Here is a newspaper story about the different storms in Kentucky and
surrounding areas on the same day as the Ohio County tornado:
The Hartford
Herald – April 2, 1890
RUIN!
A Cyclone, on Its Way From the South-West to the
Atlantic Ocean,
Sweeps Down Upon Kentucky With Its Death-Dealing
Whirls,
AND DEVASTATES OUR FAIR LAND!
Counties Suffer,
Cities Demolished, Towns Blown Down, While Many Citizens Lie Buried Beneath
Palling Ruins.
Railroads Injured,
Telegraph Wire Down, and for Three Days After , the Great Storm Only Meager
Reports Were Obtainable.
THE STORM OVER THE
STATE
PATH OF THE STORM
Sergeant Burke gives his views: "At 8 o'clock this
morning, 75th meridian time, the tornado was central around
Leavenworth, Kansas, moving northeastwardly at a high rate of speed, with rains
and a low barometer preceding it. Its course, like that ascertained for all
storms of this type, was toward the northeast from its center. As it
progressed, it appears to have increased in force, and when it centered over
Nebraska this morning, it had become what was predicted for it, the most
intense cyclone storm of the present season.”
VELOCITY OF THE WIND
"When the storm reached Louisville the wind had
gradually increased from eighteen miles per hour to a velocity of forty-eight
miles; the latter being attained twice before the chief force of the tornado
made itself felt, and being sustained each time for a period of five minutes.
But, at 8:30 o’clock, P. M., or close upon that time, the tornado manifested its
full violence, and the wind then had a velocity for about a minute of not less
than fifty-three miles per hour, being accompanied by frequent lightning and
succeeded by a heavy fall of rain; amounting in all, during the passage of the
storm, to thirty-eight hundredths of an inch, and followed by a clearing
sky."
AT LOUISVILLE
About 8.30 o'clock P. M. Thursday Louisville was stricken by
one of the direst catastrophes from
which any section of the country ever suffered. A mighty tornado, with a
velocity and violence incalculable, struck the city at its southwestern limits
and tore across the West End in a southeasterly direction, ploughing an
appalling path of desolation and death. Square after square of residences and
business houses were wrenched from their foundations and scattered like chaff.
The mighty stroke of the tornado fell with a suddenness that
scarcely gave time for quickened heart-beats before those hearts were stilled
in death. Twice before the wrenching asunder of life and homes and castles of
trade, the impulse of the gale fought impatiently to accomplish the work
reserved for the whirling tiger of the air, whose avant couriers they were. Twice, for five furious minutes each,
they strove, and passed on screeching their balled rage. Then came a lull; but
only for a little space, and then the tornado thundered over the doomed territory
with terrible lightenings (sic) constantly ablaze.
From Eighteenth and Maple streets, diagonally across the
city, crushing dwellings and business blocks like eggshells, toppleing (sic) down
church steeples and wrenching warehouses to fragments, the dread visitant
passed to the riverfront, leaving to mark the boundaries of ruin, a broad swath
of wreckage and dead and mangled humanity impaled and weighted down or burning in the ignited debris. The belt
of destruction extended from the west side of Sixth street as far as Ninth on
Main, and an equal width across to the point where the city was first touched.
The situation at the Water Works is serious, and the city is
threatened with a water famine. The massive standpipe was used to help force
water into the reservoirs, was twisted and broken off about thirty-three feet above
ground and the top was hurled fifty feet away, where it now lies a mass of
brick and mortar.
On Market Street, for three squares north of Ninth street nearly
every business and dwelling house was devastated. Houses were hurled into the
street, and the debris in many places was piled thirty feet high.
The Union Depot at the foot of Seventh street, owned by Mr.
C. P. Huntington, is a total loss. Not only is the valuable structure ruined,
but a number of passenger coaches, which were standing under the shed, were
mashed into a shapeless mass. The depot owners will have to stand this loss. The
iron train shed was new and the C., O. & S. W. officials estimate the
entire loss at not less than $75,000.
At Falls City Hall a Lodge of the Knights and Ladies of Honor
was in session, two-thirds of the attendants being women, while in the same
building was a dancing school of perhaps seventy-five children. The building
was dashed like a house of cards, burying in the debris souls, most of whom were either
crushed or suffocated to death.
THE TOBACCO DISTRICT
The Pickett, Farmers and Globe warehouses escaped serious
damage. The Old Kentucky, Ninth Street, Falls City, Green River, Enterprise,
Louisville, Central, Cresent, Sawyer,
Wallace & Company and Old Rock Warehouses were totally wrecked. Headly
& Company were partially wrecked by the falling walls of the Phoenix
Storage Warehouse and Sawyer, Wallace & Co’s building.
There are various estimates as to the material loss. A
conservative calculation makes it about $2,000,000. Most place it at
considerably more than that, and only one at much less than that figure. Dan’s
estimate is $2,500,000.
Prompt measures are being taken for the relief of the sufferers.
The City Council has appropriated $20,000 for this purpose and $20,000 more has
been subscribed by citizens of Louisville.
This sum will be increased in proportion to the requirements, and there
is every reason to say to sympathetic outsiders that Louisville alone can and
will prove equal to caring for her unfortunates.
Carefully estimated results place the dead at about one
hundred, while several hundred are more or less injured.
AT RINEYVILLE
An awful scene met some men who went to a fallen house near Rineyville
after the storm. A freight train was wrecked and part of the crew, responding to
cries for aid, found the ruins of a large brick house, where nine maimed and
bleeding victims were crying piteously for aid, or were hushed forever in the silence
of death. The family, an old gentleman aged 80, and his wife, with a married daughter
and her family, made up household. Of these, two were killed outright, while
all the others were more or less injured. The old man, whose name was Panby,
had been ill, and is no doubt dead from exposure and the shock. At last account
one little girl had not been found, but was still beneath the debris.
AT CLOVERPORT
The storm lasted for several hours, and was the heaviest
that has been witnessed here in many years. The roof of the Southern Methodist
church was blown off. The Breckinridge News building was also partly unroofed
by the storm, but damage was slight. People all over the town were considerably
alarmed during the storm.
AT KNOTTSVILLE, KY
The storm was very heavy near this place. Mat. Adams and
wife were both badly hurt their house blown down. All of John Pickerel's
buildings, Wm. Bell's dwelling, John Heffner's barn, George Husk's house, Dr.
Drury's barn, J. H. McDaniel's barn and Isham Metcalfe's house were blown down There were eight people, besides a sick woman,
at Metcalfe's, but nobody was hurt One of the children, a girl of ten was carried
over a hundred yards by the wind.
AT WEST LOUISVIILE, DAVIESS COUNTY
Every business house in the town was literally torn to
pieces, and every dwelling except one was either torn down or badly damaged.
Several were killed, and many more badly injured. Henry Burch's house was
carried fifty yards. Mrs. Burch was bruised up somewhat. Her baby, three weeks
old, was found 150 yards from the house, entirely uninjured. J. L. Blandford had a miraculous escape. His
store blew away, leaving him penned up in an incredibly small space. He found
his wife sitting on top of a fallen wall and his two-year old child under the
wreck of the house, surrounded by fallen timbers. Both were entirely unhurt.
The total estimated loss on business houses and dwellings amounts to more than
$21,000.
HOBARDS, KY
The L. & N. freight, No. 57, J. H. Burch, of Owensboro,
conductor, was wrecked between this place and Sebree. The engineer, Peter Burns,
and head brakeman, W. W. Powell, were killed, and George Bridges, second brakeman,
very badly hurt.
The cyclone blew a number of trees on the track, and the
train ran into one of them. The engine was derailed and nine cars were piled on
top of it. Burns and Powell were buried at bottom of the wreck.
Conductor Burch and the other train men saved themselves by
jumping. The wreck is the worst the Henderson division has had for a long time.
Two wrecking trains were at work on it all day.
IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
The swath of tornado which wrought such terrible destruction,
is clearly marked through the State. Reports from Paducah, near which place the
whirlwind must have entered Kentucky, give details of much damage. The new town
of Grand Rivers, on the Cumberland river, was destroyed, and several people were
killed. In Lyon county, many houses were razed to the ground. From Crittenden
county the same story comes. Heavy storms are reported from nearly all the river
counties. In Christian and Trigg, and in the southern part of the State, the life
of and property was very heavy.
AT PADUCAH
Thursday's storm according to delayed reports, did
considerable damage in Marshall, this State, before sweeping across the
Tennessee, and so badly destroying Grand Rivers. In Marshall many houses and barns
were destroyed, but, most fortunately, the loss of life was small. A full dozen
of farms were swept clean and the loss of buildings alone will reach into
thousands. The loss of life at Grand Rivers has been increased to three; a
negro being found killed near that place, while the wounded numbered
twenty-five. At that place, loss in property was $20,000.
CUMBERLAND RIVER
The cyclone struck the bridge of the N. N. & M. V. road,
spinning it around on the piers, and dropping the entire bridge into the river.
Bridge a total loss.
CRITTENDEN COUNTY
The track of the storm is a quarter of a mile wide, and it traveled
thirty miles across the county parallel to and almost in the same track of a
storm that occurred in 1852. At this hour four deaths are reported, and as many
more possibly wounded seriously. The wounded will reach fifty-five or more.
Residences were totally destroyed and a number of horses and cattle killed.
WEBSTER COUNTY
At Sturges hail one inch in diameter fell, and the wind
unroofed several barns. At Sullivan, the wind was worse, destroying many
outbuildings and wounding ten or twelve men and women. For several miles in
Webster, between Clayville and Dixon, it swept everything away. Bed furniture
and clothing have been found all along the road from Morganfield to Dixon. The
killed and wounded at Webster will number not less than fifty.
AT BREMEN
The little town of Bremen, McLean county, was almost totally
demolished, only two houses being left standing. A number of horses and cattle
were killed, but no destruction of human life is reported, though several
persons were badly wounded. The new brick school building, recently erected at
a cost of $4,000, was wrecked.
NEAR SOUTH CARROLLTON
A house near South Carrollton, occupied by a Mrs. Davis, was
picked up and blown 500 yards, literally tearing it to pieces and killing Mrs.
Davis almost instantly. In the same neighborhood there were eight houses within
two miles leveled to the ground.
OVERFLOWED DISTRICTS
Much damage reported from the districts overflowed by Green
River. Many buildings that were surrounded by water were blown down, many of
the wrecks being entirely submerged. Many buildings containing hay and corn
that had been placed out of reach of the water were blown down, and their
contents scattered in the water and destroyed.
CHRISTIAN COUNTY
The storm was very heavy here, doing much damage in different
parts of the county. Caledonia and Bellview sustaining great damage.
FOSTERVILLE, TENN
This town, a small station of the Nashville and Chattanooga
railroad was blown away. No one killed.
GALLATIN, TENN
This beautiful little city suffered heavy losses in property
and life. Large buildings were blown down to the lowest foundation, and their occupants
killed or crippled. All over Sumner county, the storm was very severe.
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