Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-09-12
A Cyclone In Montgomery County, Md.


SANDY SPRINGS, Sept. S. lS79.-As all me-
teorological facts are Of interest 1ow, not only
to scientists but to otbers, serd you brief
ACCOUNT of grand and awe inspiring phenom.
euon tbs. was witnessed on Wednesday aiter.
noon, September s. At about half past five
o'clock poticed . sound that ofteo accom-.
paoles haistorm, aad upon going out Of tho
house it proved much louder than | sntici.
pated, resembling the roar of several railroad
trains crossing Q high bridge, CT, as souo
thought, the nol5o attending great confagra'
tlon. We ran to tho south side Of the house,
aud witnessed sight never to be forgotten.
Dark, threatening clouds were moving towards
the cast, while over them were others, brightly
Illuminated, either stationary or moving to-
wards the west. 10 tho southeast. ct dis.
tance of one or two miles, was moving column
of what appeared to bs smoke, whirling vic.
leutly, Of an ashy gray, and at times yeowish
color, the cir over il being filed with leaves.
limbs of troes. and other debris. which at 6rss
sight wero thought to be birds hycg copfused-
ly in advanc, of the storm. Immediately
above it was the funnel shaped cloud that al
ways attends such hurricanes. tho little end Of
which came doWo nearly 10 the ascending col
umu. It moved rapidly towards tic northeast,
and, as fir as We can trace it. in nearly stright
line. At times the base OF tie column seemed
illuminated, as il from tho interior. causing somo
to think, on first seeing it, that it arose from
burning buildings. Several observers speak
of hearing 40 explosion, as if from caDnon.
From sil We can learo. thus far, il started upon
the lands of Washington Cashill. aud. moving
at the rata of about fifteen miles per hour, was
dis5ipa,ed 10 the woods at Mahoa Chaoler'6
the distance travelled being nearly six mics.
LIS path varied from 40 to 100 yards in width.
As general thing the damage was clay TO tim
Der, fences and orchards. Oae or two buildings
were slightly Injured, bus mona We're directly
10 the path Of the storm. Trees were uprc2t
ed, aud many Of large s:zs were left with their
trunks standing, but With tops wreuchod of
ard limbs twisted and scattered far over the
adjacent fields. Tlc rosring that accompanied
its course added excitement aud terror, and We
could not but thick Of tho devaa,a,iou caused
By similar tornadoes in tho West. Fortunate.
ly there was 10 damage to ilf, or limb.
About An hour later, observers On ao elevS
ton saw another cloud of similar character
gathering over the adjacent couoty CT Howard,
which NO have siucs learned did considerable
damages to fsucos, crops aud trees, tho force OF
the wind beiug sufficient to b)w teamster
from his saddle. 10 40 orchard through which
it passed in this county it is ln.erca;iog to ob
servo the rotary motion Of the stern. tho trees
lying somewhat like lhe s2okes Of a wheel.
The day had been o'oss aud sultTy, bsroms
ter low and thermometer hi2b, With OCCASIONAL
showers About an hour b :foro the occurrence
the sun shon, out opprcsslvey warm, aud s
most beautiful rainbow W, visible just 10 al.
vance of the hurricane. Fl. q. HALLoWELL