The Blizzard in the West: Being as Record and Story of the Disastrous Storm which Raged Throughout Devon and Cornwall, and West Somerset, On the Night of March 9th, 1891Unknown
History
The Blizzard in the West: Being as Record and Story of the Disastrous Storm which Raged Throughout Devon and Cornwall, and West Somerset, On the Night of March 9th, 1891
Unknown
Blizzards -- England -- Cornwall (County) -- History; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Devon (England) -- History
"In tracing the ravages of the storm it is most interesting to notice
the vagaries of the current, as it affected everything with which
it came in contact. In some cases the force would appear to descend
vertically in gusts, seizing the top or tops of trees lying together
and wrenching off the same as if turnip-tops, leaving the stock intact;
whilst other trees within a few feet escaped untouched. Undoubtedly the
force of the gale assumed a variety of forms. In some cases it could
be seen that the extreme violence of the wind reached a breadth of an
eighth of a mile, more or less, when in other places it was only a few
yards wide, clearing everything before it. In other parts it assumed a
circular or vortex form, and in its tortuous route decimated everything
in its way, tearing up huge trees, as if telegraph poles, and even
stripping off the thick bark of the Scotch fir, leaving it as clean as
a rinded pole.
"So far as we know the buildings have pretty well escaped, only partial
damage being done, and in some instances trees which might have smashed
down dwelling-houses have been spared, whilst those immediately around
the building have been stranded."
The Rev. Frederic T. W. Wintle, rector of Beerferris, who, in addition
to severe damage to his residence suffered considerably from loss of
trees, contributes the following information which was written on the
Wednesday after the blizzard:--
"The barometer on Monday morning at 9 A.M. had risen from 29·60 on
Sunday to 29·70. About 12 noon slight snow began and continued, but
did not lie much until towards evening; the gale freshened towards
sunset, and at 7·30 was furious. One of my chimney-stacks fell at that
time, wrecking the roof and three rooms, and it blew a hurricane for
some hours, with blinding drifts of fine snow. I dreaded daylight,
but was quite unprepared for the horrible desolation around me. I had
some fine fir trees, and others, almost everyone was blown down; and
oak trees either uprooted or boughs twisted and broken in a remarkable
way. I have nineteen good trees all down, and twenty apple trees in
an adjacent orchard. Indeed, my garden, of which I was justly proud,
is completely wrecked and ruined. The barometer had fallen to 29·20
yesterday (Tuesday) morning, and there was a high wind and fine snow
partly falling, partly drifting, till after dark. The average depth
is from five to seven inches, but deep drifts all about, five feet at
least. This morning (Wednesday) we have a cloudless sky, calm, and
barometer 29·60. Great destruction is everywhere. In one orchard
over 100 trees are down, in another cherry orchard they are described
as lying as if they were mown with a scythe. The roads are mostly
impassable with huge drifts, so that we can get no communication at
all. No post, no papers. The trains are all blocked beyond Tavistock,
and the telegraph won't work. No doubt the accounts of the storm will
reveal some curious details. Although the whole of my place suffered so
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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