The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-04-27
A Destructive Storm in Fork Creek
Valley,
CliWcheS Mills, Houses, Barns and
Fences, Torn in Shreds.

Our friend j. IL Gaiaes, sendsus the
following account of the terrific storm
Which visited Fork Greek Valley on
Wednesday night of lust week. He
says
Our County of Monroe was visited
last "Wednesday night The 18th, INST, BY
the most terrific hurricane that has ever
been known in this section, Of country,
it was most violent and destructive ON
Fork Creek blowing down many houses,
barns, sheds &c, &c, Tho first building
blown down was Mr.. II. NJ. McCrosky's
largo hay she'd which was completely
ruined, Front that point it swept down
the valley III a northeast direction, lev
cling fehcesmdtimber. Every building
on1. Nj. Buttons farm was blown down
and almost everything in his house lit
orally destroyed. He also, lost one fine
COW and all his poultry. Strange to say
] himself and family escaped without any
/ serious personal harm. Several houses
were blown down on the lands belong
ing to the estate Of John Simpson, decd
doing Il large amount Of damage, Lewis
johnson, Esq, also sustained heavy dam
| Ggo, his dwelling house (Which is of
brids had the gable blown in and the
walls badly cracked and in addition his
large, fine orchard was entirely ruined.
The Cumberland Church was leyeled
with the ground and many Of the bricks
blown for hundreds Of yards. MIR. w.
j., Fowler lost heavily, a large fine new
shed built out Of the very best material
and with M eye to strength and dura-
bilily md ut a cost of ut least six hun
dred dollars, was entirely destroyed, in
addition, his barn, mill-houscs and out
houses were greatly damaged. should
think it would take three thousand dol
hrs to repair his damages, Mr.. Robt.
| Kitrell'a barn was blown down and hi,
young orchard destroyed. Beyond that
point the violence of the storm somewhat
| abuted, but extended with considerable
severity us far up as Unitin, London
County, unroofns houses and doing
considerable damage in other respects,
beyond Unitia, l have not learned any
particulars.
To give an instance or two of the IN
tensity of the storm, | will mention that
Mr.. Prater's house was blown entirely
down and the fragments of q bureau
were found afterwards in q mill pond
nearly one mile from where his house
stood, n moving machine by the road
side was entirely demolished. Many
thousands Of dollars worth of property
has been destroyed IN this beautiful val
ley and it will take many years of toll to
rapnir the losses 1t really seems mirdc-
ulotis that no ono was killed OF even Sc
riously injured, .....r.
Ii has been truly gratifying to witness
tho commcndtblo zeal hat has been
manifested by the citizcns of the sur
rounding country in responding prompt
" TO the wants Of the sufferers, by erect
ing houses, repairing fences, etc.
All who have Witnessed the dcvnsta-
ting results Of the tornado in the Fork
Creek Valley are forcibly reminded of
mans utter insigniicanco and helpless
ness, and Of his entire dependence upon
the mcrcics of the Great God of the
Universe, "Who holdeth the winds in
the hollow Of His hand !" and we are
taught another lesson, that is, the i'm
portanco Of %cultfyating and nourishing
sentiments of Christian love for one an
other, forno man knows mt what moment
he may become i'll some measure depend
cnt upon his fellow man.