The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-16
Freaks OF O Cyclone.

The following remarkable story is told Of the
work OF cyclone which passed over Rich
burgh, N. Y: "When the cyclone that passed
over this portion Of Allegany county, few
days since, struck the farm Of Alonzo Mead, on
the West Notch road, In the town Of Writ, Mrs.
Mead was preparing Goldfish for cooking. A
tin dipper stood on the table, and on nail In
the wall hung pair OF hickory overalls. Mr..
Mead was standing In his barn door, talking
with Farmer Wightman, a neighbor, who had
driven into the barn with his wife to wait
until the shower they supposed was coming up
had passed. Suddenly there came loud roar
ing from the direction OF Southwest Hill, and
Farmer Mead saw first grove of large naples
coming toward the barn and house In the air,
carried along by what seemed to be a funnel
shaped cloud OF black smoke A half second
later nearly all the trees In Mead's orchard had
mingled with the flying maple grove, and all
were rushing along at frightful velocity.
Farmer Mead started to run to the house to
warn his wife. He was caught up on his way
by the whirling mass, and carried with 1t a
hundred yards and deposited in a rye field.
Simultaneously, the house and barn were
lifted up and carried along In crashing frag-
ments with the whirlwind. The passing Of
the cyclone was but momentary. Not more
than five seconds elapsed from the time II was
first seen sweeping down from Southwest Hill
by Farmer Mead until 1t had disappeared in
the northeast Mead was uninjured by his
sudden journey through the air, and as soon
as he could recover himself he ran toward
the ruins of his house, expecting to find his
wife crushed to death or borne away. Only
small portion of the house was left standing
Mrs. Mead was in the cellar where she had
hurried at the approach OF the hurricane, and
was uniDjured. Mead found Farmer Wight
man and his wife imprisoned by heavy tim
bers In the barn. A pile Of hay had caught
the timbers at one end and prevented them
from falling with full weight on the farmer
and his wife. They were both held firmly be-
meath the timbers, however, and Mrs. Wight
man was badly hurt. To lift one end of the tim
bers to-day, Farmer Mead says he would
require the aid OF at least two men, but on
that day he raised them alone and threw the
ends upon beam four feet high and rescued
his neighbors from their perilous situation.
How he managed to handle the heavy timbers
he is unable to explain. Every bed and piece
of furniture was carried out Of Farmer Mead
house Fragments Of them have been found
along the course OF the cyclone as far as four
miles away. On Wednesday parties who were
searching in the woods for missing cattle, three
miles from Mead's farm, found hanging in q
tree Goldfish and pair of hickory overalls, and
lying on the ground beneath the tree was q tin
dipper. These have been identified as the fish
Mrs. Mead was preparing when the cyclone
came along, the dipper that stood on the table,
and the garment that hung on the wall. They
are the only articles that Farmer Mead has re-
| covered intact The three children Of Stewart
| Shinebarger were playing in the yard when
| the cyclone appeared. After the storm had
| passed search was made for them. They had
been carried over hundred feet and thrown
| against a barbed-wire fence, where they were
| found entanged with their clothing nearly all
| torn from them, and their flesh badly lacerated
| by the sharp barbs in the fence"