of an adjoining
lOuse, crushing it in.
Two boys were picking cherries
IN farm half mile out of the
7illage. They heard the storm
coming and escaped from the trees,
md reached the shelter of a deserted
;ellar. The next instant the cherry
rec was whirling away with the
being torn from its roots
IS if it had been a reed.
John Golden, who lives on the
opposite side of the river. was on
lis way home when he heard the
lpproach of the hurricane, and saw
he road filling up behind him with
pushes and trees. He was near
he bridge, and at first he thought
,e would run and reach the shelter,
IS it was covered. Fortunately he
changed his mind. and clambered
L IL