Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-05-27
A WESTERN ZEPHYR.
Tho Whiriwind that Swept ever Chicago,
Dsins an Immense Amount Of DRussac.

The Whirlwind that Swept ever Chicaae,
Dsina an Immense Amount Of Damage.
The fearful wind storm that swept
over Chicago seemed to follow nearly in
tho track OF that which ragged during tho
night Of the great fire in 1871. 1t came
from the southwest and moved III q
direct line, marking its pi ogress with ruin.
Az II crossed the prairie 1t appeared like
what might DO called wind spout, q
tall, irregular cylinder OF visible air
rotating on its axis q thousand times q
minute, and rushing forward with o
horrid roar Mt the rate OF one hundred
miles an hour. The upper end touched
the low-lying clouds, and while II
seemed to borrow force from them, left
them broken and jagged like the rags OF
worn out funeral pail, and the lower
end swept madly along the earth, rip
ping, tearing, rending everything in its
course, and filling the vast area between
land and sky with heterogeneous mass
of gyrating debris.
As it neared the city it began to rise,
and by the time it had fairly entered the
limits it was whirling along far above
tho housetops. Two or three times, as
though DESTROYS OF testing its strength
in O tussle with mans brick and marble
handiwork, il descended to tho earth,
and wherever it touched it left evidences
of its ruthless rage. Houses were torn
to pieces like card boxes in threshing
machine, trees were uprooted, and even
the bricks and the stone flags of side
walks were twisted from their beds and
made to beat tho tattoo against neigh
boring fences and house fronts.
As the spinning, whirling, roaring
column shot out upon the lahe, it made
downward dash, striking the water at
about mile from the shore. Here for
moment it seemed foreman stationary,
like giant gyroscope waiting for
fresh supply of dynamic force to drive
it onward in its orbit, yet reeling and
staggering like a drunken man. Sud
denly eight or ten spirals took the place
of the single column, and then began a
waltz such as the visual orbs of no
hasheesh eater ever gazed upon.
Around and around the shadowy mon
sters danced, the water boiling and
foaming under their demon tread, and
the black clouds above them rifting and
driving hither and thither like black
flends. At this moment the group of
whirling columns was fully 200 yards in
diameter, and the area they covered in
their wild whirl was acres in extent.
Ever and anon one column would
separate from it's fellows and cut
pigeon wing all to itself then, return
ing toward the common center, it would
come in rough contact with the fast re-
volving mass, the impact driving out
into space column from the other side.
This strange scene occupied only a
minute. Then came vivid lightning
flashes from the angry cloud, and deep
voiced thunder beloved from it's gloomy
depths, and the whirling throng Of dust
colored columns came togeter again as
one, and shot off to the northeast with
horrid roar, the waters beneath them
answering with louder hiss than that
of Lernian snakes in the reeds Of
Acheron, and in a moment more the
shoW was over.
The damage done in the city was over
100000, and several persons were
severely injured.