Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-05-25
IacksonviIie.

GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY ny
TERRIBLE ToRNADo-BUILDINGs UN.
RooFED, BARNS DESTROYED, LIVE STOCK
KILLED, AND STANDING TIMBER PROS.
TRATED-DAMAGEs FROM SjcO0 To $4,000.
- One OF the most destructive and terri
fic tornadOes that has ever visited this sec.
ton, passed over whilngham On Friday.
May 18Th, at about half past two O'Clock
p. M. II commenced on the height of land
at the northwest corner of the town, uu.
roofing house owned by Ephrain Wheel.
err; taking south easterly direction il
soon reached aud destroyed Two barns. one
new, aud a shed, belonging to Henry
Wheeler, also severely injuring an OK of
his; then rapidly descending to the valley
of the Deeriield river, 1t lifled the house OF
Frank Barnes from its foundation, renoy-
ing it about thirty feet aud, from some
material beneath, the floor was thrown up.
and small child sleeping in he'd was
thrown some twelve feet; the roof was Ia
ken of, leaving the body standing, and al
though the family was in the house at the
time Of its removal, no one received any
material injury. MIR. BIS barn was blown
down killing calf aud hog. A buggy,
sleigh which was carried over Deerfield
river, moving machine, horse rake and
other farming implements, were destroy
ed, and stocks we're torn from wagon axle
trees trees were torn up upon the west
side Of the house and carried over il many
rods to the rivers timber and boards were
carried half a mile and a clapboard more
than a mile.
Having done its work in the valley it as
cended and passed over the high hill al the
southwark of Garrison Davis, aud passed
through the wood lots of Mowry d Powers.
o. i. Wheeler and N. Upton, carrying
down heavy timber along path about ten
rods wide. Then reaching Nathaniel Whit
combs it demolished an unoccupied house,
also a barn in which were horse, several
cows, and number Of young cattle, all Of
which singularly escaped unframed;
boards were carried more than half mile
over a wood-lol; large number of fruit
trees were torn up, fences carried away,
large log forty feet long and partly imbed-
ded in the earth was removed from its
place, and a hillock, several feet in height
and diameter was removed from its base
and carried a number OF feet. Passing on
it next struck the wood-lot of John W.
Sawyer, and laid PROSTATE more than an
acre Of heavy timber, not leaving a tree
standing, but laying the fallen trees in
wild confusion. At about this point por-
ton OF The main current seemed to strike
of in a soutberly direction, crossing Sa-
dswgs pond aud causing great commolion
in the water for a space of about len rods in
width, aud reaching DR.. Gilletts' with great
force, but doing no material damage, and
apparently spending its strength IN that
direction.
The main current leaving Mr.. Sawyer's
wood-lot soon reached VIM. H. Hieks's,
demolishing his barn and the wing of his
house, and starting the upright part from
its base, destroying a valuable carriage,
several hundred pounds Of sugar, and in
jurng various farming tools, and taking
up large apple tree and carrying it over
his house across the highway into pas
ture. Pursuing its course, tearing up trees,
taking up fences and disturbing walls even
to foundation stones, il at length reached
the farm of WIN. Henry Lynde, known as
the Sam Winn place, where it seemed 10
gather strength for last effort. Reaching
his buildings it instantly demolished two
barns near together, one fifty and the other
forty feet in len 9Th, and taking forty foot
shed from its base and throwing il with the
barns into one confused mass of uudisiin-
guishable ruins, covering carriages, sleds
and various farming implements. One
horse, two oxen and five calves we're in the
barns. One calf was killed, the horse. OK
en- and four calves escaping unframed or
with very slight injuries. One OK was car
ried four rods from his stable, nearly in
the direction from which the tempest came
and was rescued from under portion of
roof from one of the barns. Five turkeys
and eighteen hens were killed about
twenty feet of the roof of the wing of the
house, nearest 10 the upright part, was TAX
en- of, leaving the larger portion with a
small building between the house aud barn
uninjured. A block from the chimney in
the wing, weighing about one hundred and
finy pounds, was carried about three rods.
Six very large apple trees were torn up
near the barns, pointing in different diree-
tons, clearly showing that the tempest had
a circular motion. One of the apple trees
torn up was more than three feet in dame
ter al lis base, bearing evident marks OF
being a centennarian. One large tree was
thrown eight rods across The highway into
a field. Timber, boards and shingles were
widely and profusely scattered over the
fields.
Several hundred people have visited the
scene of disaster TO witness the ruins. Mr..
Lynde has owned the farm about two years,
and rented it this season to Frank Davis,
who had been TO the barns and fortunately
left them just before they were thrown
down. Mr.. Lynde, at the time of the dis
asier, was absent at distance on business.
He suffers very severely and has the SYM
pathy of all. The tempest passed on with
but little further damage in town. 1t was
attended with binding torrents of rain and
hail, accompanied with almost ineessant
lightning and thunder. Ruin followed its
giant march, and debris was scattered in
wild confusion in all directions. Fortu-
nately no lives were lost. The damage has
been variously estimated at from i've TO ten
thousand dollars.