The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-04-10
Stricken Louisville.
Knoxville Journal, April list.

Knoxville Journal, April 1st
A cloud OF gloom ENVELOPES the cid
Of Louisville as the result OF ThursdaA
nights occurrence, and the scene oSs
destruction and desolation has i,e
manner been exaggerated by formoR,
reports. A representative Of the Jouf47a
nal was upon the scene directly after
the disaster and CLEANED many inter
esting facts which have been omitted
in reports published heretofore.
The fury of the storm attacked first
that portion Of business blecks and
residences lying nearest the river and
scattered the contents in every d.
rection. Large and stately blocks to
which residents Of the Kentucky me-
tropolis were wont to point with pride
were instantly borne to The ground,
and in theplace of modern architect
ure heaps of loose bricks and timbers
alone mark the places where financial
thrift once dwelt.
The two worst wrecks are those of
the Planters Tobacco warehouse and
the Dancing Academy and Masonic
Hall. The first building was hand
some brick, Ave story structure, but
all that remains of the imposing
structure are the east and west walls.
The Dancing Academy was less inn
posing building, but the ruin is more
complete; no semblance OF structure
remains.
Baxter square was one of Louis
ville's iayorite parks, but the sight at
present would lead one to believe that
it was simply reserved as dumping
ground for debris. All the stately
oak and numerous other fine trees
which, for years have delighted visi-
tors with their generous shade, where
leveled to the ground as though they
possessed but the mere strength OF
reeds and heaped upon them are piles
OF timber, tin roofing and other por-
: tions Of destroyed buildings.
: Many of the streets are strewn with
. the wreckage and the dangling tim
bers from partially destroyed struct-
: ures, makes it exceedingly hazardous
to walk the afflicted thoroughfares
AS yet the summing up OF the losses
8 on buildings is merely a matter of
conjecture and it will likely be several
j days or more before the correct figures
. can be obtained AS to the death
rate, the figures are more correct and
it is very probable that not more than
two hundred and fifty lives were sac
1t ri6ced. This, however, may be too
3 great.
/ The militia have been placed in all
y the afflicted districts, resulting in the
J. best Of order in every instance.
4 Curiosity seekers have become won
y derfully numerous since the disaster
a. the trains bringing in passengers
G. frsm all sections of the country, with
t. in radius OF seventy-fve miles
Of Business to any great degree has o
:. course been suspended, although tht
IT, populace still throngs the streets.
re The undertaking establishment
lc are beseiged with people desirous 0
y viewing the recovered bodies, and th,
:" scholars at the Medical College havl
been rendered an unlimited vacation
' because OF the great demand for ply
sicians and surgeons
- In not all cases was the entire blocl
'. OF buildings totally demolished D
az even injured by the storms ravaget
~ One large restaurant, located at tn
corner of Market and Eleventh streets
no was not SCARED during the assault
Ioi although each Of the remaining build
lngs were leVeled almost TO the cart
ou and stores located on the three othe
IN corners were more or less damaged.
On A freak Of the wind was to entirel
X remove the tin roofs from num0ror
'u' dwellings, without doing more injur.
Many buildings had more or lei
my bricks torn from the center OF I'll
en gables, the rest remaining intact
lre A Methodist church, on Tent
old street, one Of the largest houses
sh, worship in the city, was left almost
nm complete ruin bat the large pipe Q
ich gan held the fort and the elements
're- yet to be found upon it.
1t is said that the furious elemen
lSes did their terrible work in three mi
utes.
oa.