The San Francisco call., 1897-08-15
FIRST REAL
I'VISTER ON
THE COAST
Tornado of the Kansas
Variety Visits Shasta
County.
WRECKS BUILDINGS IN
ITS PATH.
RanCher MilIard'S Dwelling
Damaged and His Fruit
Orchard Raced.
NARROW ESCAPE OF q BABE
FROM DEATH.
Porch on Which 1t Was Sleeping
but a Minute Before Carried
RanCher MiIIard's Dwelling
Damaged and His Fruit
Orchard Raced.
NARROW ESCAPE OF q BABE
FROM DEATH.
Porch on Which 1t Was Sleeping
but a Minute Before Carried
Away.

REDDING, CAL, Aug. 14.-For the first
time in the history of Shasta County cy-
clone has made it's presence felt. Fred
MiIlard, weII-to-do farmer living on
Churn Creek, on the east side of the Sac
ramento River, came 10 town to-day with
the particulars of tornado of the Kansas
variety, which visited his section yester-
day. MilIard lives with his wife and three
children on homestead near the banks
OF Churn Creek. The country is extremely
level and sparsely settled, the only neigh
bors of the Miilards being family named
Tracey, living about mile from the Mil
lard home.
Millard and his wife and two children
were seated az the ia BILE partaking of their
noon meal yesterday. Their baby was in
9 carriage on the front porch, just off the
dining-room. Suddenly a roaring noise
was heard outside, and Millard and his
wife sprang in alarm from the table. Mil
lard gazed in the direction whence the
noise came, and there, not a half mile
away, was an immense whirl1ng and twist
ing volume Of dust tearing from the north
toward his house at frightful speed.
Mlllard has lived in Kansas nearly all
his life, and knows what the so-called cy-
clone looks like. The moment he set his
eyes on that cloud he knew what to pre-
pare for. He told his wife to take in the
baby from the front porch. No sooner
had she done so, than the tornado struck
a corner Of the house with terrific force.
Before striking the house. however, it
struck the woodshed, a good-sized struc-
ture, and lifted it completely off the
ground, carrying it above the house and
setting it down, somewhat demolished,
about 100 yards south of the residence.
Fences were taken up and carried for 500
yards and huge piece of wagon tim Der,
TO which was nailed piece of iron weigh
ing twelve pounds, was lifted and carried
as though it were feather.
The twister took away half of the porch,
and where the baby had been few sec
onds before there was left mass of ruins.
The baby-carriage was wrecked, and of
the porch only debris remained. Fence
panels, shingles, scantlings and various
other pieces of wood work were scattered
along the path of the tornado for over
mile. The path was about fifty feet wide,
and looked as though it had been cleared
with a mammoth broom.
proceeded to take stock of his remaining
possessions. The children were found all
safe, but the house was just tottering
The woodshed, fences and all outhouses
were missing, and the spot on which few
seconds before had stood a small sized,
thrifty orchard was now reduced to tract
that resembled a good-sized croquet
ground ready for play. Further down the
creek the tornado swept away trees,
fences and a small bridge, but fortunately
no other house lay in its path.
The day was perfect one and not the
least wind had been noticeable. The
twister started about a mile above Mil
lard's house and had not spent its force
until when about two miles below, when
it came in contact with Churn Creek and
tnen collapsed.
Nothing of the like has ever before been
witnessed anywhere in this COUNT No
heavy windstorms are usual, aud the pros
pect for the planting of Kansas cyclones
in Shasta County is not thoroughly appre-
ciated by the residents.