Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-09-15

Hem y. Ok correspondence of
 the Pbits4eIphia Times: The cyclone.
 which earlier in the week swept
 through Wisconsin and Nebraska
 wrecking towns and killing hundreds.
 reached Hennessey Thursday morning
 just before 10 o'clock, and that the
 town is still standing and compara-
 lively uniniured is due solely to the inventive genius of one 0E the citizens
 of this place, Capt John R. Hoades.
 q retired sea captain, who. though hith-
 erto generally regarded al a visionary
 crank, is now hailed as the sa or of
 the hundreds of lives that but for rfs
 unique scheme would unquestionahly
 have been los.
 Mir Hoades scheme consisted in
 posting large 45-inch smooth-bore
 Parrot cannon. purchased by popular subs ription from the condemned stock
 at the New Orleans arsenal. on the
 four sides of tbe town. each gun un-
 der the care et q watcnIul attendant during the cyclone season. The can non were designed 10 be fred into the lace Of an approaching hurricane, in the hope of breaking it's force.
 When the news reached here that a tornado was sweeping southWard over the prairies east Of the Rockies, 1t was feared that when it reached the Cinna- mon river 1t would swerYe from it's track and follow the course of the stream, as was done by the hurricane that killed seven people here in the autumn of l899 q sharp bend in the stream then throwing the storm over the peninsula upon which Hennessey IS situated.
 Fhe cannon fo the west. where the town is partly protected by the Wichi- ta mountains, Was accordingly with drawn and placed on the northern border as an additional protection. JJn- Fortunately however. an the approach of the funnel shaped cloud the western gun was fired a couple of seconds too soon. swinging the storm toward the east, SO that the shot from the other gun did not take full effect. The com blned effort so changed the toruado's course, however that only the ex- irene eastern edge ok the town was touched eHt here the ene house fully n its path WAS completely demolished and the cannon which guarded thar end Of the peninsula was blown from Its carriage carried fully 800 feet and hurled ln a sand bank. The attend ant at the gun. the inhabitants Of the solitary dwelling demolished were warned in time to escape with their lives.
 In speaking of the marvellous success 7f his plan for fighting tornadoes. Cant 3oades. the originator Of the scheme said
 l can hardly claim 10 have invented he plan for have twice seen water spouts broken by the same method while following my former aVoeatton 1n the sea. Indeed it was this that lrst suggested the scheme to me"
 After the cyclone Of 1897 I suggest .d that Heanessey. which is directly in he path of the south bound torna- foes, adopt this apparently strange 1lan of protection. It is only fair t9 tate that at first was the laughing toek of the town, and it was only bv persistent argument that I finally in- rested Mir. Thomas, of the Chieasan oai company, in my plan. Backed y so influential citizen. We finally adhered together enough money by opular subscription 10 purchase four ut of date guns that saw service round New Orleans during the civil Tar. and mounted them in the places elected. The most singular feature of he whole matter is that the one dwell lg destroyed by todays storm was coupled by the most persistent doubt ? in the town.
 An effort will nov be shortly made. . apt. Hoades concluded. to similarly 1uip ali cities in the tornado belt. the tie experience Of Wisconsin and Ne faska towns having clearing proved lat the hurricane cellars hitherto re- ed on are nothing but death traps in hieh their occupants are crushed be- { cath fallen walls or burned in the res which so frequently follow the orns.
 A town meeting will be held tonight ao honor to the aged preserver Of -e town. and the mayor of Hennessey 2 IS declared his intention of resigning is post in favor of Capt Hoades, a lggestion that finds much favor nong those who owe their lives to e captains foresight.
 An Advantage. i, "0f course Maud, you have one ad- [ .ntage over me" And what is that.