TIME OF YEAR: We always think of “bad” weather events occurring
in the winter in our neck of the woods but, in truth, McKean and
neighboring counties have also had their fair share of bad weather
in the summer – as evidenced by the tornadoes verified over the
past couple weeks throughout the region.

We still remember the tornadoes that hit Kane not so many years
ago, the one which brought down the Kinzua Bridge, and also the
horrendous rain storm in Bradford ten years ago which caused
widespread destruction (more on that in days to come).

But today, we want to report about a tornado that hit Bradford
in 1919. Our thanks to Jim Piscitelli, who saved an article we ran
in 1980 by feature writer Francis X. Sculley about four funnels
that ravaged the city on July 10, 1919.

“Everything about Bradford’s frightful tornado of July 10, 1919,
was unorthodox. Tornadoes with more than one funnel are extremely
rare in the east – yet the oil town storm had four,” Sculley
wrote.

“Shortly before three o’clock, downtown shoppers noticed a
deathlike calm which seemed to be more oppressive than even the
humidity.

“It grew dark as night, as the lights of all of the downtown
business establishments flickered on to accommodate the midweek
shoppers. Many who lived in the West Branch area at the time claim
that a ghastly yellow glow appeared on the southwest horizon, which
seemed to merge with the stygian darkness while seemingly producing
areas of tremendous turbulence overhead.

“At twenty minutes past three, a tremendous avalanche of
whirling black fury rolled down the mountain through the Roman
Catholic Cemetery. Hundreds of tombstones were lifted from their
moorings, some of which actually bounded over their gravesites like
pingpong balls.

“The twelve-ton needle-like monument dedicated to the Rev.
William Coonan was picked up and hurled like a javelin.

“As the storm headed for its collision with Quintuple, it
daintily touched down and lifted a house off its foundation, much
the same as an adoring parent might reposition a hat on a child.
Not a shingle was disturbed.

“As if prearranged, three other whirling clouds met the West
Branch visitor as it swept across the heavens above the city’s
Second Ward. The union occurred almost directly over the Erie
freight yard.

More in tomorrow’s Round the Square.