The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-06-13
CORVALLIS, OREGON, JUNE Is. 1908
SAW THE CYCLONE.
SAW TT FORM, AND THEN SAW
IT RUSH DFsTRUCTIvELY
THROUGH A CITY.

/ !
Hundred Yards and
s Watched 1t Form,
] Pass and Dis
appear.
Gainesville, Ga, June 9.-View-
ed from one Of the highest points in
the city, the cyclone presented q
most aweinspiring and spectacular
appearance. The writer bad seen
just such storm before. One new
er forgets the signs Of its approach.
From the veranda of a cottage home
I saw the unfailing indications of
the coming tornado, and while I
little dreamed of the awful destruc-
ton Of life and property which was
to be. I knew that death and eol-
row lined the lurid clouds which
loomed up from the southwestern
horizon. All day the weather had
been ickle, alternating between
sunshine and showers. The tenn
perature was lower than normal,
but barometric pressure extraordin-
ary was noted. About noon heavy
clouds gathered in the west, and
continuous reverberations of thun.,
der were heard. Though these heavy
detonations. were incessant and un-
usually heavy in the west, the wind
stiffened, a brisk northeast breeze,
which soon grew to almost a storm.
The heavy rum bling, muttering was
continuous overhead, and directly,
despite the northeaster, the forma-
tion of the cyclone was seen. It
seemed to form just southwest of
the city. A clear streak of horizon,
with light, smoke-like clouds, fy-
ing in both directions at once; those
were the tokens of the coming cy-
clone to those who had seen such
storms. Gradually and deliberate
ly, as if it would give fair warning
of Its coming, the gathering forces
of the air cumulated into the fun
nel-shaped terror. Then there was
a death like calm.
The northeaster sank to a MUIR
mur and the continuous rumbling
of the thunder overhead and west
ward ceased. The dead calm warn
ed those who read the signs again.
Then southwest of the town the un.
mistakable roar of the cyclone was
heard, and skurrying, hurrying
rings of cloud joined the dark mass.
The roaring increased till it was
like score of heavy trains rushing
lon. Then I saw it gather the big
mill building of the Gains
vile cotton mill in its death en-
brace, and the roof curled up in a
coil. The vortex of the storm was
now dark, and about it seemed to
play lighter nebulae of color. The
trail of the funnel-shaped cloud
kept close to the earth, and / .saw
the buildings in its path yield help
iessly to its force. Brick and frame
structures alike were unable to
withstand. And then the terror
| ploWed its way along the ridge just
north of the Southern Railway,
where the lower class of whites and
the bulk of the colored population
of the town live. High in air could
be seen the debris Of homes, and
the roar was like rushing water.
The trail of death passed within
200 yards of me and there was
hardly noticeable breeze, while
eastward the awful mass of moving
air and cloud and smoke and debris
ragged for several minutes. It rose
just east of town and left several
homes directly in its wake compar.
atively unharmed. Then it dipped
to earth again and cottage after cot
tage of the New Holland mill set
tlement went down before it.
In the dark cloud, revolving with
an almost demoniac fury, I could
see little till the clear after-calm
revealed clean. swept hill, where a
moment before stood hundred
homes. The large two-story cot
tages of Pacolet mill were like pa
| per boxes in the storm, and the
valley beyond the mill settlement
was literally covered with the splin-
ters and scraps and fragments of
what had been but this morning
happy, If humble homes. Then the
storm passed on into the northeast
andwas lost to sight and hearing
in few moments.
As there was dead calm preced-
ing the burst Of the storms fury
so there was momentary, ominous
stiffness Immediately succeeding
1.-THE cyclone. Then on the quiet air