Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-07-25
AN UNSHACKLEDFURY
VIVID DESCRIPTION OF A WIND STORM ON
THE PRAIRIES.
Terrible Hurricane Rushing Over the Plain in Search
of Vicfms-Men SufFOcated for Want of Air In
the Fearful Blast.
Detroit Free Press.

Detroit Free Press.
We were camped on the open prairie
seventy miles from the nearest range of
hills, with not 4 tree or bush i'll sight aS
far as the eye could range. few rods To
the east was dry ravine, perhaps six feet
deep. 1t was one of these queer freaks OF
the prairie, beginning nowhere, ending no.
where, and not to be seen until one rode
into it. 1t crooked and turned like the trail
of serpent, but OH looking across the
prairie saw nothing but a dead level.
Night shut down down as soft rs a wills
per, and the stars came out and looked
cheeriiy down on the faces of the men who
rested after hard day 5 work. There was
not wind enough tOturn Il feather. There
was no sign in the heavens that danger
mcnaccd. At midnight the waketul scnti-
mel felt gentle puff of wind lifting his
long hair, and from distant point the bark
of a COYOTE was waited To his ears. Ten
minutes later the grass about him was
bending to a breeze, and the unsecured
flaps of the tent began to whip. One Of the
slecpcrs was aroused to make things secure
and he was none too soon. Away of in
the West we heard mighty rushing As
the grass Swishcd in the wind, and dozens
of dark forms skurried past the tent in the
ravine. The animal life of thu prairie had
become aroused.
Not in puils, but with Il front like wall
the wind came ont of the west, increasing
in strength every moment. An hour after
midnight the sentinel could no longer
stand against it, and the slceperS had been
aroused to hold the tent in place by main
strength. 4 quarter of an hour later it
was picked up rs the human breath blows
away feather away. Men shouted and
screamed at each other, but the wind.
TOOK THE WORDS From THEIR LIPS
and whrlcd them away unhcard Blown
along like 81 many puppets the band fell
into the rayinr for shelter, followed two
minutes later by all the horses The al
armed animals crowded up close to their
human friends, and then all lay down for
further security. The wagons were heard
rushing away to tumble into the ravinc
further down, and now and then saddle or
blanket or cooking utensils flew into the
ravinc or fell among the fugitiyes.
AfiIr up the mighty mountain vial of
wrath had been uncOrkcd. Through the
gloomy canyOns-down the awful prcsipi-
ces-over the pine-clad slopes rushed n
hurricane in search of victims. 1t leaped
down from mountain to foot hills with the
roar of an angry sea, and il left the foot
hills for the level prairie bent on terrific
destruction. Across seventy miles of level
ii dashed ut us with its fury, and at ,
| o'clock no living thing could have faced it,
At the StOrm-Swcpt prairie kept up a con-
tinuOus trembling, as il volcano We're
about To break forth near us. At /, when
daylight broke, the air was checked with
grass torn up by the roots, and the roar
was appalling. Men clung To each other
and to the grass, and now and then, as the
roaring died ont for few seconds, the
frightened horses ncighed their terror
When the wind blows sixty miles an hour
it is hurricane 1t was blowing harder
than that to tear up the strong prairie grass
ont of the soil. When the wind blows
seventy miles on hour great trees are up
rooted and barns are blown down. 1t was
blowing harder than that to swOOp up and
| carry off our heavy picks and axes. More
than seventy-mOrc than cighty-morc
than ninety-ayc! that mighty wrath was
dashing over the prairie ut the rate of a
hundred miles an hour We
FELT SUFFOCATED FOR WANT OF AIR.
We were dcafened by the continuous roar
ing. We were exhausted by the desperate
struggle toprcvent being Scoppcd up bodily
and carried out of the ravine fit was so
with us, sheltered from the fury as we We're
how must it have been with those exposed
to its full force? 4 great wolf, from whom
life was beaten out, rolled down among
us. The bodies of dozens OF coyotes and
rabbits, in which every bone seemed bro
ken, dropped into the ravine. The wagons
were caught up at daylight. whirled in the
air for a moment and then disappeared
forever Even the iron axles were not to
be found. Two or three objects, which no
one could make out, tumblcd over the bank
below the horses Some hours later we
found them TO be mauled and pounded and
bOne-broken bodies of buflaloes
At D o'clock the climax was reached. 1t
appeared as if the earth roses and fell under
us. One fthe horses struggled to his feet
and the next instant he vanished to the
east. The force of the wind bruised and
panied. A rock weighing tons, blown per-
haps, from the foothills, ploughed down
over the hank and rushed up the other to
continue plaything for the wrath. Our
breath came by gaspS. The air thickened
until it became twilight. Half an hour
later the wind began to lull, the roaring to
die away and the SKY to Tighten up, and at :
o'clock we were searching the prairie in
hopes of recovering some one article belong
ing to what had been well-stOcked camp.
On the prairie we found absolutely nothing.
In the ravine a couple of axes, two or three
saddles, an iron kettle and portions of
harness. The mighty wrath had hungercd
for our lives, and failing TO get them, had
vengefully sought to rob us of our all.
Fire had not swept the prairie-an army
had not swept over tia flood had not
been let loose. 1t had encountered worse
enemy. AhOwling, roaring, grinding hur-
ricane had made it desert on which a
hare might search in vain to satisfy his
hunger.
Diamond Dust.