The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-19
Special to the Sentinel.
Swept Away.

Special to the Sentinel.
ATT1cA, Ind, May 13.-Yesterday evening
a few minutes after o'clock the citizens of
Attica, VINO were not through digesting their
sympathy for the smitten people of Kansas
City, were startled by the appearance of this
monster of destruction in their midst. The
afternoon was OPpressively hot, and the at
mOsphere pOrtended storm, yet few could
believe that such dire disaster as we see be-
fore Us this morning was so near at hand.
At the hour above named the clouds to the
west of the city seemed 10 be prepar-
ing for the deadly embrace, approaching
each other from the south and north, and
forming a junction apparently about half
mile west and opposite the center of the
city, when with the speed OF the whirlwind
the funnelshaped cloud thus formed
swooped down upon the wagon bridge-a
wooden structure, covered and weather
boarded, spanning the Wabash River, tear
ing it into fragments and precipitating it
into the river, clearing every YES
tage of the superstructure from
the stone abutments. From this
point the track of the storm, from 100 TO 800
yards in width, is traced by the almost total
wreck of property in a northeast direction
through the city. Beginning near the bridge,
the freight depot of the @. and ct. S. was swept
away. One passenger, one baggage and one
freight car belonging TO the company were
thrown upon their sides and badly wrecked.
Near this point the wagon and plow factory
of d. Smith was badly wrecked;
loss, about $1,000. Next the exten-
sive carriage mandatory OF Fisher,
Arbogart & Co., and the wagon factory OF
Hess & Harvey were totally wrecked, an en-
tire loss of buildings and stock to the former
of $4,000 to $4,000; to the latter, about
$4,000. Following these comes Clint Kiff7s
livery stable, Mantzer's livery stable, the new
Touring mill, and the Revere House, all
badly damaged, the latter to the extent OF
of 5000. From this point 70 the outskirts
Of the city the storm found little else bat
residences, brick and frame, of these destroy
ing about thirty, leaving nothing but vacan-
cy, and an undistinguishable mass of debris.
That the casualties were so few seems almost
miraculous, as IN many instances whole
families were caught in the falling debris.
One family, consisting of husband, wife and
i've children, crawled out from between
the timDers of their shatter ID home without
a scratch. Mr.. James Hall and wife sat down
in the corner of their parlor with their baby
between them to await their doom, and were
surprised beyond comprehension to find
themselves sitting almost n the same
position in the middle of the street unhurt
with large stone by their side and their
house flying in fragments IN the track
of the storm. Another, Mr.. Goans,
wife and children, took refuge
in one corner of the room, brick structure,
when the whole house was wrecked leaving
them unhurt, with the brick and morter
piled up about them. These are only sam
Piles of many escapes from death almost as
miraculous. In the track of the storm much
damage was done that would require too
much space to enumerate. Nothing was
spared that came within reach Of the fury
of the storm. Mr.. Barnhardt lost four
rented houses, Mr.. Pixley two, that are
wholly destroyed. Others having but one
house to lose, lost their all. The
greatest sufferers perhaps, financially,
are Fisher, Arbozart & Co., and
ties that had been built up by years of hon.
orable effort have been swept away in a mo-
ments time. Others have lost all, and if less
In amount, yet it was all, and each sufferer Is
entitled to the sympathy and help of those
who we're more fortunate. The sun is shin
ing brightly this morning, and all nature
seems at peace, but our beautiful little city
lies bleeding and paralyzed by a stroke
that will not soon be forgotten by
her citizens. Very little of the
main business portion OF the city came
within the influence of the storm, else the
loss would have been incalculable, Messrs.
Zeizler & Sons, dry goods and Lamont
Green, hardware, being the greatest sufferers
from loss of their roofs and danger from the
heavy rainfall that succeeded the storm.
The latter, which continued until after
midnight added largely to the general dam
age.
At this writing there is but one death re-
ported. Mrs Davis VINO was killed out
right, Mrs. Noorshead wife of
A. J. Noorshead, bookkeeper of
the c. and CT. S. by, had her wrist dislo-
Gated and is seriously hurt about the hips
and abdomen. She, with two children, were
in the house, which was entirely swept
away, seriously wounding one of the child
rem and slightly wounding the other. Mr..
Noreskead had neatly reached The house
where he caught his oldest son, but not be-
ing able to get TO the house. threw his son
upon the ground and laid upon him
until the storm past, thus saving
both their lives. Mrs. Nathan, wife of the
merchant, Abram Nathan, is dangerously
hurt, and little hopes are entertained for