The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-06-24
AN uNsAAoNLkp FURY.
Vivid Description of u WlndStoEm On tn
Western PFAiFiss,

vivid Description Of WlndstoEm On tn
Western RFaiFisS, -
Detroit Free PresS.
We were camped on the open prairie
seventy miles from the nearest range o
hills, with not tree or bush in sight as ial
as the eye could range, A few rods to TIT
east was q dry ravlne, perhaps ak feel
deep,E1t was one Of those queer freaks o.
the prairie, beginning nowhere ending no
where, and not to be- seen until one Todt
into 1t. It crooked and turned like the
trail OF serpent, but one looking across
the prairie cav nothing but dead level
Night shut down as soft as a whisper
and the stars came out anu looked Cheerily
down on the faces OF the men who Rested
after hard days work. There was mol
wind enough to turn q feather. There
was no Sign in the heavens that danger
menaced, At midnight the Wakeiul sen.
tinel felt q gentle puff OF wind lifting bis
long hair, and from some distant point the
bark OF coyote was waited TO his ears,
Ten minutes later the grass about him
was bending 10 breeze, and the un-
secured flaps OF tents began TO whip. One
Of the Bleepers was aroused to make things
secure, and he was none too soon. Away
of to the west was heard q mighty rush
ing as the grass swished In the wind and
Gozens Of dark forms skurried past the
tent in the direction Of tue rayine. The
animal life Of the prairie had been
aroused.
Not in puts, but with q front like wall
the wind came out OF the West, increasing
In strength every moment, An hour alter
midnight the sentinel could no longer
stand against 1t, and the sleepers had been
aroused TO hold the tent In place by main
strength. A quarter OF an hour later IL
was picked up aG the human breath blows
u feather away. Men shouted and
screamed at each other, but the wind took
tue words from their lips and whirled
them away uuheard. Blown along like
so many puppets the band fell into the ra.
vine for shelter, followed two minutes
later by all the horses. The alarmed
animals crowded up close to their human
friends, and they all lay down for further
security. The wagons were heard rushing
away TO tumble into the ravine further
down, and now and then saddle or blanket
or cooking utensll flew over the ravine or
fell among the lugiLives.
Afar up the mighty mountain vial OF
wrath had been unCorked. Through the
gloomy canyons-down the awful preci.
pices-oVer the pine-clad slopes rushed "
hurricane In search Of victims. II leaped
down from mountain to foot hills with the
roar OF an angry sea, and 1t left the foot
hills Tor the level prairie, bent on terrible
destruction. Across seventy miles Of level
1t dashed al us with the Jury OF tidal
wave. It grew with Its fury, and at 2
o'clock no living thing could have faced
1t. At 3 the storm.swept prairie kept up
u continuous trembling, as II volcano
was about 10 break forth near US. At 4,
when daylight broke, the air WAS ChOked
with grass torn up by the roots, and the
roar was appalling. Men chung to each
other and TO the grass, anu now and then,
as the roaring died out Tor few seconds,
the frightened horses neighed their ter.
ror. When the wind blows sixty miles
an hour II 10 q hurricane. 1t was blowing
harder than that to tear up the strong
prairie grass out OF the soil.
When the wind blows seventy miles an
hour great trees are uprOoted and barns
are blown down. 1t was blowing harder
than that to swoop up and carry of our
heavy picks and axes. More than seven.
ignore than eighiy-more than ninety
-ayel that mighty wrath was dashipg
over the prairie at the rate OF 100 miles an
hour. We felt suloCated for the want Of
air. We We're deaiened by the continuous
roaring. We were exhausted by the des.
perate struggle to prevent being scooped
up bodily and carried out OF the ravine.
II 1t was 30 with US, shI TERED from the
fury as we were, how must IL have been
with those exposed 10 its full force? A
great wolf, from whom the life was beaten
out, rolled down among us. The bodies
Of dozens Of coyotes and rabbits, In which
every bone seemed broken, dropped into
the ravine. The wagons were caught up
atdaylight, whirled in the air fora moment,
and then disappeared forever. Even the
iron axles were not found. Two or three
objects, which no one could make out
tumbled over the bank below the horses.
Some hours later we found them to be
mauled and pounded and bone.broken
bodies Of budaloes.
At s o'clock the climax was reached, Il
appeared as II the earth rose and fell I'M.
der Us. One Of the horses struggled to his
feet, and the next instant he vanished to
the east. The force Of the wind bruised
and pained. Arock weighing tons, blown
perhaps from the foothills, plnwed down
one bank and rushed up the other " con.
tinue a plaything for the wrath. Our
breath came by gasps. The air thicken.
ed until II became twilight. Halfa hour
later the wind began to lull, the roaring to
die away, and the sky to tighten up, and
az z o'clock we were searching the prairie
in hopes Of recovering some one article be.
longing 10 what had been q well stocked
camp. On the prairie we found absolute
ly nothing. In the fayine couple Of axes,
two ar three saddles, an iron kettle and
portion OF harness. The mighty wrath
had hungered for our lives, and, failing 10
yet them, had vengeiully sought TO rob us
Of Our all.
Fire had not swept the prairie--ati army
had not swept over tia flood had not
been lei loose. II had encountered aworse
enemy. A bowling, roaring, grinding hut.
riCane had made TIA desert on which q hare