Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-08-13
THE TORNADO IN DoRcHgsTEB.
How ~ Swept Away "a HHouse and
Dried Zip 81 Pond.


CAMBRIDGE, Aug.5.-A terrible cyclone.
remarkable alike forits tremcndnus power
and eccentrieities of action, passed nhont
O'Clock Monday evening through the
lower part of Dorchester county cirrtins,
destruction and devastation III rs path.
Information MS to the havoc dom on Tho
farm of Edwin DAshiell, stuntad in Buck.
town district, about 10 miles rrpu, Cam
bridge, was obtained this evening by the
Ameyican correspondent. The country
through which the cyclone passed is
mostly marsh land and but thinly popu.
lated, so that damage to property was
comparatively slight, but the power of
the storm was appalling. The wind came
from the direction of Lakes district iii II
southwesterly course. The dwelling house
on the Dashiell farm, occupied by Johu
Elsie, is situated but few hundred yards
from the Blackwater river, and COM
mands an unobstrncted view for about
three miles across the Blackwater
marshes Another small tnnnnt house,
occupied by Thomas Elsie aud family,
intervenes between larger house and
the river. A large and strongly built barn
stood to the left of the dwelling nj a dis
tance of about 100 yards. A distinct and
continuous roaring like the rumbling of
distant thunder was the first iutimntion
of the approaching cyclone. iienking in
the direction whence the sound came,
Mr., John Elsie saw what appeared TO be
three small clouds, wlicn sutl1cnly
united and came revolving onwGrd aB il
in terrible conflict. In an instant more
MIR. Elsie, who was watching irou, his
window, saw the small house OF his son,
FIhnnpG NllIa n1nt1ItH t1,n
ground like schoolboy's top, and then,
falling into pieces, the fragments were
carried miles away like so many straws.
The house at the time was occupied by
the family, consisting of MIR. Elsie, his
wife and two children, and the remark
able part of it is that all escaped without
injury, except Mrs. Elsie, who received
small cut on the forehead.
Thomas Elsie, in speaking of the affair
to-day, said that a looking glass falling to
the floor was the first signal of danger.
Next the baby in its cradle came rolling
towards him. He picked ur the infant in
his arms, and remen bers no more until
recovering his dazed and terror stricken
senses, he turned to look for his dwelling.
1t had vanished, and no vestige was left
behind to mark the spot.
hltCl hSiho1AoiAhB tAliD hphoNy hiS
cyclone divided into two currents-one
going toward the barn at the right, and
the other making zigzag course through
the orchard and corn field, and damaging
slightly the dwelling house of Mr.. Elsie.
Finally, these two currents united and
swept down upon the barn, totally ami
hilating it, and scattering the large
timber through the air like chaif. In
passing through the corn field the wind
left track about 60 feet in width. The
ground looked as if it had been narrowed.
Peach trees were uprooted and blown far
away.
A pond about 60 yards in length, lies
Immediately in front of Mr.. Elsie's house,
in which the water is about 2 feet deep.
Every drop of water was literally taken
up by the wind so that man could have
crossed the pond dry shod. The course
of the current through the air was plainly
visible, leaving n smoky, yaporous ap-
pearance, slightly glowing, as if from
electricity. A cyclone is n phenomenon
of rare occurrence in Dorchester, and the
witnesses of its power on Monday even
ing were struck with CONSERVATION, Many
of them could not sleep, and passed the
night pacing restlessly up and down the
pnblic road.