Friday, October 2, 2009

Weather News Is Important

The weather has always been of utmost importance in the lives western Kentuckians. Any storm, big or small, was reported in the local newspaper. When scanning old newspapers for genealogical information, be sure to read weather articles and learn how it impacted the lives of our ancestors. The following article covering a spring storm in Livingston County appeared in the Crittenden Press on Friday, 29 April 1921.

Smithland, Ky. – Damage of approximately $10,000 to $25,000 was done Tuesday afternoon by a storm that swept over Smithland, unroofing business houses, breaking windows, toppling over trees and causing general disorder. Although the wind reached a velocity of 30 to 40 miles an hour none of the citizens were injured seriously.

Will Hollingsworth, a young man, had a narrow escape from injury when he was driving down the street and a large tree crashed down on the buggy he occupied. He was thrown to the street and stunned but escaped with only a few minor bruises.

Shortly after 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon a dark cloud appeared from the southwest and it was accompanied by the hard wind that unroofed the Masonic building and damaged the roofs of nearly every business house in Smithland. During the windstorm a heavy rain descended and large hail stones dropped for several minutes. The hailstones rivaled in size that of large marbles, broke window panes in every section of Smithland. It is feared that the hail did damage to growing crops.

The roof of the building occupied by the produce store of Rudd & Wilson was lifted off, also that of the residence of Mrs. M.B. Smith. Trees in almost every section of Smithland were blown down and caused considerable damage to the telephone wires.

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