The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-03
BIG BONE SPRINGS, KY,
SWEPT BY a swIRLIsG STORM OF
GREAT FURY YESTERDAY.
Houses wrecked, Farm Wagons car
ried Two Miles, and a Number of
People Injured.

ERLANGER, KY, April IA tornado
swept across Boone county last night Sew
era1 houses We're unroofed and the roads
blockaded by fallen trees. The worst effects
were at Big Bone Springs, near Walton.
The tornado wrecked the big summer hotel
and the building occupied by the Odd Fell
lows at Big Bone Springs. The hotel was
large frame structure. containing eighty
rooms, and situated on the summit of HILL
1t is owned by Squire c. A. Mclaughlin, of
Covington, and in the summer is filed with
visitors. Squire Mclaughlin lives in the
building, and he and his family are the only
occupants in the winter season. No lives are
reported lost.
In the afternoon there was heavy rain
with gusts of wind. Later cloud burst
on the village of Hamilton. 1t tore down
the river signal station and blew a
dozen hogsheads of tobacco into the river.
After passing Hamilton the storm swept
up a valley toward Big Bone, gaining force
as it moved. Just before it struck Big Bone
it blew down two log cabins occupied by
colored families, and here the only casualty
occurred. A coiored boy nine years old,
Sammy Southgate, was struck by falling
log and had his leg broken. Less damage
than first reported was done the big sum-
mer hotel at Big. Bone Springs. One wing
was completely demolished and another
was unrocfed, but the central wing still
stands. The bath house and spring house
were also unroofed.
big two-story frame building in the
heart of the village OF Big Bone was oc-
Fellows hall. The Odd Fellows used the
upper story, The storm lifted the upper
half of the building into the air and then
dropped it, a mass of debris, fifty, feet
away. Several horses and cattle were killed
at Big Bone on the farm of Mr.. George.
three miles from Big Bone. The barn was.
damaged and the buggy shed demolished,
together with a carriage, two buggies and
other farm vehicles. big farm wagon
was blown off the farm and was found
to-day in field almost two miles away.
The storm also completely destroyed Mr..
Stevensons apiary, which was the largest
apiary in the State. On the Bristol farm,
adjoining the Stevenson place. big barn
and two men who were packing tobacco
were bruised by flying timbers. They were
blown out of the wreck into gully which
runs alongside the barn.
The storm finally spent it's fury on the
village of Lewisburg and the eastern part
of the town of Union. Ky. Only one house
of the ten in Lewisburg was left standing.
This is solid old log structure occupied
by the family of the toll-gate keeper who
is named Wilson. Several big trees at the
back of the house were blown down and
one almost struck the house. dinner
party was in progress when the storm
came along and the guests all took to the
cellar. A little cottage which stands on
a knoll about 200 yards from Gunpowder
creek and about two miles from Lewsburg
was utterly demolished. The members of
know that the house had been wrecked until
they returned to find it in ruins.
The storm cloud did not touch earth
again until it reached the Mount Zion
Nothing is left of this structure but the
foundations. The destruction of magnifi-
cent grove of beech trees near Dixon was
complete.
NON Drrur no ANry TnyIN