Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-07-30
CYCLONE
Sweeps Across Henry County
Doing Great Damage.
Orchards Uprooted, Great Paths
Swept through Timberland
And Small Buildings
Toppled Over.
A Fall Of Hail |!
That Results Exceedingly Dis
astrously to the Corn Crop.

All day Thursday up to about o'clock p.
M. the air was hot and oppressive. At this
time the heavens were noticed to assume
color that is strange to our oldest weather
prophets. The clouds were white and of a
cirrus shape but unlike this generally peace
full class they seemed to be fercely chasing
each other around circle.
The storm which was mostly one of wind,
struck Henry county in western Napoleon tp.,
travelled in a southeasterly direction through
Harrison, and Damascus and Northern Flat
rock, Monroe and Richfeld. The three
southern townships, Pleasant, Marion and
Bartlow, received heavy and cold rain with
a very stiff wind, but this was but on the edge
of the cyclons's path.
Was 1t a Cyclone?
Although we have never expert enced real
cyclone in Henry county and notwithstand-
ing that they have 'gone out of style" in the
western states, there is very little doubt but
that this storm was a real cyclone, though
fortunately not so severe as those in other
states.
All the characteristics were present to sub.
stantate this belief.
The clouds at times assumed funnel shape
and the force of the wind varied greatly at
different points in its course, in close prox-
unity. In many places one mans crops were
blown down, his fences demolished and his
premises underwent havoc in general while
the adjacent farm, although directly in the
path, was left comparatively in good condi-
tion. Persons who observed the clouds say
that at times, and this was where the most
damage was done, they seemed to touch the
earth and then bound upward thus literally
jumping over whole farms.
As was before noted the air, Immediately
before the storm arose, was very hot; this was
changed within three minutes to an atmos-
phere fully 80 deg. lower in temperature.
The great change was but harbinger for q
Terrific Fall of Hail.
The greatest that Henry county has ever ex-
perienced. ALI along the line the corn was
whipped into threads and in some localities
SO damaged as to be practically valueless.
Other crops were injured to a greater or less
extent. Hard, winter apples that it is almost
impossible to dent with the thumb were bat
tered to pumice. Peas were driver through
the pod leaving an opening similar to bull
let hole. Shingles were pounded into slivers
on many barns and sandy roads were packed
so as to gain hardness of asphaltum.
The damage from hail alone will be great
but even an approximate estimate is difficult
owing to the popularity of the injury.
Some farmers maintain that where the tas-
sci is not injured to any very great extent the
corn will eventually survive and a 3S crop
will be the result, while others claim that it is
impossible for corn to grew where the stock
is literally perforated with holes.
The velocity of the wind was at least 60
miles an hour. It's damage to timber can be
attested by drive along it's route. In many
pieces of timber a wide path was swept as
clean as though cleared for road purposes.
Another proof that this storm was cyclone
is here noted.
Large hickory trees, some Is in. in dame
ter were twisted oh-they were not blown
down-and carried several yards. Smaller
ones were torn out by the roots, while under
brush and dead timber was carried rods away.
The damage to fruit trees was extensive.
In many places where few hours before
stood trees laden with fruit, can now be seen
naught bat branchless trunks.
Hay, stacked, ard shocked wheat were scat
tered like chaff and the day following was
consumed by the farmers in gathering these
crops-a second time-as it were.
One farmer tells about pail of water on
the field robbed of its contents while the
pail itself was not upset, thus demonstrating
the rotary motion of the wind and its peculiar
and inexplicable relation to the force of grav-
ity.
It was no uncommon thing to see half
dozen men the day following putting to
rights threshing machines, small houses ETC.,
that had become upset and carried short
distances from their location.
Cattle and sheep were lifted from their feet
and carried bodily through the air-not far
forsooth, but far enough in many cases to dash
them against fences with a force to prove ia
tai.
The path Of the storm varied from III to
80 miles in width.
Should the damaged corn not pan out as
lpoorly as predicted by pessimists, the loss
will be at least $4,000 in Henry county. If
the damage is as great as predicted by them,
the loss in the aggregate will be much more.
But even the minimum estimate will greatly
cripple many farmers whose hopes were
high in anticipation of good all around CROPS.