The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-04-03
HAVOC BY THE WINDS.
A Series Of Cyclones I'm Kentucky,
Indiana, Ohio, and the
CarOlinaS.
Great Loss of Life and Incalculable
Damage to Property-Incidents
of the Storm.


A large section of the rich Blue Grass re-
gion of Kentucky was recently visited by
great calamity In the shape Of a cyclone.
which destroyed some half dozen villages,
killed about twenty people, and inflicted In
calculable damage 10 farm properly. During
the afternoon the oppressi atmosphere and
gathering clouds gave evidence of an APP
proach ny storm, and "a light rain began 10
fall. This gave way TO hail, which poured
down like shot, accompanied by high winds.
The latter increased i'm fury until IL formed
cyclone, which struck Coemansvil.e full on
the southwestern side, and In a few mo-
ments had almost obliteTated the town
from existence. The inhaL. ants rushed fran
tiCally from their houses, " hioh tottered and
fell. Large trees, torn from their roots wore
violently thrown against dwellings, carrying
them along. Entire buildings we e olrried
away, leaving not n vestige behind except
the foundation. Other bui dings were car
ried u distance OF from one hundred yards
to a half mile distant scattering debris
of legs, stones and trees as so much
dust. Every one either ran into the
street or sought refuge in collars. and
many were in ured by falling tmbers,
which dropped around In all directions.
In the midst of the storm Mrs A. II. Lail
rushed out of the house with her infant, three
weeks old. The storm tore the child from her
arms, while she was blown across the street
against a neighbors house. She was picked
up insensib.e and badly in ured, and the baby
was found dead 20 yards distant. Seven or
eight people were killed at Colemansville. and
many were badly wounded. No one in tho
village escaped injury. Reaching Mount
Nebo it destroyed every house and occasioned
a great loss of life and property. Stock OF
all kinds was seen flying through the air.
Still onward bound, the storm with greater
force next struck Conroy, tearing down every
building. This place suffered greatly. Going
thence TO Antioch. ii Is now impossible to as
certain whether town ever stood there or not.
But little idea of the havoc occasoned by
the tornado can be conveyed in word pic
ture. Some few incidents may, however,
serve TO convey TO the reader an impression
OF the power OF the storm. Trees we torn
from the spots whore they had grown 60 large
proportions from little shrdbs, carried dis
lance of five miles, and then again opped
to the earth, denuded OF their bark and
stripped OF their limbs. Two boys, who were
fishing in the Licking River, TOOK refuge at
the mouth of a railway tunnel, and were
blown through IL to its other opening, a dis
lance of 800 yards. A negro discovered his
Grunk in tree top several hundred
yards distant. Babes were blown
from their mothers arms and killed.
Those who went to their work in the morning
have not yet returned TO their families. Two
children supposed TO have been lost were
next morning found in a cellar and rescued.
Bodies OF dead persons were found strewn
along the roads Immense numbers OF cat
tie and other stock were also slaughtered.
AT one place man lying through the air
was seen, but he can not now be found. A
church was lifted from sight and has not yet
been heard OF. The organ was found. about
five miles distant. Rocks Weighing three
tons we're borne quito distance, and the
ground was much torn up. Vast quantities
OF water were blown from the river. A man
sought refuge behind a freight car; flying
debris was seen TO encompass III, and he
oan not now be foun1. The chimneys
and foundations of buildings were carried
away. Dead chickens and she ep we're
picked up in the ad dining COZ nty, which
were recognized as having Eeen blown from
points several miles distant. When the
Cyclone first appeared it looked like an I'M
mense circus tent filled with and being car
ried along by the wind. After the tornado
had finished its work heavy hail-storm pre-
vailed Houses, catte, and al kinds OF
stock were carried through the air as though
they were but chat, and being thrown
10 the ground dead, or with limbs
broken so that il was necessary to
shoot them i'm order TO Ioiieve their suffer-
ings. Fragments of destroyed buildings,
cooking utensils, etc., were found twelve
or fifteen miles from where they were blown.
At Putnam, KY, number OF hoI sos were
demolished, several people killed, and a
number wounded. John Hartman, a brake
freightcar and carried about forty feet,
alghting on his head in a creek, breaking
his neck, and causing instantaneous death