The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-22
THE TORNADO AT HAZEL GREEN,
Doings of tho Wind Well Calculated to Tet
Creduality.


The telegraph has given the outlines of
the fearful work of the recent tornado at
Hazel Green, Wis. The Chicago Tri6une's
correspondent has proved equal to the task
of describing the details, portions of which
are given:
1t is now definate ascertaned that the
whirlwind resulted from a collision between
two sections of cloud which had divided
and come together again. The clouds
joined, and long cylindrical shaft shot
down. The cylinder was about 100 feet in
circumference and 20 feet in hight. 1t
struck the ground mile southwest of
Hazel Green, and, blowing a turrow 600
feet long, four feet wide, and several feet
deep, seemed to absorb the earth and rocks.
As 1t moved along IN south-easterly direc-
ton, it looked Ike clay-colored column
whirling with incredible speed around a
central vacuum. 1t was solid mass of
heavy rubbish Occasionally a rock or
stick would shoot off at tangent and was
driven into the ground, until the swelling
stretch between the point of contact with
the earth and the edge of the village is
diminutive grove composed of pieces of
scantling, huge rocks, and the branches of
trees. They are driven into the ground
with the heads pointing in all directions,
demonstrating that it was whirlwind,
and that the counterfeit grove resulted
from oifshoo's from the outer circumfer
ence. AS the cylinder came up the slope,
the rush, and yell,and whirr of the column
sounding like the rush and shrieks of the
wind on the sea- and like the thunder Of
guns-attrscted the attention of the people
of Hazel Green, and they flocked to their
doors and windows. Steadily it came on,
sometimes bounding fifty feet into the air,
then rushing down again. 10 two minutes
| it descended on the little hazel grove just
southwest of the town. The trees were
snstched up by the roots and whirled ninety
feet into the air, 8ud supported there. The
cap of the column was a stone eight feet
long, four feet wide, ard three feet thick.
| This stone was held in its position while
the column covered space of three-quar-
tiers of mile. just between The grove
and the town, $50 feet from either, the
column halted and spun around over a
small space, and then recommended its
march The air was filed with the yells
lamentations Of the people. Tearing off a
corner of a frame house, the column rose
some thirty feet into the air, ard there,
lowering for an instant, fell perpendicular
ly upon the roof of the masonic hall, q
stone building. The structure was mashed
flat. The next house was of frame, and Oc-
cupied by Mrs. Richards and her family.
A daughter-in-law and her two children
were saved By the scantlings above them,
while the rest of the family were killed
outright. Twenty-six houses were carried
beyond the ken of mortals. Where they
went, no one can tell. The track of the
column is filled with cav dust and bits of
wood, as though Il saw mill had belched
out a half-fini,hed lumber yard. The trees
for several miles are filed with chairs, bits
of furniture, carpets, clothing, bits of VIII
dow shades and household materials. Mrs,
Looney was sitting in her kitchen. The
house disappeared as if touched by the
magicians wand, and the crushed body OF
Mrs. LooDey was found 400 feet off, strip.
ped of clothing and with the skin peeled
off her back from her neck down.
OF the rest of those killed nothing can bt
said, beyond that the bodies were found
not less than 200 feet from where they
started. There were acme miraculous es
capes. A boy and girl were found out oil
the prairie. wandering about helplessly
They were in house of which no accoun
has been received. They remember bein.
lifted into the air, and, when found, wer'
nearly quater OF a mile from where thu
house used to be, badly bruised and unabl
to account for their condition. Probably
the most remarkable spectacle was that o.
DR.. Kittos horses. An hour before thu
storm arrived the doctor had been sent TO
to attend sick man some three miles of
He returned word that he would not risl
the horses over the prevailing bad roads
: and in sixty minutes those same horses
barn, buggy, and harness were lifted sixt.
feet into the air, and the horses dropped a
least 100 rods from the former site of tn
barn. The column was then huge mas
of debris, and spectator says that In
horses went up through the center OF III
column, whirling around so swiftly tina
: they looked as if torn in pieces. The
= were found utterly unbruised but ston
dead, and not more than ten or twenty fet
q apart. Here and there is a hole, such q
/ you will see, where man has started
build house, has walled up his cellar, an
then failed Scattered about these holt
are masses of splinters and saw dust. Jul
!, across the main street stood carrag
g shop. Every vestige of the building h'
u disappeared, and in its place stands pi
of wagon hubs and ties. y furniture an
coffin house few hundred feet beyond WI
- carried four miles and demolished, and II
y collins distributed among the inhabitants
= the township. A coffin handle was pickt
y up seven miles and half northeast fro
'. Hazel Green. On either side of the roa
~ and lust on the line Of the storm, star
% some of the disman,led and unroot'
:, houses. Some of them were moved FRO
~ twenty to 100 feet from their foundation
! In every instance the sides were stuck II
- of huge splinters. some two feet in circuI
= ference, and driven through the sides