Litchfield enquirer., 1876-04-20

out, while the tire of one new wagon wheel was blown of and lay over 30 rods away upon the opposite hillside and twisted out of shape. The same hillside presents most striking resemblance to the back of an enraged poroupine; ie be- ing filled for a space about 20 rods wide with fragments of fencing, material of the barn, driven in end wise into the ground, so thick that it is impossible to safely ride through on horseback without iniur- ing your horse.
 The tornado passed over the next hill and dropped upon the house of Mir. Fin ton Bowling. and in the twinkllng of an eye the house with Its contents, was lifted up and carried about 60 feet and along the ground and settling with one corner upon the ground; and then with, an aw- ful crash, 1t was ground into atoms ao fine that standing upon the spot where it stood before the storm, not one vestige of it remained in sight, All of the in mates of the house, Mir. Bowling; wife and little girl aged g years, were hurled over hundred feet into the creek. Mrs. Bowling and the little girl fell upon the north side of the creek, while Mir. D. fell upon the south side of it. Mrs. Bowling says that the parlor stove and dining-room
  trip through the air, and it is probable that it was the stove that fractured her leg. Hez left leg is fractured quite badly just above the ankle, the bone protruding through the flesh. She also received Q severe cut over the left eye and other con- tusions in different parts of her body. The little girl was bruised quite extenslve- ly, and like her mother had her eye and side of her face badly bruised and discol- ored. MT. Dowling's injuries appear to be the result of electricity, and general bruising, and for some days it was doubt ful whether he would recover. He is now improving, and will soon be able to be on his feet again. The scene at Mir. Dowl- ing's place baffies all description. The trees on each side of the creek are fringed with bedding and and fragments of cloth- ing, while upon the bottom land on the north side of the creek are scattered bro- ken crockery, the remains of what was once large cooking stove, but what now is simply mass of broken iron, tin-ware, and farm machinery, half buried in the mud. Mir. Dowling's brother Ike, was providentially not in the house at the tune, but was in the corn crib which stands few feet from the house He was thrown over the bank and into. the road; as soon as he could get upon his feet he started to rescue Mrs. D. and the little girl, whom he could see struggling in the water on the opposite side of the creek. He rushed across the bridge which was already becoming insecure, and carrying them as he supposed out of danger from the water, placed them upon feather bed. Returning to the opposite side of the creek. he found his brother lying senSeless in tho water. pulled him out upon the high ground and tied him to tree with rope, thinking that when he became con- scions, he would, in his confusion. rush down into the water and drown; returning again to Mir D. and the child, he was just in time to catch them as they were float ing down stream on their bed. Turning around he saw the bridge which he had just quilted carried away by the fOaming torrent, which had now reached the pro- portions of a mighty river. He at once returned and carried the woman and child to the house of Mrs. Finn, about one mile from the scene of destruction, where Mir. D. has since been removed.
 The damage done to property at the above mentioned places will foot up some- thing as follows: At Thomas O'Toole's, $600; at Paul Englers, $500; at Thomas Watts, $3,OO0; and Finton Dowling's, $1, ,OOO.
 You will probably have news of this storm from others, 80 will not trespass further upon your space.
 Respectfully,
 AN EYEWITNESS.