Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1899-08-23
a TORNADO AT FIRST HAND
Pernonnl Experiences and obServo-
lions OF IL Missouri Author.

lions OF IL Missouri Author.
"In the Whrl Of the Tornado" is the
title under which John Il. Muscb
describes in The Century personal
experience at his home In Missouri
last spring:
To stand quietly for over ten seq
onds and watch the rapid approach of
inevitable doom, to look utterly help
less into the face OF devouring mon
ster md 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 forlorn hope
than meet one OF those monsters of the
air, inaccurately spoken of in the
United States as cyclones"
1t was my good or i'll fortune to be
an eye witness OF one of the devastat-
ing tornadoes that often sweep Amerl.
can soil.
About half past In the afternoon
of April 81. 1899, left my house in
Kirksville, Mo-, to post some let
ters. The dny had been rather re-
markable, alternating between suffo-
eating heat and the chilliness Of early
spring. Dense black clouds OCCASION
ally rolled across the saffron sky, and
showers of rain alternated with bursts
of sunshine, while the winds had been
caprlcious, at times blowing in gusts
and gales. to be followed by n dead
calm. 1t needed no barometer to in
dictate an impending atmospheric dis
turbance. for every one could feel 1t.
At the time started from my house
a gentle shower was falling, and I
took my umbrella with me. As |
stepped from the west door upon the
veranda continuous roaring to the
southwest hurst on my ears. md my
house being ON high ground had an
excellent view In that direction.
In the southwest. at the extreme
lint Of my vision, hung a lowering,
dark cloud from which occasional
penis of thunder Issued. Just below
the cloud. seeming to rest upon the
earth. was whirling monster of va
por. dust and smoke. coming apparent
ly toward me, with an incessant and
steadily increasing roar. The first
appearance WINS thnt OF huge loco
motive 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 advance at increas-
ed speed, rotating from right to left
Vat the same moment l discovered
thnt the course of the tornado was
changed and that 1t was sweeping in
northeasterly direction through what
issknown as Fible's addition to the
city. | ran east In the direction OF
the tornado. 1t had now grown to
such gigantic proportions that 1t seam
ed 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,
making an awful sound which swelled
In volume until the earth trembled be-
meath our feet. The air WAS filed with
flying debris. Doors. shutters roofs
and even whole houses were sent soar
ing and whirling to a height of 800 or
400 feet. | 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 a
height of over 100 feet, when it seemed
to explode into a thousand fragments,
which vert soaring, whirling and
mingling with the other debris.
On 1t swept in Its answering north
east course a great black monster OBJ
securing the eastern sky; raging,
baleful thing; hateful. devouling
devil, tearing up houses to their foun-
dalton stones. roaring, rumbling,
crashing, laundering in its awful rage
and yet the most terrifying spectacle
man ever gazed upon, until 1t swept
ont of sight leaving a path of smok-
ing ruins in its'wake
An old man was found dead on the
wreck, clutching his pocketbook, in
which was 5000. His wife, who lay
dead at his side. had $500 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 unlnjured
infant, and when the men who found
these removed the boards and timbers
covering them the babe looked up and