Evansvile, Indiana Tornado
May 11, 1886
$300,000 Damage.
EVANSVILLE, Ind., May 12. – A terrific
wind and rain storm struck this city, tearing
roofs off houses, breaking windows, tearing up
trees by their roots and doing other damage. No
loss of life has as yet been reported. The
estimated loss to property is $300,000.
Newark Daily Advocate, Newark, OH 12 May
1886
THE STORM.
A Regular Cyclone, Accompanied by Hail and Rain,
Passes Over Missouri, Destroying a Vast Amount
of Property and Crops.
Chicago, May 12.
A special dispatch from Evansville, Ind., places
the loss by Tuesday night’s storm at very high
figures. It gives the principal losses as
follows:
MACKEY, NESBIT & CO., dry goods, roof of three
story building blown off and entire stock
deluged, loss $30,000; JOHN L. SMIZCH, side of
building caved in and roof crushed through to
the floor ruining stock worth $15,000, building
$50,000; SWEETZER, CALDWELL & CO., notions, roof
off and stock ruined, loss $25,000; BOETTSCHER,
KELLOGG & CO., hardware, loss by water $15,000;
ARMSTRONG FURNITURE CO., roof off and stock
deluged, loss $10,000; MILLER BROS., dry goods,
roof off and stock deluged, loss $10,000.
Besides these there are reports form 35 other
merchants whose losses range from $50 to $200.
Various dwelling houses are also damaged more or
less by the destruction of roofs and deluge of
water.
Steamer Jennie Campbell had a thrilling episode
on her way up from Henderson. When opposite the
cotton mills in the lower part of the city the
storm struck her and blew the steamer into a
raft of saw logs, carrying her over until the
water got into her coal boxes. Her chimneys were
blown off and carried up river a quarter of a
mile, while her bell was blown 150 feet on
shore. Everything was intense excitement and
terror for a few minutes, but the coolness of
the officers did much to restore confidence. The
boat whistled for assistance and tug Isabel went
down in the storm and towed her up to the city.
Two men attempted to cross the river in a skiff
as the storm broke out and it is probable that
they were lost. Nothing has yet been heard from
neighboring towns as telephone and telegraph
wires are all down, but the loss must be great.
Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME 13 May
1886
Articles transcribed by
Loraine Jordan. Thank you, Loraine!
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