The Portland daily press., 1881-06-30
SUMMER TEMPESTS.
Disastrous Tornado at Franklin
N. H.
WIND AND LIGHTNING IN THE WEST.

FRANKLIN, N. H, j une ga most terrific
and destructive tornado fell upon this village
yesterday afternoon abOnt O'Clock. A black,
ugly looking cloud began to form on the
western horizon half all hour previous, and
taking a southern direction, driven by a
tempestuous wind up this section OF the Merrl-
mac Valley it burst in an appalling tempest of
rain and hail, attended with thunder and
lightning Tho hail stones, many OF them
more than an inch in diameter and the most
of them larger than sparrow egg, leil IN
torrents, literally filling the heavens, and
driven by the infuriated winds spread rum
everywhere in their train. Half the houses In
town show in their shattered glass the destruc-
tive march of tho tempest Multltudes OF
chimneys were swept down, fruit and orna-
mental trees uprooed and gardens everywhere
totally ruined. The heaviest glass in the best
residences was no proof against the violence OF
the hailstones, as the shattered windows i'll the
residences of A. W. Sulloway, w. Aiken,
Warren f. Daniel and others sadly show. The
ruin seems to have been mainly confined to
Franklin and the valley for mile Or two on
each side of the town. The path of the torna-
do was not more than two miles or so in its
greatest width Many buildings were severely
damaged, the Methodist church of West Viii
lage among them, by floods of rain and hail,
which poured into them through the shattered
windows. The Catholic church, a new but
poorly built structure, was moved six inches
Oh its foundation, twisted and exceedingly
damaged. A two story house frame and
barn and shed, belonging to David e. Brown,
we're blown down. and George H. brakes new
house was lifted and twisted several feet from
its foundation, leaving it total wreck.
Freight cars at the depot of the Northern Rail-
road were blown off the track. Tho extreme
suddenness of sthe tornado gave little chance
to avoid its ruin. A flock of 81 chickens was
found all dead near a shelter at Warren
Daniels hennery. Great damage was done
through the town by the furious sweep of the
waters, though the continuance of the torrent
was scarcely fifteen minutes. At II o'clock
last night tho tornado was succeeded by
most furious storm, accompanied by heavy
and violent thunder and lightning, the rain
falling in deluge for two hours.
CHICAGO, June pa terrible wind and
thunder storm broke over this city between 2
and 3o'clock this morning, dwelling trees and
telegraph wires.
KEoKUK, Iowa, June 29.-During the terri
bic storm OF yesterday fire supposed to be set
by lightning destroyed row of the best bust
ness places in the neighboring city of Alexan-
dria.
PrTTsBURG, Pa, June 29.-Reports from
this section and other places west and south
give accounts of violent cyclones. Houses
were unroofed and blown down, trees uprooted
and grain fields laid waste.
CINCINNATI, June pa wide belt of coun-
try has been visited by the storm and crops,
especially wheat, damaged. The reservoir on
Prices Hill in the extreme western part of the
city burst at II O'Clock tonight and the water
ran with such force as to move the whole
structure which is of iron, 200 feet from its
position. 1t is an iron tank so feet high with
diameter of 100 feet. 1t was full except feet
Several houses in the vicinity were washed
from their foundation and other serious dam
age done roughly estimated at $4,000. For
tunately the water escaped in a place not
thickly inhabited. No lives lost.