St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-09-16
TORNADO AT FIRST HAND.
TAFilling Personal Experiences and
observations Of . Missouri
Author.

TO stand quietly for even ten seconds
and watch the rapid approach of in
evitable doom, to look utterly helpless
into the face of a 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 a well-defended
fort, or lead 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 deyastat-
ing tornadoes that often sweep Amer
lean soil.
About half past six on the afternoon
of April q, 1899, / left my house in
Kirksville, Mo-, 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 l started from my housa
q gentle shower was falling, and took
my umbrella with me. AS 1 stepped
from the west door upon the veranda,
q continuous rearing off to the south
west burst on my ears, and my house
being on high ground. 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 incess;.nt and steadily in
croasing roar. The first appearance
was that of huge locomotive emitting
black smoke and steam, and coming
at tremendous speed. The tornado
seemed suddenly 10 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 a
northeasterly direction through what
is known as Fible's addition to the
city. Iran east in the direction
of the tornado. 1t had now grown to
such gigantic proportions that il
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. l saw the wheel of a wagon
or carriage and the bodies Of two per-
sons flying up into the storm cloud.
One house was lifted upward to
height OF over 100 feet, when it seemed
to explode into a thousand fragments.
which went soaring, whiriing and
mingling with the other debris.
On it swept in it's answering north-
cast course. great monster obscuring
the eastern sky; a raging. balefui
thing; a hateful, devouring devil. tear
ing up houses to their foundation
stones. roaring. rambling. crashing.
in its awful rage. and yet
the most terrifying spectacle man ever
gazed upon, until it swept out of sight.
leaving 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 So 500 sewed up in
the skirt of her dress. A woman WIS
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
us If grateful to it's deliverers.-John |
Il. Musiek, in Century.