The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-11-07
4HE TEXAS TORNADO.


The following interesting letter, de
scribing the recent tornado in Texas.
was written to Mrs. |. w. Holcomb, of
this city, by Il relative living in Angle
ton, Texas;
ANGLEroS, TEXAs, Sept 20, 1900.
That Saturday the wind began to
blow very hard ut 10 O'Clock. BY -
O'Clock it made us feel sorry for people
ON the sea; and by it was so bad we
would not let the man go to the post
office, because he had to walk, since we
dad not want the horse out in such a
heavy rain, BY six o'clock rain and
wind We're SO extremely strong, we
would not allow him to milk the cows,
and we had no fire in the kitchen, be-
cause the kitchen was light structure
with metal ilue which might possibly
blow over and give us trouble. All
this time We were worrying little
about some of the people down town
who had told us their houses were so
slightly hnilt the rockers swayed to
and fro during the heavy winds. and
We Thought that if the wind got much
| stronger, a room we had built ON the
upper gallery to use as store room
! for all our extra bedding and all the
clothing for the family except the very
best dresses, might possibly begin to
leak under such continued down
pour, or possibly blow ont from under
the roof, since the side walls were put
in by an inexperienced man; therefore
We brought contents into the main
house, even the clean under wear and
sheets kept i'll close, tight, clothes
press. BY : o'clock the velocity of the
wind WAS very alarming but when we
looked ont and SAW the servants house
oil the blocks but in no wise wrecked,
We Thought IT could not be 81 bad,
and besides our house is one of the
very strongest IN all this region, built
| for himself by man who had been II
| ship-carpenter. At this time the build
ing began to shiVcr occasionally and
two of the most exposed doors acted
ms though some pressure WAS outside,
| would be disastrous. So we barred
them with bed Stats, and now began
to realize the danger aud plan what we
| should do III ease it was necessary to
leave the house which direction we
should take, what wraps we should
wear, which ones should cling to each
other, etc. We placed the silver, Jew
elry and valuable papers together and
fastened, so that if the house fell, they
might possibly be found under the
wreck if they were scattered, we could
not help it. Then we got matches and
| candles, and sat down quietly to wait
our fate. We dared not have any light
but two candles that would be extin
guished without setting the house on
fire. We prayed most lervently and
constantly TINT the fury of the storm
might ahate without doing further
bodily injury. | did not feel that much
harm would come either To us or the
property, yet of course know that
we cannot always tell what there is in
store for MS But each one Of us was
perfectly calm, even when we began to
hear things going outside. The els
tn Ira Inn
not down on its side, the kitchen be
gan to go to pieces, the safe out on the
gallery and all the crockery tinware
and loose things, garden Implements,
etc, that belong to IL house, were crash
ing, bounding and rebounding; the
hoes and scythe would strike the floor
underneath, M though they were pro-
| pelled from II catapult After one al
most human quiver of the house, n
muilled humping over head and then
n great gust of air through tho rooms.
| almost like long drawn aigh, we
knew that either the trap door or II
part of the roof was gone, and we felt
that soon we must leave or run the
risk of being buried under the timbers.
One of the dining room windows was
blown in glass, not SASH aud in n
| little while the water began to stream
| down from overhead, Suddenly and as
| if it had been stored. The walls be
gan To crcak, and we started to the
| door, but the wind WAS so terrific that
| Til, who first opened the door and step
ped out, pushed MS back saying that
we could not stand up and might AZ
well be killed inside as out. Anne
| thought we could get ont, but we came
| back into the parlOr to plan our action
! | felt absolutely certain that we should
be saved and shortly after, when "A
shock came that seemed to wrench the
stair railing of, we opened the door
and stepped out, each one wrapped in
IA quilt or blanket and carrying plenty
of matches and two lanterns, in case
we should decide to go to the stable.
| The air was filled with white light,
the rain driving from the north like
needle points, looked like mist, and
the drops fell with such force they
stung like sleet No other house being
near, we knew that if we could avoid
debris from our own place, we could
manage very we'll, therefore our idea
was TO reach the front fence if we could
not the stable. This was impossible
we were tossed and rolled about like
paper dolls and when down on our
faces got up with the greatest difficulty,
so We ching to the fence and fearfully
watched the house to see If il were GO
ing to fall. The roaring Of the wind
was deafening, and although we chung