Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-12-06
Incomprehensible Force.
A STUDY OF 4 TORNADO.
WAS SPRINGFIELD DESTROYED by ELECTRIC
ITY:
Missouri Lettcr.

A tornado, or whatever else il may be called
that will take hickory tree sound and young.
twenty inches in diameter, and without up
roofing ii, twist il to splnters in the twinkling
of ones cyc-that sort Of thing deserves exam
ination from scientific men. OF this dcscrip-
ton was the late tornado here. Before look
lnS into the matter ! was prepared 10 assert
with great confidence that the late disaster was
owing entirely 70 imperfect. slip>hod building.
After . thorough. critical. and entirely d,in-
tcrr~,cd examination. lasting a week. | am per
,uadcd that all current theories and cxpana-
tinns in reference 70 this and all ,ornadocs else
where are at fault.
My reasons will attcmp; to explain.
With The exception of perhaps two build
;na-. thr structures blown down 1T Springfield
arr " Il sort It'll" qualified 10 Withstand or,lin-
ar Atlantic coast gales. Undoubtedly far
worse salr, than thi> Springfield tornado. in
point Of violence. have been familiar to East
crn people for generations past.
| maintain that wind did not do the damage
suppose that you taxi 4 group o. seven hou>-
=, for example, closely punched together.
A storm comes up; three of the seven. fully
a. substantial in every particular, are pulyer-
lied TO atoms ny the storm. while the remain
inc four are entirely unnjured untouched. in
fact: How can We account for >mch caprice
on the part % thc elements: Are such cnprc-
e. characteristic ~ wind storms:
The wool!cn mill at Springfield was built. "a,
am told by it, builder, a German Of solid,
practical experience East and West 81 better
material and with more lime in the mortar than
most brick walls are composed Of. The walls
were massive, the work was done under crit
zeal supervision. Thi- mill building was de
molished, while the frailcst OF frail dwellings.
buildings with no larger timber in frame than
3xd, were left uninjured, standing In the track
OF the tempest.
The frame dwellings that were DESTROYED by
the tornado do not resemble ANYTHING recog-
nizablc in the form OF timber, lumber. or any
building material whatever, in the state Of
chaotic confusion and demolishmcnt in which
the storm has left them. They look rather as
though Nulcan> hammer had struck them and
pulverizcd them into mass Of formless rub
bi-h. This i fact, not exaggcration.
! have examined carefully several times the
remains OF Father +. J. O'Neilrs Catholic
church at North Springfield, entirely demol-
i-hed by the storm. The building was Of
firm and thick brick walls; in size. 36x10 feet
II was securely prepared, As TO every essential
10 safety, when the tornado scattered it TO the
winds. There j. scarcely brick left standing
upon another above the ground. The wreck
looks as though a great mill had passed it
tbr1,t,yl, tho Ia ~
and out into fornlcss void.
Father o'Neilrs dwelling, frail cottage Of
the lightest OF light pine lumber. put up in the
ram-shackle manner usual with the Southern
carpenters OF twenty years ago. escaped with
out so much Il shingle being disturbed on the
roof 1t stood some forty feet perhaps TO the
north Of the demolished church.
There were some remarkable, il not miracu-
lous. exemptions from the wreck Of this Cath
ole Church. Father ONeil showed me several
things which puzzled the coolest brain. Every
thing pertaining TO the mass was taken from
the chaos OF rubbish by Father O'Neill unin-
jured. The altar stone was set in q heavy
frame OF wood. this frame being ground to
splinters by the storm, but not a scratch on the
stone. Of italian marble could be detected
The missal or mass book richly bound vol
ume was perfect. The chalice, a solid silver
cup. deliberately engraved, was taken from the
wreck uninjured. The blessed sacrament, and
the tabernacle both were saved intact. The
organ was thrown across the street. 4 little
glue will right that.
a man told me Of group Of fowl which the
storm caught. Every feather was singed from
them. They stood bare Of feathers and their
skin was turned black.
Here, then, is a clew. The storms are sim
ply concentrated force of electricity, burst
ing upon any given object, hurting it asunder,
grinding it to powder. in many cases burning,
singeing it TO a burnt crisp.
What else could take hickory tree. twenty
inches in diameter, and twist it from its roots,
leaving it a formless heap OF splinters and
pulp!' &. W. ii.