The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-15

and had its brick engine-house carried away and
its smokestack torn down. Across the alley from
the carriage factory of Fisher, Arbogast & Co.
is the new opera-ho which was damaged by
the loss of its roof and the blowing down of its
rear wall. Two dwelling-h houses and a saloon
adjoining the opera house on the east were badly
damaged, and saloon across the street to the
south was Quilted To the east of the saloon.
and on the corner of Main and Perry streets,
the chief streets of the city. the
fine brick block of Lamont NJ. Green.
and containing his large hardware
store. was badly dsfgured by the storm. losing
its roof and portion of the thirdstory walls.
Again on the north side of the street, the new
block of A Zeigler 6 Sons lost part of its walls
and roof To the north of this and along the
west side of Perry street are some dozen stores
of various kinds that suffered more or less, but
none more than few hundred dollars perhaps.
These last were not in the direct path of the
storm, and consequently escaped its greatest
fury. Adjoining these on the north is the livery
stable of Clint Kiff which was very badly dam
aged, losing the roof.
Just across narrow alley stands the Revere
House. the principal hotel of the city. To look
at the way it was and wrecked, the marvel
is that it escaped total destruction. 1t is un-
rooted in all its parts, and the walls on the north
side are thrown down, exposing the interior,
which was filled with guests at the time the
walls fell out Adjoining this is the residence OF
Ed Rodgers the deputy postmaster, which was
almost totally destroyed. Across the alley is
house owned by ex-Mayor Gass, which was al
most as badly served. Next is that of Mrs. Arm
r Hayes, which was very badly damaged all
vestiges of the out buildings having disappeared,
not trace Of them being found anywhere
From this point to the northeasternmost ex-
tremity of the city the storm had its own way
among the residences that constitute that part
Of the town. The work of demolition in almost
every instant was complete as though it had
been done with fire. in some instances only the
foundation being left to mark the spot house
Aad occupied but few seconds before.
Your correspondent who is native Of the
place, was lost again and again in the streets
that had been familiar to him for years, and
when he asked the people who had but been
hurled out of their topping homes whose house
this or that one was, near the wreck Of their
own, they often had to hesitate before they
could answer so changed was the aspect of
everything. Fences, trees, houses, everything
swept away, and there are no longer any boun
daries between the lots that last night marked
the possessions of the various proprietors, and
the wondering crowd wanders through the
wrecked district with hindrance but such as
is made by the wreckage that fills the streets, and
and alleys, ard lots. 1t presents sight once
seen to be remembered forever
OF the hair breadth escapes it were impossible
to enumerate the tenth, most of which have
been authenticated. When the big carriage
works went down, so that scarcely brick
mains on another William Vandeyenter escaped
instant death by crouching by the side of bar
rel, which served as partial shelter. AS it
was, he received injuries that may prove fatal
Dick Goans huddled his little family in one COR
nor of his house, and when the wall fell over
them, it knocked the baby from his hands. he
and his wife being buried to their waists with
brick SO that they had TO remove them before
they could emerge. None of them were burt in
the least. Sam Truman and his wife and four
children hurried to the cellar, where they
nearly crushed to death by barrels of ashes and
other things which the wind rolled in upon them
from the yard as though bent on their destruc-
fion. Charley Chats, his wife and children were
buried under the wreck Of their house in space
that would seem impossible for them to have de-
liberately forced themselves into. These and
ecores of other escapes account for the miracu-
lousy small number of fatalities.
In the first residence TO be struck was char
acteristc escape. Mrs Bethel, with a child un-
der each arm, rushed for the cellar of a neigh
boris house, and barely reached it when the
storm caught it. She about half way down
the steps when the wind slammed the door down
on her, driving her and the children into the cell
lar much as a cork would be driven into bottle
with hammer. AT the same instant it moved
the house off its foundation, so that but for the
fact that she was hurled into the cellar she
oud have been ground to pieces under the
suse sliding over the ground.
When the wagon bridge across the Wabash,
70 feet in length, was taken, it was lifted from
ne piers and thrown diagonally into the stream,
part falling above and part below them. In the
river, near the bridge. was q skif tied to the
shore. This was lifted out and carried up town,
/, lodging against a barn. Freight and
passenger cars were tossed about like
80 many matchboxes. The cyclones
greatest fury was brought to bear on the square
containing the wagon works of Hess & Harvey
and the large carriage works of Fisher, Arbogast
q Co., all of which were entirely swept away.
The marvel that there was not large loss OF
life here is explained by the fact that the wor k
men had just gone to supper, otherwise there
would have been from thirty to fifty of them in
the various shops, and few would have escaped
with their lives. The only man that had not
gone was buried under the ruins and sustained
injuries that may yet prove fatal, having SUIT
fersd broken leg and several fractured ribs.
From that point to the extreme northeas tern
limit of the city the storm had its own
way. scattering houses and stables in
endless confusion and spreading ruin on
every side. 1t were impossible to recount
all the incidents of a graphic character
that occurred in the fateful five minutes during
which the storm was making its march over the
ground that is now impossible by reason of the