The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-07-02

were VISITED Oy LeTTlUIo cloi"A " WIN ~"u
rain. Evansville never experienced more
furious blow, and accompanied by such
train of destruction, while we certainly never
before witnessed so tremendous a flood of
rain. The wind came up very suddenly,
and was ushered by very black bank of
clouds from the West. In a moment after
the wind sprung up, the work Of destruction
commenced. We give the particulars be-
low.
Two new three story brick buildings, just
erected by N. Rowley, Esq. on Main street
above First, with very high gable ends
and rooted with slate, were blown down al
most entirely to the ground, smashing the
three story brick occupied by Keller, Farms
ley g. Co. as Drug store, and frame ad-
joining occupied by Altering & Brummer's
Clothing store. The new buildings had Just
been completed, and would in short time
have been ready for occupancy. They are
now a mass of ruins. 1t will cost $4,000 at
least to erect them again. There Is no
doubt bat the walls were two thin for
house of it's height, although even with thick
walls, and exposed as it was by its high
gable end, directly to the full force of this
tornado, it might not have withstood the
immense force OF wind. Three men at work
in these houses, fell with the ruins, and
mira culousy escaped with their lives, al
though two are seriously injured. Mr..
Miller, German rough carpenter, was
badly bruised. He was carried into neigh
boring store, and attic nded to, and afterwards
conveyed to his family. He Is not supposed
to be dangerously wounded. The other,
whose name we did not hear, is probably
fatally injured. Other persons in the ruined
buildings escaped without Jury, by some
mo, remarkable fortune.
Messrs. Keller, Fdrnsly & Cos. store
is almost entirely in ruins. The building
was crushed to the second floor, which is bro
ken through in the centre. The ground floor
is mass of rubbish. MIR. Keller was stand
ing almost 10 the exact spot where the i'm
mense pile of bricks, &c. fell, and was suffo-
Gated Tor a time by the dust. He made his
escape with difficulty. Mr.. G. B. Griffith,
who was in The rear Of the Store, and the
clerk in front. had a narrow escape. Nearly
all the contents of the store, were either de-
stroyed or much injured. The stock of drugs
&c. was valued al from $4,000 to $40, 900,
and insured for SIS, 900 in the Girard ms
Co., Philadelphia. and s. 900 in the Com
mercial ms. Co. The firm had just renewed
their policies the day before. They had alst
been insured $4,000 in the Granite Com
pany, which recently broke. A portion OF
the stock hes been saved, of course including
tina, in the cellar. The ruins in the real
caught fire when the walls fell, as it is sup
posed by boxes of matches crushed beneath
the timbers. The rumor that the house wa:
struck by lightning, is ridiculously absurd
The engines were promptly on the spot, and
tn companies and citizens generally labored
ndustr:ously in tearing away the rubbish
and putting out the fire. The building wa
owned by DIR. Ogden, of Cincinnati. W.
do not know whether it was insured or not
The firm above mentioned are by far tn
heaviest losers, but we trust they may b.
able TO recover insurance.
The roof of Mr.. John Devereux's pape
;, store, next door, was broken in, and he ha
about $500 worth Of paper damaged by tn
water and rubbish.
Messrs. ALTERING & Burners frame build
ing was crushed by the walls of the othe
. house. The building was valued at $1,000
= The stock of clothing was mostly injured
although good deal was saved in damage
- condition. 1t was valued at over $4,000, an
y was insured. The neighboring houses es
y capped.
~ Messrs. Babcock g. Bros. Hardware an
- Grocery store was unroofed, at least so muc
;" of the roofing as covered the WBter stree
g front. The roof was tin. 1t was swept of
= and thrown into the back yard. The waite
. for it was rainiug heavily, poured down wit
o. portions of the rubbish, into the stores BE-
:" low. A good deal of the stock, in both hare
wure and grocery stores, was Injured. Til
~ others presented ruinous appearance in
medateiy after the accident.
portion of the roof of Mr.. Robt. Barne
Dry Goods store building on Water stree
:. probably one third, was taken away an
thrown into the yard behind. The rain dan
- aged some of the goods, and the store wa
:, badly deranged carrying it out of the va
into the dry portion of the store.
The roof was also blown from Mr Barne
. stable, and thrown against the rear of M
= Cranes residence, somewhat damaging
3, and of course greatly alarming the "folks