Isaac's Storm Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Erik Larson
buthealsolovedtheBible,somuchsothattowardtheendofhisyearsinhighschoolhisfriendsurgedhimtobecomeapreacher.Atsixteen,heenteredHiwasseeCollegeinTennessee,wherehestudiedmathematics,physics,chemistry,Latin,andGreek.Afewfriendshadsettheirsightsonbecominglawyers,andforatimeIsaacjoinedtheminreadingtheworksofSirWilliamBlackstone,theeighteenth-centuryEnglishjurist,butneverwithaseriousdesiretopractice."Ifirststudiedtobeapreacher,butdecidedthatIwastoopronetotellbigstories,"helaterexplained."ThenIstudiedBlackstoneforawhileandsoonlearnedthatIwasnotadeptenoughatprevaricationtomakeasuccessfullawyer.IthenmadeupmymindthatIwouldseeksomefieldwhereIcouldtellbigstoriesandtellthetruth."
Hechosetheweather.
ACTUALLY,THEWEATHERchosehim.
Gen.WilliamB.Hazen,inchargeoftheU.S.SignalCorpssince1880,wantedonlythebestmenforhisnewweatherservice.Smartmen,moralmen,scientificmen,butaboveall,strongmencapableofwadingagainstamountingseaofskepticismaboutthecorps'abilitytoreportandforecasttheweather.Hewrotetocollegepresidentsaskingthemtorecommendlikelycandidatesfromtheirgraduatingclasses.
ThepresidentofHiwasseeCollege,J.H.Bruner,recommendedIsaac.
"Iacceptedwithpleasure,"Isaacwrote,"foritwasjustthekindofworkIwanted."GeneralHazentelegraphedinstructionsdirectinghimtoreporttoWashingtononJuly7,1882.
ISAACREACHEDWASHINGTON'SPennsylvaniaRailroadStationearlyonthemorningofJuly6.HewastwentyyearsoldandhadspenthisentirelifeinthehollowsofTennessee,butsuddenlyhisworldgotmuchlarger.Gigantic.Theminutehesteppedfromthetrainhefoundhimselfstandingwhereapresident'sbloodhadflowed.AmarkershowedtheexactplacewherePresidentJamesGarfieldhadbeenshotoneyearearlierbyCharlesJ.Guiteau.GuiteauwashangedtheweekbeforeIsaac'sarrival.Nowtheplatformwascrowdedwithmenwhosegreatbelliesandmutton-chopwhiskersspokeofpower.Alreadytheairwasstickyandhot.Itsmelledofhorsesandsmoke.Themenworeblacksuits.Theydidnotappeartosufferintheheat,buttheaircarriedacertainaddedpungency.NeverhadIsaacseensomanypeoplegatheredinoneplace,amidsomuchnoiseandsucharichbatteryofscents.Thewhistlesoflocomotivesshrieked;theirboilershissed.Heheardanintermittentringingandknewinstantlyitcamefromtelephonessomewherewithinthestation.Shinyblackcabsclatteredtothestationdoors,hailedbyporterspushinghigh-wheeledhandcars.Isaacsawtelegraphpolessoheavilystrungwithwiretheylookedlikethebacksofgrandpianos.Andtherewastalkofstillmorewire —
Hechosetheweather.
ACTUALLY,THEWEATHERchosehim.
Gen.WilliamB.Hazen,inchargeoftheU.S.SignalCorpssince1880,wantedonlythebestmenforhisnewweatherservice.Smartmen,moralmen,scientificmen,butaboveall,strongmencapableofwadingagainstamountingseaofskepticismaboutthecorps'abilitytoreportandforecasttheweather.Hewrotetocollegepresidentsaskingthemtorecommendlikelycandidatesfromtheirgraduatingclasses.
ThepresidentofHiwasseeCollege,J.H.Bruner,recommendedIsaac.
"Iacceptedwithpleasure,"Isaacwrote,"foritwasjustthekindofworkIwanted."GeneralHazentelegraphedinstructionsdirectinghimtoreporttoWashingtononJuly7,1882.
ISAACREACHEDWASHINGTON'SPennsylvaniaRailroadStationearlyonthemorningofJuly6.HewastwentyyearsoldandhadspenthisentirelifeinthehollowsofTennessee,butsuddenlyhisworldgotmuchlarger.Gigantic.Theminutehesteppedfromthetrainhefoundhimselfstandingwhereapresident'sbloodhadflowed.AmarkershowedtheexactplacewherePresidentJamesGarfieldhadbeenshotoneyearearlierbyCharlesJ.Guiteau.GuiteauwashangedtheweekbeforeIsaac'sarrival.Nowtheplatformwascrowdedwithmenwhosegreatbelliesandmutton-chopwhiskersspokeofpower.Alreadytheairwasstickyandhot.Itsmelledofhorsesandsmoke.Themenworeblacksuits.Theydidnotappeartosufferintheheat,buttheaircarriedacertainaddedpungency.NeverhadIsaacseensomanypeoplegatheredinoneplace,amidsomuchnoiseandsucharichbatteryofscents.Thewhistlesoflocomotivesshrieked;theirboilershissed.Heheardanintermittentringingandknewinstantlyitcamefromtelephonessomewherewithinthestation.Shinyblackcabsclatteredtothestationdoors,hailedbyporterspushinghigh-wheeledhandcars.Isaacsawtelegraphpolessoheavilystrungwithwiretheylookedlikethebacksofgrandpianos.Andtherewastalkofstillmorewire —
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