Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-15
THE CHICAGO CYCLONE.

The tornado Of Saturday came in from the
southwest, and laid its course almost northeast.
Occasionally it swerved, but its path was almost
direct. AS it came across the prairie it presented
the aspect Of tall column having . swift rotary
motion from right to left. The clouds above it
hung lower than those around, drawn down by
vacuum in the centre. Its color was smoky, and
it was composed of sticks, stones and masses of
dirt. As it Numbered along it did not seem to
lie very low. on thcground but bounded from point
to point like ball. Wherever it struck It tore
the earth and drove parts of the debris of which
it was composed into the ground. Its velocity
prevented good view OF it, and it dashed BY and
was gone IN second. In the city it apparently
took An upward shoot till 1t hung above the roofs
Of the houses. Had it dropped and run continu.
ously on the surfsce, the absence of everythi ing
that stood in it, track would have marked It's path.
As near % 1t can be ascertained 1t fell from its
height but two or three times. and then ascend
again. Where it dropped is marked by the ruins
Of houses and uprooted trees.
AS it passed the boundary of the city and out
upon the lake, better view of it could be had.
Striking the water about mile from the shore, it
staggered for q moment and stood still. 1t was
then composed of eight or ten columns grouped
together, all whlrling around central point. The
columns, or spirals, twisted and wiithed like
snakes. The group was about 800 feet in diane
ter, the various parts leaning at the top towards
the centre, and bullying slightly at the middle
Now and then column would draw away from
its fellow and then sweep back as it struck, driving
one from the other side short distance from the
path. As it recovered from the attack upon the
water and gathered for fresh sweep, the spirals
twisted their lengths around each other, and
seemed as If fighting. The cloud above was black
as ink and just the centre of the pillar it bel
lied down until the top of the one and lower sur
face Of the other touched. The d0wn-rushing cir
IN the vacuum drew the cloud down and absorbed
it. Directly under the macs the lake was fat and
still. Around it the waters we're dashed and torn.
The waves dashed upon the spirals a. If driven to
madness by the attack. Now and then the top of
one of the twisting pillars would separate from
the other, and bending down would wave and
struggle above the angry waters, and then slowly
rising. resume its position. Sometimes the great
Aggregation Of snakes-for they locke like snskesd
would shrink down drawing the black cloud
with it. Then 1t stretched out again, driving the
cloud back again. Around it the rain fell in tor
rents, but, instead of beating down the waves,
they seemed to grow more and more enraged. All
around the suffering cloud the others hung, . dull
palid gray, as though they were frightened by
the awful battle in their midst. ..s., =
| The tornado was . deep dan color. Between
the constituent columns the gray could be seen
beyond. As the mass arose from the lake, 10
continue its course it hattened from the top. The
heads Of the spirsls fell outwards. and. dropping
down, twisted around the centre and drew the
whole togt Their like \ sheaf. The attendant cl.
followedsdownwafds, and lay like huge cap on