Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-04-23
A FURIOUS, DESTRUCTIVE STORM in
SWEETWATER VALLEY.
Churches. Mills, Houses and Barns
Torn i'm ShredS.
Freaks and Incidents of the Storm.
THE STORM GATHERING.

THE STORM GATHERING.
We have received from l.. M. Pickle, one
of the victims, graphic detailed ac-
count of one of the most destructive, ter
rific and wonderful hurricanes that has
ever visited any section of East Tennessee.
Between the hours of nine and ten
| o'clock on Wednesday night, (the 18th
inst, while the thrifty farmers and their
contented neighbors along the valley OF
Fork Greek, in Monroe county, were
| peacefully sleeping in their we'll built
| house, most fearful storm was gathering
to suddenly sweep over them, leaving ut
ter ruin and desolation to mark its path
A heavy dark grey cloud, swept by "a cold
| wind travelling from the west, met an
other, larger, more rapid in its movements
and charged with greater fury, moving
from the southeast, at a point in the mar
row, rich, highly cultivated valley of Fork
Greek, about five miles from Sweetwater.
The two storms, riding the heavens, ac-
companied with roll after roll aud peBl
upon peal of terrific thunder, their path
way, wildly Illuminated with the most
brilliant and dazzling chain of lightning,
met at full speed just over the farm of Mr..
Henry McCroskey.
Passing neither to the right nor to the
left, but firmly bel on the terrible work,
| the two furies here linked in fearful en-
brace their awful power, and turning aside
from their original course, swept with
| their combined fury northeast, following
| in all it's bends the little creek above
named, and for eight miles carrying the
most perfect annihilation and destruction
along both its banks, where lived some of
the most energetic, wealthy, and successful
| farmers in the beautiful Sweetwater Valley.
/ sci. LIST AND DETAILS OF DAMAGES.
Henry McCroskey, over whose place the
storm started OH its career of destruction
was the first victim, though he did not suf-
fer as much as others. A large new hay
shed and barn were unroofed. A fine new
threshing machine, worth 500, under the
hay shed was badly injured, the separator
| torn off and the axle of the wagon broken.
His house being just outside the path of
| the storm was not touched.
-a J. NJ. BARTON, ESQ.
Was the next victim in the track of DESC
| lation and suffered largely. His house was
large, substantial frame building, two
stories high. The wind struck the gable
end of it, under the roof, tearing it off from
the joists and carrying awaythe entire. up
per story. The family were all asleep, but
of course terrified and soon aroused by the
terrible racket which Squire Burton COM
pares to the firing of ten thousand cannon.
The large chimney was wrenched off and
the foundation stone, very large and firm
ly cemented, torn from its bed and driven
out six inches. The whole family were
uninjured, but their escape was a perfect
miracle. Two of the boys found them
selves landed some distance from the
house, their clothes riding on the whirl-
wind, but brilliant flash of lightning
| lighted up the surroundings enough SO
that they caught some clothing dropped
near them. A large corn crib near the
house Was torn to atoms and corn scat
tered far and wide. No two logs of his out
buildings were left as laid down in build
ing. A fence on posts two feet deep was
swept away and not trace left A valua-
bic horse was badly injured and cow kill
ed outright. Mr.. Burton was Justice of
the Peace and all the books and papers of
his office were scattered far and wide.
MIR. - MoSIER, vtn E
The next sufferer in order, had double
log house framed, which was torn down to
the fourth log. A mill, two stories high,
not used lately, was blown off to the rock
foundation. A fence rail was blown
against horse, striking him endwise
in the breast and SO far driven
in as to seriously endanger its life. The
horse was living at last accounts. All of
Mr. Mosier's fences were blown away but
none of his family injured.
LEWIS JOHNSON.
Was the next sufferer. His was large
brick house which looked after the storm,
as our informant says, as though it had
been shelled by battery of artillery. A
large wheat garner and barn were entirely
demolished, and all his fences blown away.
Out of thrifty young orchard of eight
hundred apple trees not one was left.
Next in the path of the terrible storm
was,
MRS. JOHN SIMPSON.
Who was the posessOr of a commodious
two story house, which was torn off above
the first story and blown to pieces. The
wing OF the house was torn away. In her
fright, and while running about in her
bare feet, she tramped upon a sharp nail
and received a very bad injury. Her barn
and fences were all blown away. On the
same farm with Mrs. Simpson was COM
Portable frame house, filled in with brick
and plastered- occupied by VIM. Thomp-
son, which was blown down to the first
story.
Mr.. JOHN PRATER,
Living near Mr.. Burton, in a one story
frame house suffered very much. His
house was carried off down to the floor.
Some of the heavy timbers fell on his wife
and daughter and severely injured both of
them. They lost everything in their
house, and beds and bedding were found
nuuuy anu wet, Ilstll u Lllle Ou. Ills
double barn blown down. A bureau, after
the storm was over, was found three-quar-
tiers of mile or near mile, and part of a
reaper and mower that was kept in the
upper part OF his building was carried fully
three quarters of a mile from the house.
Mr.. Prater lost nearly everything he had.
The 49, s4sHE
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
A large brick building 32x45, was un-
rooted and blown down. Some of the
bricks were carried two hundred yards.
An old log house not more than one hum
dred yards off, on top of a hill, was not
touched, while cabin in the track of the
storm was lifted up from the valley and
set safely on the hill side. 9fFfE q
WILLIAM FOWLER,
Was thenext victim. Hehad frame house