A TORNADO IN AMERICA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 207, 12 September 1879, Page 4

A TORNADO IN AMERICA.

The Alta California gives the following account of a tornado that raged on the 16th July, doing an immense amount of damage : — Pittsville, July 16th.-— This afternoon a torna'io from the west struck the southern suburbs. Two persons were killed and three or four wounded, some fatally. Buildings were unroofed and blown down. Hundreds of trees were levelled. The damage will reach 20.000d015. A black cloud springing up suddenly ia the west, while the thermometer marked 86, was the first warning of tbe approach of the storm. In fifteen minutes the eky was so black tbat gas had to be lighted. Rain, mingled with hail, rushing wind, and almost incessant lightning and thunder, made the storm memorable. In the village little or no damage was done. 1 he tornado, taking a course from west to southeast, about half-a-mile from the business portion, toward tbe western part, first struck the Kellogg place. The wall of the kitcben part of tho house was blown in, and a barn completely demolished, wagons smashed and hay blown away. Following along tbe valley to the southeast, it levelled hundreds of trees. Bridget Tate's hcuee, next in its course, was unroofed and a barn demolished, but the inmates were unharmed. Pomeroy's factory was unroofed and surrounding tenements damaged, and the building known as tbe tannery was blown to pieces. In the building were Matthew Coliins, ten years of age, who was crushed beneath the debris, and John Collins, his brother, who had both arms and his jaw broken. An old man named Mathern was very seriously injured. From the factory village the wind tore across the fields, levelling fences, orchards, and crops, and next struck South-street. The Redfield house was partly unroofed. George Wentworth's house was* lifted from its foundation, turned around, and carried two rods. Falling trees struck the horse of Mrs Beckwith, of Stockbridge. The horse sprung round and overturned the wagon upon the lady, killing her instantly. Tlie storm thea passed over the open fields, doing no damage for a mile or more, when it levelled an orchard on Welles' place, tore up trees around Kernachan's summer residence, and demolished the iron bridge crossing the Housatonic river, and reached the building of John W. Noble. Two barns were here blown to pieces. Gleason's slaughter house was also tumbled into ruins. From Noble's the storm rushed across the valley, levelling all jn its way, and struck at last on the west side of Washington Mountain, where six barns were destroyed, two houses were partly blown down, and all fences levelled. The track of the tornado was not over sixty rods wide.