The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-08-14
TORNADO AT FIRST HAND
Thrilling Personal Experiences and
Observations OF a Missouri
Author.

To stand quietly for even ten seconds
and watch the rapid approach OF in
evitabe doom, to look utterly helpless
into the face of devouring monster
and speculate on the chances of being
swept into eternity, Is enough to turn
white the hair of youth. Old soldiers
veterans of two wars and the heroes
of scores of battles--assert that they
would rather storm well-defended
fort, or lead u forlorn hope, than meet
one of those monsters of the air in
accurately spoken of in the United
States as cyclones"
1t was my good or i'll fortune to be
an eyewitness of one of the devastat-
ing tornadoes that often sweep Amer
lean soil.
About half past six on the afternoon
of April 81, 1899, left my house in
Kirksville, NO., to post some letters.
The day had been rather remarkable,
alternating between suffocating heat
and the chilliness of early spring.
Dense black clouds occasionally rolled
across the saffron sky, and showers of
rain alternated with bursts of sun
shine. while the winds had been capri
cious, at times blowing in gusts and
gales, to be followed by dead calm.
1t needed no barometer to indicate an
impending atmospheric disturbance,
for every one could feel it.
At the time | started from my house
a gentle shower was falling. and took
my umbrella with me. AS / stepped
from the west door upon the veranda,
continuous roaring off to the south
west burst on my ears. and my house
being on high ground, I had an excel
lent view in that direction.
In the southwest, at the extreme
limit of my vision, hung a lowering,
dark cloud, from which occasional peals
of thunder issued. Just below the
cloud, seeming to rest upon the earth,
was whirling monster of vapor, dust
and smoke, coming apparently toward
me, with an incessant and steadily in
creasing roar. The first appearance
was that of huge locomotive emitting
black smoke and steam, and coming
at tremendous speed. The tornado
seemed suddenly TO tear itself loose
from the black storm cloud and to ad-
vance at increased speed, rotating from
right to left.
At the same moment l discovered
that the course of the tornado was
changed, and that il was sweeping in
northeasterly direction through what
is known as Fible's addition to the
city. l ran east in the direction
of the tornado. 1t had now grown to
such gigantic proportions that it
seemed to extend from the zenith to the
| farthest limit of the eastern horizon.
| When it struck the densely populated
part of the city, the continual crashing
and tearing of houses was added to that
incessant rumbling and roaring, max
ing an awful sound which swelled In
volume until the earth trembled be-
meath our feet. The air was filled with
flying debris. Doors, shutters, roofs,
and even whole houses were sent soar
ing and whirling to a height OF 300 or
400 feet. saw the wheel of wagon
or carriage and the bodies Of two per
sons flying up into the storm cloud.
One house was lifted upward to q
height of over 100 feet, when it seemed
to explode into thousand fragments,
which went soaring, whirling and
mingling with the other debris.
On it swept in its answering north
east course, a great monster obscuring
the eastern sky; a raging, baleful
thing; hateful, devouring devil, tear
ing up houses to their foundation
stones, roaring, rumbling, crashing,
laundering in its awful rage, and yet
the most terrifying spectacle man ever
gazed upon, until it swept out of sight,
leaving a path of smoking ruins in its
wake.
An old man was found dead on the
wreck, clutching his pocket book, in
which were 5000. His wife, who lay
dead at his side, had $4,000 sewed up in
the skirt of her dress. A woman was
found dead, holding in her arms her
dead child. Another was found dead,
holding in her arms an injured infant;
and when the men who found these re-
moved the boards and timbers covering
them, the babe looked up and smiled
as II grateful to its deliverers.-1ohn
R Musick, in Century.