The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-04
The, Residents of the StOrm-Swept Dis
trict in Need of Assistance.
Burning of the Steamer Reb@ca Everingham,
Near Columbus, Ga.-Tight Persons
Dead and Five Others Missing,
TUESDAYS CYCLONE.
The Scene of DesolattOn at Oakvi11e and i'll
the Immediate Ne'ghbOrhood.


cyclone district confirm all that has been written
or said concerning the terrible storm which
passed over the southern part of the county on
Tuesday evening. The half has, however, never
been told, and perhaps never will be, so far as
individual and general financial losses are con-
cerned. The extent of the cyclones path seems
to have been much greater than reported yester
day. Instead Of spreading ruin and destruction
over distance of ten miles, it has reached out
to twenty miles and everything movable with
in its track for this distance has been
completely wrecked, and many more injured are
added to the list already given, though none
others are reported killed
The little village of Oakville, which SCENE d to
be the center of the storms destruction, is laid
as fat as broken pieces of lumber could well be-
and scattered over the country for two or three
miles distant, presenting more the appearance
of p,iryosely scattered kindlngyard than the
remnants of town. The principal street of the
hamlet extends east and west. On the south
side of hs stood perhaps dozen frame houses,
none Of them more than three years built, and
every one is so completely demolished that it
does not appear any building ever stood there
Even fhe foundations, in some cases, are gone.
Funeral services were held to-day over the re-
mains Of those killed on Tuesday, and were
attended by hundreds of sympathizing people
from all parts of that region Turner Johnson
the fourteen-year-oh boy whose skull was
broken by falling house, is this eve
ming reported dead. jefferson Hoover the
gentleman from Hagerstown, whose thigh was
broken and he hurt internally, is no better, and
no hopes of his recovery are entertained
YouI correspondent to-day eonverscd with
gentleman who was in the village at the time
the cyclone struck it. He says no one not wit
Messing it, although he may now see its effects,
have the remotest idea of whatacyclone really is.
When the two currents of air came together the
one from the northwest and the other from
the south, and swooped down to the
ground and began lifting buildings and
fences, he humiedly gathered together
the women and children of two or three families
near him, and succeeded in getting them in
strong, well-built house, where he supposed they
would be safe, and so they were, although the
house was badly twisted and wrecked He said
the storm approache' with a sound very much
like that of distant thunder and when it struck
the town there was one general crash, as if
everything had broken at once; then the crack
ing and clashing of pieces Of timber as they
whipped each other through the air. The
village disappeared as if in the
twinklng of eye. AS soon as the wind was
somewhat calmed, he, with others, went to look
upon the damage and to assist those who might
need aid. He expected to find almost everybody
killed, for it seemed impossible that any in the
buildings destroyed should be saved. Every
where was ruin and wreck, and above the noise
was heard the cry of Help For Gods sake save
mel" They scarcely knew where to
begin. Here was house down,
with mother and children buried
beneath its rubbish. They were released, and,
fortunately, unhurt All the citizens were ter
ribly frightened, and calculations of joy were
heard when missing member of family was
found alive or lamentations of the saddest kind
when found dead, or perhaps fatally injured.
DAMAGE ELSEWHERE.
Outside of the village, farmers have suffered
heavily, and, as nearly as can be approXimated,
the loss to the county is $l5O,OOO. Horses, cat
tie and stock-all kinds of stock-were killed
outright or badly crippled. Stables and barns
were blown about promiscuously. and farm i'm
NOStiy
patterns were lifted in the air and carried great
distances, and torn to pieces and scattered every
where. Many of the farmers and their families
are seriously hurt A partial list of those suf-
ferng the heaviest losses is given below:
jeff Cochran, barn and house torn to splinters,
and self and family badly hurt
Christopher Swain, barn and residence-both
excellent buildings-totally wrecked, and 900
bushels of corn and 100 bushels of wheat scat
tered to the winds. Seventy acres of the finest
timber in the county is a wilderness of destruc-
ton. Some of his family were slightly hurt.
Alex Painter, barn unroofed and residence de-
stroyed and stock crippled
Ferry Hale, barn unroofed and house badly
damaged
Christopher Conn, barn and house perfect
wreck and family badly hurt
John Robes. fine, new barn and house de-
stroyed and stock injured.
Mrs. Margaret Veach, house and barn and all
out-buildings a total wreck; she badly hurt and
children slightly.
Turner johnson, one barn down and another
unroOfed, and vehicles farm implements and
stock greatly damaged
James Routledge house and all buildings de-
stroyed and he badly hurt.
Findley Chalfount house and barn wrecked
and stock hurt.
Joel Brown, house blown down and other
buildings destroyed.
Glib Gibson, house blown down and one of the
DeSG DarnS In lne county DlOWn 10 SpLnueIS.
Heavy loss of grain and feed,
Jonas Gibson, barn unroofed and all other
buildings wrecked.
j. w. Dragoo, new house and other buildings
Just completed, all destroyed.
At Mount Pleasant the brick school house is a
perfect wreck, not one brick left on top of an
other, save it was blown so. The church is also
badly damaged, while the dwellings near by are
more or less damaged Losantville, still further