The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-06-27
4 WONDERFUL STORM.

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THE GREAT wtaI.rsRBoRo' CALAMITY
slAs '9}FFARFED ~ 4 BY CoMrARisoN.
saSrjFhe storm that burst over kansas
ON the evening Of Decoration Day
seems to to have been ofa very furious
patnre. 1t is said to have extended
oyer i tract Of one hundred and fifty
by one hundred miles, aud to have
worked i!s way iR those doubling
!spirals common to what is called a
cyclone. Fifty people are reported
killed Rytit AND g great number
wounded. The aestrucuon to build
lngs and cattle is described as encr.
mous. Details are given Of most
extraordinary not to say incredible
character. Tins, alternate houses
within hundreq yards Of each other
are alleged to have been other unin-
jured or utterly destroyed. The hur-
'ncanc is declared to have been visi-
ble to The eye, "runnel shaped," &C,
cording to tic dispatc j to the Her
aid, moving ."with terrible velocity,
at times close to the earth, then
Loundng upward and almost disap.
pearing. The air, assumed thick
allphurious smell, and tho electric
current could be plainly seen and
heard swapping like gun-shots." !"
some observers were near the house
of q pan named Harris, and we are
told that "they saw Harris residence
drawn IN tue vortex Of the cloud COM
pietely out of sight, and in few sec
onds falling timbcrs rained upon
them from all directions.
The situation Of these observers
m&st haze been far FROM agreeable,
and, indeed, it is not easy to under
stand how they could subsequently,
have been in condition to tell their
story. The line Of the tornado is de-
scrioed rs extending from Lees Sum-
init to Blue Springs. Throughout the
track great trees have been 'wrench-
ed OF like pipestcms, pondcrous rocks
nurled hundreds Of yards, all vegeta-
lion burned and blackcpc4, FENCES
and houses scattered everywhere, dead
cattle and other stock scattered in
profusion in horribly manglcd mass
es." The account OF the state Of the
unhappy persons who were killed is
more striking. All the, bodies were
covered with thick, blush, sulphu-
rous mud. The clothing was stripped
off and torn to shreds. Shoes were
torn of, and the bodies burned and
blacEentd reaffully, Horses, cattle
and hogs were caught UP on Mr.. Har.
Iis's'Place, and carried long distances
and dropped crushed out of all shape.
At intervals the cyclone would aban-
Jon the earth and riot at q great
height in the air but anon would de-
scend aga,n to the earth and set TO
ITS work Of destruction with tcn-fold
fry, NJ Thing, however, was blown
over that which was attacked, wheth-
'r house q ? sheep, being invaria-
5iy caught upin the air, twisted and
wrenched into fragments, and then
dashed down again upon the ground.
! he day was one of intense heat, and
all through the evening and the night
there Yels v;g'll!e,nt 4! electrical demon
s'rntiops, but little 9r no rain. From
lhe statements we have quoted it is
manifest that the hurricane should be
pronounced one Of the most astonsL-
Ing Hcon record, and additional par
ticulars VIII bo 'anx xiioualy looked for,
such as shall either confirm or correct
all acconnt the details Of which are
SO, marvellous, if, indeed, we should
not say so unprecedented.
A Good One.
Two hOvs wnrr cton6;pr ;u fro,t ri