Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-09-01
A TORNADO.
TerrOrs Inspired by Voyage on g Mis-
sIssiPpl Steamboat During 4 Ter
rife Tornado A sketch
from Real Life.
Experience OF a European Tourist
Making a Landing in the Dark
A Wild Scene Fidelity OF
the Pilot.
Chambers Journal

when suddenly there fell UPON Us THICK
darkness, preceded by tpattering OF
large rain-dIopg. / should rather say
that we we're envelOped in thick black
ness, as II the scene had been almost
instantly veiied by velvet pail. The
next moment, and with roar and
thuudsr-crash 50 terrible, go deafening,
as to almost suspend the action Of the
heart, tornado was upon Us. Pushing
lack my chair invOluntariIy, l felt the
deck cant up to starbOard, so as TO IN
seat me, and scERmblipg tow I'd the
wezther.TRil, i heard a terrific crash
through the huTricane-deck overhead,
ss tbs two great smOke-staeks (oI fun
nels, measuring sJme twelve feet In cir
cuniftrsnce) were trOken eff close to the
per deck, their strong iron stsyrods
swapping like hempen cord, and the en-
tire upper works Of the vessel strained
out Of position.
The rain hsd become binding DEL
uge, toe roll and crash of the thunder
deafening, and the horrors Of the scene
rendered more awful by the rapid d Sshes
OF sheei-lightuing which mOmentarily
lighted up the tumultuous river, low
raging like s. mad whirlpool. Fearing
that the whole upper works OF the boat
would 20 by the b ard, / crawled TO the
larbOsrd stairway leading to the hull
deck, and proceeded TO LulI myself
down, which required sill the strength OF
desperation to do, against the solid force
Of the wind; but on gaining the lower
Steps Of the flight found group OF the
deckhaEds, and tae mste-a heTculean
man Of iron coarsge-uTgiDg them with
terrible Caths to DO some hing which he
wanted done, but which their wild ter
ror rendered them powerless to execute.
Some four or five OF their number had
been blown overheard and lest, and the
remainder were now deaf TO anything
bat an impulse to cling for dear life to
something or anything in the DIS rkaess
and terror Of the time.
The convection Instantly flashed on
me tnat, in the event of the vessel going
doRn, there would be no chance for life
IN my then position; so, lifted rather
than crawling up the stairway, re-
gained the eAbIn-decF, where, on my
hands and knees, passing around the
larboard side, came TO doorway lead
ing into tLe saloon. Entering found
everything in confusion, the furniture
being sll displaced. But the pendant
lamps were sui alight, and the relief
OF being able to see was We y great,
though counterbalSnced by the feeling
thst at any moment the whole cabin or
boat might keel over, snd be swallowed
up IN the madde Led river. crawl
into my staleIOOm to secure a life-pre
server two OF which were In each terth;)
aud on Inning out saw, seated against
the lower side Of the cabin, one OF cur
passengers-an invalid far gone in coa-
Sumption, who had been in California,
ana YVES returning home to die. He sat
calm and collected amid the cutlery and
wild confrs on that prevailed through.
out the saloon, and addressing me, asked
il there was another life-preserver there.
YES" replied, ''there is."
"WM you give it to mep' he con-
tiBued, "as Pm not able to help myself,
and the folks here are so mortal skeered
1 csn's get any OF them TO do me that
favor."
Returning quickly to the state rom
procured ME preserver, and handed it
20 him; asker hurriedly whether he
would take bis chances in the cabin or II
should help him outside.
"No," said he, Pm obliged to you;
but look out for ouTself. I'll stay mere
1t doL't make matter nobow."
Passing out On the door had entered
by, felt my way forward 10 q ladder
way IesoiDg up to the hurricane deck,
my idea being that, if the boat heeled
over, would be in S better position
there, as not being liable to be caught
by any top-hampeT in her going down.
On reaching the opening of the upper
dsck, / found that one of the smoke
stacks, in falling, bad crushed thrC Oh
portion of the clearinghouse, ana lay
pATtisliy over the aperture through
which l had 10 pass, the space left be.
ing barely sufficient to allow the forced
passage Of my body. This essayed.
Id Il IL
fiat in the vicinity of the texas, as the
cabins upon the upper deck, which are
spprC priated to the pilots, are called.
had been in this position but few
minutes when, with ssplintering crash,
the larboaId wheelhouse was blown into
atoms, as If 1t had been paper; at the
same lime the pantry on deck below was
smashed in, its contents making a din
which was audible above the storm, and
gave the idea that the machinery Of the
DoGt had given way. A vivid fash of
lightning showed me a twenty-foot lad
der lying q few yards aft, toward which
/ drew myself, and pulling eff black
silk handkerchief from my neck, tied
my left arm above the elbow to the last
rung, in order that Il carried down by
the swirl OF The boat the ladder would
belp TO bring me 10 the surface, even
SDOuiu L lOcG AOtNs AAOIACA ANoh ia
sheet-lightniDg, and / saw a man at the
other end OF the ladder, and be, 81 eng
me st the same instant, shouted, GLOW
long before she goes 6oWnW
| shouted back to him, "The wheels
are still in motion; ahe may reach shore
without going over-keep cool. is the
ladder free st your enO?"
isYes," he answered, as felt him try
"We,H know our fate in five minutes"
7 sdded, and neither of us spoke again.
On. thoee five minutes! Never have
nssspd such in the course Of long, d.
Yersified life, and trust L never shall
7 had tried in vain 10 get off my boots
and coat. the binding rain and the force
Of The storm preventing successful Ell
fort ami as lay with quickened BREATH
exnecting the il g ant climax, there was
q duIl. heavy tEud, that made every
thing shake, q bright fash Of light nom
the lower deck as the furnsce -dooIs were
flung open, and ABOVE US We saw the
s,es5 clsv hank aud the dark outline OF
H. foresi trees on the Tenne ssee shore,
sr-inst which we had been driven.
itstantiv began to free my arm from the
Isshin0 mt The silk handkerchief bav.
ir,T stfsIned, made it difficult to unloose
H. knot. While SO engaged, saw the
man who had hold Of abe other end OF
lie ladder dash wildly scross the deck
toward the top of the staIboard Wheel
ny tyideutly intent on jumping from
% the steep aud cruz bling bank which
low overhuBg us Not being YET free, l
aid c not run to Stop him, so shouted
with sIl my might, Don't jump" Bot
NOT hearing or unheediDg meia las terror
he snTaup. and was lost. Getting loosed
al lsst. L made my way quickly TO the
lower deck, where terrible scene OF
turnu,t and confusion presented Itself
Tne open furnace gave abundant hghtt,
and the boat Was htld against the bank
Inv the Il rec OF the wind, but was being
siowIv moved down stream with graf
Inp motion. Influenced by the current.
The captain sud crew with many OF the
r,esseueers were in group OF the for
ward deck; the lormer sile ut and quite
unnerved, hut the mste-w1th no cloth
inc ON him save r red hannel shirt, the
sleeves rolled above the elbow, and pam
teloons thru-t into pair OF long COW
hide bootE, his thick hair hanging In
dre0ched masses about his fsce-lu3ntd