The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-15
A FULL-BLOWN CYCLONE.
The Village of Southport Badly
Wrecked by Yesterdays Storm.
One Church Totally Demolished and An
other Badly Disqualification
Carried Away and Much Prop
erty Damaged

the rain ceased falling that the badly /
swollen cutters and a few flooded eel |
lars were the only evidences remain
ing Of the fact that a storm had indeed visited
this vicinity, sadly mistaken In their guess,
for, although Indianapolis fortunately escaped
serious damage and but few of its citizens were
aware that disastrous cyclone had narrowly
escaped them, such was indeed the case.
All afternoon the sky had looked threatening,
and every preparation was made on all hands
for protection against the expected rain. About
twenty minutes past 5 o'clock the storm swept
over the city, and was of short duration, and
wrought little, if any, damage to the city.
But the little village of Southport, eight
miles south OF Indianapolis, was not destined to
fare so happily.
ADVENT OF THE CYCLONE.
The villagers were prepared to expect the
rain, foreshadowed as i5 was by threatening
skies, but more uuwelc0me visitor in the
shape OF disastrous cyclone was, as Is
usually the case, entirely unexpected. A few
minutes past O'Clock a dark funnel shaped
cloud made its appearance in the southwest
and bore down upon the village with great
velocity and force, descending to the
ground and again rebouuding into
the clouds, Of which it formed a part.
at irregular intervals 1t sped along, and
leaving behind it destruction aud confusion. At
the edge Of the village, the Southport school
house was the first obstacle to its progress and
was bereft of its roof and good portion Of the
southwest wall, In the twinkling OF an eye,
CHURCH DESTROYED.
Bounding into the air, after unrooing the
sehoOthonse, the cloud descended again less
than hundred yards beyond and selected as
Its next victim the Methodist church. a
han nd Ivf,Lr
feet long by thirty feet wide.
This 1t demolished completely, carrying bricks
and pieces of debris several hundred yards from
the wreck, leaving the entire building piled up in
heap of rubbish. The only portion of 1t left
intact is small remnant of the north
wall, the front OF the church.
A son OF the pastor, Rev. Mr.. Miller,
had left the building only a few minutes before.
The amount OF the loss could not be ascertained,
but tho building was entirely destroyed, and
ton. The residence of Samuel Brewer,
on the opposite side OF the road, wac
also partially unroofed. At this particular point
aquantity Of limbs OF trees and other articles,
brought from no ono knows where, de-
posted In the road and chureh-yard.
DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE PROPERTY.
The barn of John Bryan and shed on the
premises of William Dowden lay in the
direct path of the storm. and
Jared the fate of the church adjoining them. L.
+. ormes's house had every window In 1t bro
ken and the sash blown out.
Bounding into the air again, the cyclone
Travelled several hundred feet before
upon pine tree. three feet III
circumference in the yard of Christopher CRUDE.
This it twisted of within q foot OF the ground
almost as smoothly as it could have been cut
with saw and deposited it on the road on the
other side of high fence, which, strangely
enough, was not even scraped by passing
bough. spring wagon IN the lot
adjoining the Gruber place was lifted from the
ground and set down on lOs two or three re-
moves from 1t.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Cyclones are NOT, a rule, discriminating
in their selections of objects upon which
to vent their fury, but this seemed
to entertain special spite for the churches of
of the village. The Presbyterian Church, as
ill-luck would have it, also stood in the path of
the cloud, and although it escaped with less
serious damage than its Methodist companion
piece, was also treated to sample of its
force. The roof lifted from its
moorings, carried clear across the lot which
the building is located. and split in a chaotic
heap on the road bordering the east side of the
lot. Tho cupola, sngularly enough was left
standngan is about the only portion OF the roof
remaining in position. The south wall WAS
alsO badly sprung and partly carried away. But
a small brick coal house on the premises was ev-
identity more Immediately in the path of the
storm, and of this not even a vestige remains.
AHo VI MIS- "A. tho
church on the east separated from 1t by the
road in which the roof of
the church fell. In this lot
every tree, without exception, was uprooted,
and III some instances carried away. Some DIS
tanee further east residence, owned by the
Odd-fellowa and occupied by c. b. SDOck, |
partially destroyed. the rear portion, Occu-
pied as a kitchen. being carried away. Numerous
other places suffered TO some extent, and
shade trees fences and small outbuIldings We're
scattered about in endless confusion.
THE DAMAGE IN THE COUNTRY.
The damage wrought by the cyclone was not
confined strictly to the village of Southport
either, and many farmers in the vicinity suffered
from its visitation. The first point touched
all by IL, In fact, where it made its first ap-
pearanee, was the farm of widow McLain,
two niles west of the town. The
totally wrecked, carried from its foundation
and demolished. the occupants fortu-
nately escaping injury. Near the widow Mo
Laih's place Chandler Smith was just about fini.
shng new house on his place, aud it
too disappeared with the cyclone.
After leaving Southport no further
trace OF 1t was discovered, although inquiry was
made by tho journal representative VINO visited
the scene of the disaster, for some dis
lance from the town. IL was possessed of the
usual eccentricities of full-fedged
oyelone-the funnel shaped cloud bound
ing into the air and touching the
earth at Intervals, twisting off trees,
ETC., and the fact that il did no mora extensive
damage Is 70 lie accounted tor only GU the
ground that no more opportunity was afforded