The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-10
AT LOUISVILLE.
From the Courier-Journal.1

burst suddenly upon the city at O'CLOCK
Yesterday evening. The effect was dis
astrous in the many particulars described
below. Houses were demolished, buildings
were unroofed, windows were smashed by
the hail canister, and all nature deluged by
the drenching torrents. The afternoon was
very sultrv and oppressive, and violent
meteorological change was anticipated. AS
the sun set, the dark clouds marshaled
themselves upon the western horlzon, ana
presaRed a cOnvulsion OF the elements.
AS the Storm King swept gradually
eastward, the lightning corusc2ted along
the outskirts of his phslanx, and the
thunder muttered omin0usly. The proD2-
pilities of the day Indicated for this iatti-
tude "falling barometer, cloudy weather
and rain. with southerly 10 westerly winds,
and stationary followed by falling temper
ture." Score another for the signal service,
though it under estimated the force of the
"winds aud rains" Those who had care
FULLY noted the predictions OF Prof. Tice, OF
ST. Louis, in regard TO the planetary equi'
noxes," gave the professor credit Tor his
propheticaI accuracy. II will be remember
ed Prof. Tice declared that his scientific in
vestigation Of certain meteorological phe-
nomena coming within his ken warranted
him in foretelliDg that from March to the
latter part OF April
NUMBER OF DEVASTATING TORNADoEs
would sweep the Southern and Western
country. This really occurred, as everyone
will readily recall He then stated that dur
iug the month of May pleasant weather
would ensue bat that about the LIST OF June
a succession of five of these planetary
equinoxes' would be inaugurated, contin-
uing at intervals until the middle OF Sep
TENDER, creating unusual atmospheric per-
turbations Last nights veriication OF the
or
somewhat threatening. Farmers, mariners
and excursionists should keep wary
weather eve, and make it religious duty
to peruse daily the weather columns OF the
morning journals. But to return to last
nights equinox" A westerly wind heralded
the approach OF the storm. The air seemed
to shift about in concentricities, creating
binding dust, and conducting itself in an
eminent "Washoe Zephyr" fashion. Then
the sky darkened in every point of the COM
pass, and nature seemed to collapse. Peal
after peal OF the angry thunder, nash aiter
fash of the widest and most terrible light
ning-ball, chain, sheet and zig Tag, chasing
one another madIy over the heavens
cracked the armament in every quarter.
Then. such rainl 1t was thought at one
time that the Ohio river had been scooped
up and emptied upon the city. A rafting
fusilade of hail was one OF the features OF
THE RAGING STORM CARNIVAL.
In three-quarters of an hour the tempest
had subsidized and the wind sang a lullaby.
TIE great fury of the storm seems to have
been visited upon a belt of the city, en-
braced between the eastern and western
Ii nits south OF Breckenridge, aud extending
to the southern boundary. Though other
sections, in common with the entire city,
suffered some wreck and ruin by the great
wind, none were as much damaged Is the
southern suburban part OF the town. There
the furious blast seems to have concentrated
its mighty strength, and swept with devas-
tating fury upon every obstacle In the
line of its march. Following
the threatening, low. murky, green
edged clouds that Immediately preceded the
furious wind in this part of the city, came
binding. eddying dust. with such thickness
and swiftness as to almost smother unf0r-
tunate pedestrians. The great yellow
Clouds swept onward and upward with
sitting fury, and then, as they flew eastward
with the wind, few scattering rain-drops
fell, slowly increasing, till they came patter-
ing like leaden bullets. The furious blast
carried bushels OF gravel high in the air;
this with pebbles. etc., frequently descend
ing in showers. Besides a great number of
trifiing accidents, like the blowing down of
chimneys, fences, gates, etc., by dozens and
dozens,
NUMEROUS HOUSES WERE BLOWN DOWN
and otherwise injured in the part of the city
mentioned. The Masonic home for widows
and orphans, on Second street, near the city
limits, was iearfully damaged. The wind
blew so hard in that part of town that
young man on his way to the home was lit
orally carried across Third street and landed
against a fence near by. Sweeping past
him with terrible fury the storm struck the
building with the force of a cannon8de. An
instant later the central part of the building,
which had just been completed, was mass
of ruins and crumpled in shapeless frag-
ments between the two wings OF the nome,
the central tower alone standing. The in
tense darkness of last night prevented
an inspection of the ruins, but Messrs.
Jefferson, Schwartz and Buchanan,
directors of the home, estimate the
damage at not less than $4,000. That part
blown down. as stated, had just been I'm
ished, and was not occupied. The inmates
were all in the two wings Of the buildings
when the center blew down, and, except
two little boys, whose heads were struck
with brick bats, no one was hurt. IL Is e1-
ceedingly unfortunate that the accident oc-
Cured just now, as more than nIty apph-
cants are knocking at the door of the Home
tor admission, ana would have been DON'T
ciled within the new portion In few weeks
but for last nights disaster The other d.
rectors with whom our reporter talked to
last night, whilst they seemed 10 July ap-
preclaCo
THE MAGNITUDE OF THEIR MATERIAL Loss
caused by this disaster coming upon them
at time when they were struggling to raise
the means to enable them to go ahead and
complete their institution, yet they seemed
TO feel perfectly happy that no lives had
been lost, and seemed to feel confident the
disaster, by creating cause for the out
burst of sympathy, would bring in to them
from the fraternity throughout the state
contributions to enable them 10 60 ahead,
and not only repair the damage, but to
carry out their cherished idea of complet-
Ing the home during the year. The
Baptist Orphans Home, corner OF First
and St. Catharine streets, bad marrow
escape from destruction. A few seconds
after o'clock the inmates heard noise
without the building, and peering forth ob.
served that the tin root and parts of the wall
of two story brick house directly opposite
bad been swept away. The building was to