The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-01-21

Western Minister-Was Smuggling
a Roof When 1t Was Lifted With
Him on It-Carried a Long Distance
Before Being Dropped.
To ride half mile through the air on
a cyclone and live to tell the tale is a
unique experience, yet that is precisely
what happened to the Rev A. n SomerS,
Unitarian minister at Highland Springs,
a suburb of Richmond, Va. Mr. Somers
told the story himself 1t ran as follows:
II had read and heard much about
cyclones, but my information was conflict
ing and far from satisfactory. had re-
solved if | ever got near enough to one to
investigate for myself
"My opportunity came, It was in
Randolph county, Ind, in the month Of
September. The farmer with whom |
boarded was building barn, and l went
out to assist the carpenters.
One of the workmen remarked that it
was good cyclone weather, and Just as we
finished shingling one side of the roof he
shouted, Look out, boys, there is a cyclone
comingr
Balancing hastily in the direction he
pointed, saw on the horizon some five or
six miles distant a monster as black as ink
and as clear cut as an Egyptian pyramid
bowling along at terrific speed.
"My ignorance and consequent lack Of
fear and my desire to better observe this
wonderful phenomenon led me to disregard
the advice of my associates to get off the
building
Meanwhile the funnel shaped mass of
dust and debris grew momentarily larger.
Fascinated, | watched it and listened spell
bound to the crash and grind of the debris
in its swirl
''My interest was reused to the highest
pitch, when suddenly chill ran through
me- The raging demon, now almost OPP
posite us, had suddenly tackled and, leay-
ing the old track at right angles, was
headed toward us.
There was no time left TO get down,
and l was too far from the ground to drop
So burying my Ratchet in the shingles in
such way as to get hold on one Of the
laths underneath | stretched myself fat on
the reof and awaited the shock
Il was none to quick. for Immediately
the roof rose on the rim of the cyclone and
sped majestically on its way in spiral
course ill it reached the top Of the swirl,
$50 feet from the ground, according to the
estimate Of the onlookers
IN ! :.
reached its greatest altitude and had tray-
eled ON the rim Of the cyclone proper nearly /
half mile, when the corner opposite the
one | was on sank into the inside current
of the swirl, aud the roof with great
crash, went to pieces.
81 had lost my support and was afoat
in midair, the victim of the most terrific
power | had ever encountered.
During all this time, and it was prob
ably only the fraction Of minute. though
it seemed an age, was fully conscious Of 4
my position and was calculating on how il /
would terminate The roar was deafeuiug.
and | realized that if | was drawn into the /
swirl would be ground to pieces ike the
grist IN a mill. | also speculated that if I
dropped to the ground should be asphyxi- /.
ated before reaching terra TRINA
10 my surprise | did neither, but KEEP,
drifting around what seemed a circle Of a /
hundred yards in diameter until settled /
down to about seyenty-fye
Then | recognized that | had been /
released from the hold of the cyclone aud /
was shooting to earth Ike rocket, head .
first. expected to be dashed to pieces, |
but suddenly the top Of a tree swan before /
my vision, and as plunged into it seized .
hold Of a limb.
The force Of the fall was SO great and (
my grasp so strong that the branch was
torn from the tree and carried with me to 4
the ground, distance Of thirty feet. Ny /
hold on the limb had reversed my position I
and | struck the ground on nv feet sink 4
ing deep into the mud and gravel Of a creek. I
The cyclone had swept the water before il |
IN its passage q moment earlier
pulling myself together, took an in
ventory Of ny injuries Both legs were
broken in two places between the ankle and .
knee, and my feet we're horribly mangled /
There were eighteen fractures at least.
Dragging myself to the bank, | cut
the boot from one foot with a pocket knife |
and was making a compress TO stop the /
flow of blood, using pieces torn from my
shirt, when friends came up
Zone OF the men attempted 10 remove
the other boot, but was 50 excited he cut
my foot as much as the boot There was /
no surgeon near, and | was beginning to
feel the loss of blood. So took the knife /
and finished the job myself aud also set my /
own broken bones, the carpenters making 4
the spliDts, having had some little expert !
ence along this line
''Srange to say, | felt no pain for a
week, though after that suffered acutely (
During my ride on the cyclone and for |
hours after | seemed to be under the in 1
fuence Of an electric shock, which prob
ably paralyzed the nerves Of feeling. For
the same reason | was unable to let 20 the /
Ratchet until reached the ground, though 4
| tried from the moment the roof went to
pieces.
Looking back over my experience, II
was a miracle was net killed. The roof
to which chung rested mainly, think,
on the anticyelone, which consists Of heav-
Ter, colder air moving in an opposite direc-
ton from the warm, light air Of the cyclone
proper 1t was probably this fact which
prevented me from being drawn into the
vortex and crushed to bits
The Country Editor