Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-03
Great Storm ont West.


R The storm which was so general in New
England and the middle states, lately, as
snow and slcet, seems to have been the tail
piece Of very extensive and much more
severe storm which ragged oil over the West,
aud which manifested itself in two places
st Charles, Mo-, and Princeton, Ind. in the
form Of most terrific tornadoes, twisting
buildings, fences, etc, into ruins, aud caus-
Jog the loss Of a number Of lives and the In
jury Of many other persons.
The tornado which struck Princeton seems
10 have been the more destructive Of the
two, although lasting but one-6tth as long
only a minute. At least eight persons were
dangerously injured, four OF whom are not
expected to recover, and one woman lost her
oyo.sight. Over fifty houses were totally
demolished, and about fifty others badly
damaged. A large number Of persons we're
injured, one or two fatally. A little child
was blown from its bed into garden, and
another blown a hundred yards and found on
the railroad track. Several persons we're
buried under the wreck Of their dwellings,
and were taken out unframed. One family
found themselves walking on the ceiling,
their rooms having been inverted, yet they
escaped unframed, while those who attempted
to escape were injured. The family Of Mr.
Jasper Jennings, composed Of ten persons,
had miraculous escape. The foundation
and first story OF the house was blown out
from under il, and the second story aud roof
fell down and was almost Aattened The
family were all crowded together in a place
three feet high, aud from thence were only
rescued by the assistance Of those who had
escaped, after the wind had subsidized. The
loss on the buildings destroyed is estimated
at $4,000, aud falls, in many cases, on
those lily able to bear it, There are rumors
of great damage throughout the surrounding
country, but no particulars. During the
storm immense quantities Of hail fell, rang
ing in size from walnut to hens egg.
The whirlwind which struck st Charles,
Mo-, got along about hali-past two o'clock,
Sunday afternoon, and in FIVE minutes had
swept through the town from end to end,
wrecking everything in its way. The county
Jail was unroofed aud the walls were thrown
down two stories below the roof, leaving the
iron cells exposed. The First national bank
will have to be pulled down, while many
other buildings are severely damaged The
total damage is estimated at fully Sl50,000.
The storm was first discovered about three
miles southwest Of the city, and came in the
general direction Of the river. 1t appeared
to be about 200 yards wide, 400 to 500 feet
high, with yellow vertical column whirling
and rolling with irightful velocity, and ap.
parentIy bounding from place to place. The
debris it caused is not found to have been
carried in any particular direction but i.
scattered all about. Buildings entirely un.
scathed stand adjoining those utterly wrecked
and, with but few exceptions, where house
upon one side Of the street felt the force Of
the storm, another directly opposite escaped
showing the whrl of the storm to have beer
very narrow, and that its motion was vibra
tory. Its duration was not more than five
minutes, passing in that time through the
city from end to end The noise was terrific
and the popular description of it is that il
resembed multitude Of railroad trains pass
ing at full speed over a long, enclosed bridge