Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1883-06-02
THE CLAY COUNTY CYCLONE.


Graphic Description OF Its HRvAges
The Terre Hsute Express cent a report
er to investigate the effects of the Cha.
county cyclone, who gave q very graphic
account of what he saw. We copy thu
following extracts-sli thst we hav,
room for. They are of thrilling inter
est:
EEL RIVER BRIDGE.
Near 8 o'clock the people living a
Meals mills noticed heavy clouds com
ing up from the south west, nearer ives
than south. Eugene Corshsw who watch
ed this cloud from his window says il
was light colored cloud not compsc,
but the parts rolling over and over, but
observed no funnel. Mr.. Kellum, q farm
er living a mile west of the mill thought
he detected funnel shape rising and
falling. The work of the storm, how
ever, does not Indicate that it was of this
shape at this time. However, there was
so much wind that every one went into
the houses and closed doors and win
dowa. The cloud rolled nearer and
suddenly burst with fury. Trees were
blown down west of the river
and the bridge was struck with
full force and was carried
down. The wind struck the north side
of the bridge at an angle. SO that it fell
to the south, but was not carried much
down stream. When the storm came the
following persons sought refuge in il:
Joe Seeley, Mr.. Kay, John Moody, Gel
sic Porter and Scion Nickodemus. All
these, save Moody. were hunting and
fishing, and were from Pierson township,
Vigo county. Porter is from Lockport.
Every one was killed, or more or less in
jured. Another man, name unknown,
belonged to this party. but he did not
succeed in getting into the bridge before
it fell, although he was making strenuous
efforts to do SO. When the heavy blast
came he chung to the rocks of the west
Abutment and saved himself. A mule
team and q wagon were also in the
bridge. The men were found as follows,
after the storm passed, which was in two
or three minues: Seely was killed, every
bone in his b~dy being broken, and his
skull crushed. Kay was killed. Moody,
Porter and Nickodemus were all consid.
erably hurt.
At Clay City the storm was severe, and
much damage was done.
"The sound of the storm here is de-
scribed as similar to grist mill running,
while the lightning in the northeast we.
the most vivid the spectators had ever
seen. 1t was perpendicular zigzag, and
of deep purple color. The flashes were
of unusually long duration, seemingly
tour or five seconds, and the whole was
. beautiful though terrible spectacle"
THE CROFT DISASTER.
Two clouds formed into one near Mr..
0auchAt's farm, and the result is thus
described:
after Its formation the first place the
cyclone struck was on the farm of w. b.
Tuell of this city. In the house lived
John Croft. This seemed to be in the
direct path of the whirling monster.
Those who saw it coming describe it as
looking like vast hogshead rolling
over and over, advancing with . fright
full rspidity. Accompanying this was
horrid roaring sound, loud
thunder, brilliant lightning,
deluge of rain and hail, some
stones of which were as large as
hon eggs. 1t was going from the south
west towards the northeast There was
scarcely time for action. Before the in
mates of the house could reach the cellar,
to which they ran, the house was picked
were the following persons: John Croft
and wife; Fred, Remus and Len Croft,
sons of John; his nephew Fred Croft,
and his little baby; Fred Foster and
George Croft, the Oldest son of John
Croft. John Croft told them to run to
the cellar. All got there except Fred
Fester, George Croft, Mrs.. Williams and
babe. On the north side was . porch
with west end open. The cellar stood
under the dining room at the south west
corner, the door to it going out of the
diningroom. Other rooms were west and
north of this. Fred Foster, who had
been hunting and stopped to escape the
storm, and George Croft, were on the
porch when the cyclone came. 1t is not
known whether they had started to the
cellar, but 1t is presumed not. Mrs. Viii.
liams had started and was in the dining
room; Nra Croft had just started down
and was on the top steps. The others
were in the cellar. Not one of those who
escaped can describe what followed.
There was an awful crash and all was
over.
The neighbors, as soon a. the storm
passed, looked out, and saw that John
Croft's house, which occupied . COM
handing position, was gone, and they
began to gather In from every direction
to learn what had happened. The alarm
spread, and soon the whole neighborhood
Wa in. In the confusion and horror, no
one can tell who was found irst- OF
those not in the cellar, emily Mrs. Croft
escaped with her life. and 1t l. still un-
certain whether she will get we'll.
Fred Foster and George Croft were
carried . quarter of mile aud found
dead. Neither was mangled. Mn.
Williams was carried as far as the young
men in another direction, and was fright
fully bruised and Q number of bones
broken. Her babe was carried into
fallen apple tree and badly crushed.
Ars. W. was visiting at Crofts'a Mrs.
Croft was almost killed. The others are
moro or less wounded.
THE RUINS.
It ID Q difficult task to describe the ut
ter scene of desolation where the house
Of the Crofts once stood. 1t occupied
an eminence. and west and east is large
area of cleared land. The cyclone,
coming over this cleared space from the