Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-11
DESTRUCTIVE CYCLoyE.
a Fierce Wind Demolishes Butidinxs in
Adjacent Towns.

The wind storm which swept over the city
Thursday afternoon, although of an innocent
character here, developed fierce tornado in
the neighboring town of Belgrade. demolish-
Ing buildings. uprooting trees and carrying
destruction in its path. Mr. Isaac Weaver.
who resides on the Wings Mill road about
10 miles from the city. was the chief sufferer.
his barn, 2sx30 feet, being completely de-
stroyed, not one timber being left upon an
other. short time previous to the disaster
Mr.. Weaver and his crew OF men with six
horses, had been employed at the barn hay-
ing, but very fortunately they left the build
ing about half an hour before the cyclone. If
they had remained it is probable that they
would not all have escaped with their lives.
Portions Of the timber and boards were carried
fifty or sixty rods, and the ground in the path
Of the wind was scattered with wrenched and
broken material from the building II i. re-
lated that such was the force of the gale that
in several instances pieces of the timber
were driven three feet into the ground Hay
near the barn which had been placed securely
in punches was scattered far and near over
the ground, and hardly trace Of the original
lunches remained. Mr.. Weaver's stable had
narrow escape from being unroofed. Dur
ing the height of the gale the roof would rise
six inches or a foot from the walls and then
fall back into place In Mt. Vernon two
miles in a southwesterly direction. new
shed on the premises of Noble Lougee was
carried away. and the remains scattered
/ promiscuousiv about Half mile further on
the barn Of John G. Dunn was severely
urenched and the east end laid fiat. A large
number Of trees were blown down or uproot-
ed Mr. John Wrights barn was severely
damaged Mr. Weaver lost five apple
trees.
In Readfeli the tornado ragged with extreme
violence. Striking the ground near the prem
ises OF Mr.. A. r. Swift il unrooted his barn
and cider mill, and blew down
the barns of Mrs. William Luce, MI.
Simpson j. d. IIun;on and the large
and snlendid barn of Gilmore HAYES & Son,
valued at $1,000 These buildings were all
located in the vicinity of Readfieli Cor
ner The orchard of Lewis Hunter was
swept away like chat, trees as large round
as a mans body, being twisted off in atwink-
ling Boards from Swifts barn were
carried in the air distance of
a quarter of mile and dropped. At Mrs.
Luce's the ell of her house was started, the
chimneys toppled over and the portico carried
bodily away and smashed. Mr.. Simpson lost his
house by fire about 10 days ago and there is
not building standing on the place now
The extraordinary force of the wind at this
point is asserted to have been caused by
the meeting of two air currents, one draw
ing in by the south end of Kent's
! Pond The entire loss cannot fall short of
$4,000.
Such gales are of great rarity in Maine. II
seemed 10 work IN th~ genuine Western style.
4 pointed Ky black cloud appeared in the
heavens, and swooping down it began to tear
along, moving from the southwest to north
east. 1t possessed a twisting motion which
clone was but few rods in width Hay in
one portion of field was left intact, while
in another part it was overturned and strewn
over the ground.