New-York tribune., 1890-03-29
THE STORM-SWEPT DISTRICT.
SITUATION OF THE RUINED PART OF THE
CITY.

CITY.
WAREHOUSES; AND FACTORIES IN THE PATH OF
THE roRyADo-ToBAcCo MEN sUF-
FER SEVERELY.
IouisviIIe Is the commercial capital and largest city
OF Kentucky 1t is situated on plateau about seventy
feet above the Ohio River and at the hcad OF '"o
rapids known as the Ohio Falls. The business part
NJ the CITY is chiefly confined to five streets running
parallel with the river. South OF these most OF inc
dwellings are TO be found. The streets are laid out
at right angles. running north and south ana eas'
and west Beginning about the middle OF the city
the streets are numbered from one upward to the
westward To the eastward of First-st. the streets
are named as are also those running east and west
or parallel to the river Wanutst the first OF the
streets almost entirely given up to dwelling hoises'
has It's best residences between Sixth-st. ana
Brookst, the first street east Of First. From Walnut
st. southward the lines ncosng the best residences
extend like those of fan, The most expensive
houses are to be found Broadway and Fourth ave-,
streets which have been noted for their fine private
grounds since the city laid out. West Of Tenth
ST., with hero and there an exception, most OF the
dwelling houses cottages belonging to mechanics
or clerks The same is true OF the city east of Jack
son-st., the third street east Of First From Main
st. southwark the city lies Oil level plain, except
in the extreme eastern and southeastern parts where
the land is rolling and at times hilly. Except In the
business parts Of the city, few buildings are built
close together and many have large and well-kcpt
yards.
According to the last accounts the storm moved
away the buildings on plot about five blocks Wide
ten blocks are counted to the mile In Louisvile-ex-
tending from Eighteentll-st, in the extreme 5outh
western part Of the city, to the Ohio River at seventh
a a
When tho storm struck Chestnutst, 1t came upon
many houses of considerable size, Is 1t also did In
Walnutst. The houses upon these streets within the
path Of the storm mostly old landmarks and tile
houses of people bearing names prominent in the city
of Louisville. On all the other streets within the
track of the storm the houses were those OF the humber
classes. Greenest., prominent residence
street comes next to Walnut. In the next street,
Jefferson were some dwellings of wealthy people and
few churches, but the next street, Market Is gwen
up almost entirely to retail stores over whlch arc
apartments. In Marketst. are also few factories'
Tile next thoroughfare to the north is Main-st, the
chief business street OF the city Between Nn'h anu
Fourteenth sts., on both SUES Vi ''o
street. were twelve or fifteen large tobacco warehouses;
which seem to have suffered severely To the east
Of Nlnthst., in Main, many large wholesale bus'
ness houses. There some big dry-goods houses,
including Bamberger, Bloom Co., perhaps the
largest house in that line Of business in the south;
J. NJ. Robinson Co., Carter Brothers Co., the DIG
wholesale drug stores Of Arthur Peter d Co. and
r. A. Robinson & Co., and the wholesale grocery
stores Of W. E. Grnstcad Co., Johnson Brothers
& Co., Moore, Bremaler g. Co. and II. G. Armstrong
The old passenger stations of the Ohio and Mis-
ssslpp and Jacksonville, Madison and indianapolis
railroad companies at Main and Fourteenth sts
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company has
large freight and passenger stations and locomotive
repair shops and other buildings Just south OF Broad
way in the neghborhood Of Tenthst, and In or near
the storms The big Union Station above
seventh-st, and near the bank of the river, which
badly damaged, was erected only a few years
ago. and was used by the Chesapeake and Ohio, the
Louisville Southern and nearly all other roads which
enter the city, except the Louisville and Nashville
The Louisville Hotel, Just west Of Sixth-st., In
Main, IS one Of the handsomcst in the South.
Near the river and Just south Of the
Union station was Brldgeford e. Co.'s large stove
foundry. In Fourteenthst., through which ran line
Of railroad tracks, also several large factories,
Including those Of the Kentucky FIGURING Company,
manufacturers of crackers, and the sncad Bbb Iron
Works. On the river front In the devastated
district were the Dennis Long Pipe Works, the Jcrer-
sonvc, Madison and indianapolis Railroad Company's
freight sheds and other big Establishments Scattered
in various parts OF the section over which the storm
passed or two dstllleries several anneres,
a brewery, snead & Co.'s Architectural Iron Works.
company n % White lead lead factory the big new buildings
of the Louisville Coffin Manufacturing Company, sew
stables and other structures. The loss,
therefore, mnst be enormous.
The storm. however, passed west OF the real busi-
ness centre Of the city and of the finest residences
Only bank II any, was struck by It, most of the
others being further uptown, in Main and Market sts
and In the southern and western parts of the city, in
Chestnut Broaaway S Kfane6y Far r ~
and Sixth sts., the handsomest dwellings and
churches ,,., ,.,..,,. u..g..os ,xos. 90
verely the tobacco trade, all the Warehouses being
In the ruined district. Louisville does the largest
plug tobacco is also made there The majority Of
ihe rasers Of the leaf in Kentucky, Tennessee and and
about hogsheads are sold in Louisville H AN
the largest were burned down. The old ones had
strong fine buildings. The business has prospered 50
much in recent years tnat several new warehouse
up handsome and substantial buildings. Among the
finest warehouses were the phoenx, the rails 0lty
some of the old structures.
Louisville had in 1850 nearly $4,000 inhabitants Is
be beautiful u streets and hsndsoms houses and grounds:
1t settled In 1873 and Is the seat OF the Medical
nedcal institutions. the Public Library Of Kentucky
and of college supported by the Southern Baptists
State sls p0'A' 0a'0''' '''A''' anu '''"'' ""N' ~
II has 100 churches. several OF them elegant
structures and is noted for the excellence of its
schools Many of its hotels famous. notably the
Gait House. which was fortunately to the eastward Of
the track OF the storm. Next in importance among
the hotels is the Louisville. There are thirty
banks in the city.
ing alone the centre Of block Across the street
was the Jail. a handsome and comparatively modern
structure Tho Masonic Temple. which was injured
ON the upper floors is two blocks east Of the Court
House. its main side extending on Fourthave.-thc
broadway of Lousvc-from Jeffersonst. to Groen-st
SAWYER, Wallace & Co.. Of No. 8 broadway. this city,
do tobacco warehouse business in the Phoenix which
is at Ninth and Main They received brief telegram
Yesterday morning telling them that the building had
suffered with Others but further particulars. Tho
firm rented the building, and all the tobacco stored
In IL belonged to tho consignors Sawyer, Wallace Co.
lost little.
Parhland, which was, according to the dispatches,
completely wiped ont. q village southwest Of Louis
WILLIE 1t was established only few years ago, and
consisted chiefly OF the pretty homes OF persons who
did business In the city. A number OF leading mer-