The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1881-06-02
: NHEssassHHDHon HHuJHsHeKCANE,.
Wv hRses aaasaa A4cveIReda Forests aaEada
Shattered HDyv eREEngs and
BARNS.

ElnSRA, laaS., Mtty 81 have seen
some 'tn;itt'.S ~ the SsofYi il.ss suep*
throng DE soto County, hui soue of them
describe il lttlly. About 3 O'Clock i, he
afternoon OF the day it occurred, attention
was attracted to the east by two or three
| loud claps of thunder where q. cloDd of
peculiar blackness was seen rapidly push
Ing above the horizon, and in Il few
minutes appeared to be wrapped in sheet
OF flames. 1t had the appearance of a vol
came mountain pouring forth torrents of
burning lava, while from the open crater
req flames shot high above the burning
mass. Very soon Il heavy sound was
ileaFd as OF distant waterfall, and in
twenty minutes increased to tile roar of a
huadfed railroad trains. Forked tongues
OF feieelric fire now leaped out from the
bosom Of the cloud, cleaning like the con-
sumlng flash Of Onnipotence, and the
rapidly-sncceeding peals Of thunder made
1t a scene to strike the boldest heart with
terror. When it crossed the MississipDi
River at Commerce and struck the timber
Oh the cast side it was like the crash Of y
falling mountain.
The large storahocse of Mr.. Fry was ul-
rooted III All instant, ;lltt tWentv-two 9th
er houses dashed to the giottu:l. and bro
ken into fragments. Then ii lei,oun,led
from the earth, rising high above the i'm
Der, and went OH its way, with its fires
| and thunders. smoking, roaring, boiling,
and flashing, until it became the very sub
Unity Of terror Suddenly it descended
to the ground again in the vicinity Of Her
| nandO, and began anew the work Of des-
| truction, tearing down houses, trees and
fences in its destructive march. The large
| ginhousc Of fr. Reilly was nearly torn to
| pieces. Mrs. Cores place was literally
l<cleared Of fences and all out-houses, and il
| attempting to close the door of her dwell,
ing she was driven some distance frem the
| house, and the door shivcred to pieces
Continuing eastward, it wrecked mum
Der Of houses OIL Mr. Newsom's place
killing negro and two children. On Mr.
Banks place the chimney-stack to his mil
was thrown down, and buildings crushed.
| At DR.. Iauderdale's, six miles northeast
from fernando, his storehouse was blown
down to tile foundations, an! it, contents
driven miles away.
I The Doctors dwelling and all his other
/ houses were hurled to destruction, and hi
was so much bruised that his life was des
paired of forseyeral days. His wife had heI
4 thigh broken, and, strange but true, hi
/ daughter, in bed with an infant eight dayi
! old, was rolled up ia thu be- and laic
! down again without injury te y ther Al
IeveWitness says lle saw h fence fail drive,
through all s:lts tee twenty inches il
4 diameter. splitting 9lle tree open in its pas
sage. j barrel of salt, 800 pbnnds Ii
weight, was lifted ii, hF the wind and car
4 Iried three mics, and Hnf }l2sEta witiaoH
i bursting It,
]. Beyond Camp Greek tic dwelling of Nj.
Ben, HarNelfWas torn to pieces aud n
Il killed. Trees were torn from the gio''nt
/ OF twisted off like cornstalks, AID driver
i iiaway. EveytIling in its track is wreck
Seven persons in all are said to have beer
4 killed, and the destruction was continues
some distance into Marshall County.