Year: 1874

The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle gives the


following particulars of q most remarkable


water-spout near Langley, Georgia:


A dense cloud was first seen approaching


the pond, being apparently considerable
distance up. Nothing particular was
thought Of it, the citizens of Langley being
at the time occupied in trying to keep cool,
hard thing to do, with the thermometer
at 1000 in the shade. But presently a
startling circumstance occurred. The cloud
had halted over the pond and established
| connection with the latter. A genuine
water-spout had, in fact, been evolved, and
and an immense quantity Of water was
rushing skyward through the liquid con-
ductor. When first seen, the water-spout
was near the dam, and travelled slowly across
the pond until it reached the railroad tres.
tie work, distance of a mile and quarter
from its starting point, when it disappear
ed, and the cloud moved majestically off,
carrying with it thousands of gallons of
water which had been drawn from the pond.


The latter, covering an area of six hundred
acres, was, in fact, lowered fully two INCH
es. The huge column which joined the
upper region to the expanse of water below
resembled a cone in form, and rotated hor-
izontally with exceeding rapidity. The
marvellous speed with which the huge col
umn turned impressed the beholder inme-
dlately with the idea that it was associated
with whirlwind. This was most proba-
bly, the case, as tremendous wind passed
over Augusta, from the direction of Lang
ley, some hours afterwards. The heavens
were brilliant with incessant flashes of
lightning after the spout described above
had disappeared. There was no rushing
noise connected with it, as is the case in
some instances. The water underneath the
clouds, just before the spout formed was in
a state of great agitation. Waves rolled
angrily, and perceptible bulge was seen.
AS the cloud halted, sort of tunnel pro-
truded from it, and dropped slowly down,
becoming larger as it heightened, the
broader portion, or base, being at the sur
face of the cloud. When it reached a point
about one-fourth the distance between the
cloud and the pond, the bulge ON the sur
face OF the water rose to meet it, and the
two at length Joined, when the water from
the pond commenced ascending into the
cloud, which moved slowly toward the
trestle work. The waves in the water all
leaped and tended toward the spout, and
the spout itself continued the vertical mo-
tion referred to above. The outside of the
watery funnel was dark and not we'll de-
fined, while the centre was much lighter
being rather of blueish cast. This would
seem to indicate that the column was partly
hollow, the dark portions representing the
sides. There can be no doubt but that the
immense quantity of water which was
transferred from the pond to the cloud was
literally sucked up. The spout finally dis
appeared as if it had been drawn bodily up
into the cloud, while the latter quietly
moved off to parts unknown. Not drop
OF rain fell during the occurrence or after
ward. The formation and subsequent mo-
tions of the spout are described as having
made a spectacle grand in the extreme.
Nothing of the kind was ever before seen
in that section. The strangest part of the
phenomenon was the fact that the cloud, so
burdened with water, moved off without
dispensing any OF it in the form. of rain in
the neighborhood.