The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-06-06
PATH OF TORNADO SHOWS
SCENES OF DEVASTATION
Terrible Destruction Wrought
By Twister in Towns of
Purchase.

Paducah, Ky.,-One would hardl.
believe the temerity to suggest a
Sunday excursion through the Aisn,
and the Somme to see the shell
holes and the dead, and even if one
did it is hardly to be expected tha
the eXcursionists would exhibit the
accustomed jollity attendant upon
trips to Coney Island, and it is not
far cry from the Aisne, in atmos.
phere to the storm-swept sections
of West Kentucky, but the afore-
said holiday spirit was camped on
the heels of Sundays tornado in
Hickman, in Bardwell, in Clinton,
and in every tortured hamlet fortu-
nate or unfortunate enough TO nave
a railway station. 1t was the out
standing feature in landscape
eloquent of rack and ruin. and the
unrOofed families camping on what
seemed to take it all as a matter of
course and raised no word of ques-
ton or complaint over casual in
spection from unbidden train, array
ed in their best, and laden with CAM
eras and lunch boxes.
Station platforms all along the
route resembled the last rush for
the subway in Gotham on a busy
day, car aisles were packed to suffo-
cation, and machines and vehicles
of every description filled the roads.
Not one had come with any offer of
assistance, but merely to look on.
IL is doubtful if any occurrence so
..nUineiy Indifferent to the real
meaning of all that had occurred.
In Bardwell, the worst flayed city
of the whole list, the inhabitants
seemed totally unable to grasp the
situation. Numerous special police
patrolled the debrs-flled streets
with an attitude that was sugges-
tive of sleep walking. The owners
of wrecked stores sat on the steps
and talked it over. The younger fry
hurried back ana forth from one
end to the other of the town, appar-
emily entirely absorbed in the new
social atmosphere. Some enterpris-
ing souls had dragged enough tree
limbs and phone wires from the
main streets to make passage posi-
BILE. An industrious travelig sales
man was lowering his sample case
from a wrecked hostelry with ropes,
telephone lnemen from other points
were making haste to protect their
scattered properties, and the balance
of the population that was neither
sitting nor visiting, hung about the
temporary post-office seeking mail,
while a few detached ones patrOniZ-
ed the makeshift telephone station
advising nearby relatives of their
safety.
Bardwell was demolished as
though giant hand had patiently
removed it, brick by brick. Every
business house in the city, none ex-
cepted, is unroofed, the majority
are completely wrecked. and stocks
in every case are exposed to the ca
prizes of the elements. All resi-
dences in the city proper. save half
a dozen, were showed and twisted.
Every telephone and telegraph pole
iS doWu Tho ctatinn bac fallap into
a semi-collapse. The one big mill
looks like the RHEIMS Cathedral.
There is neither business to do nor
anything 10 do ii with. And appar-
emily no one has given the possible
resumption of il any serious
thought. There is no actual suffer
ing, yet. Food seems sufficient,
sleeping under half-roOfs ard ten
abed with lucky ncighbors has lost
none of its camping out fascination
and there is no complaint. Physi-
cal evidence, however, bospeaks a
different story when the loss is cap
itulated and the completeness of the
ruin appreciated. Their IS no suf-
forlng on the part IF tn injured.
The more seriously hurt have ben
taFcn to Ca'~o md Cairo doctors
fayo rendered efficient service alons
with the hCrH corps.
l5usinCSs a. Usual.
~ Clinton there is business as
roUal" Not o stick no: stone Of
t"a business district was turned.
Tho storm. mirlculously diverted.
sept through the residence district
on the bill and scattered fifty odd
he uses in its path with peculiar vio-