Lake St Joseph, LA Tornado, Oct 1896

NEWELLTON, La., October 29 – Tensas Parish has again been visited by a most destructive cyclone. The atmosphere was sultry and heavy all day, the clouds growing blacker and blacker, and at 12 o'clock a terrific wind and rain storm reached lake St. Joseph. Telegraph wires were torn down and a most unsatisfactory report reached here from the lower part of the parish were the tornado originated. The information is that an immense brick gin on the mound plantation belonging to JOE CURRYN, was practically destroyed. The course of the storm was from southwest to northeast, striking the lake at Locust land, tearing down and destroying a public bridge over Choctaw Bayou. Twelve cabins on Locust land were completely demolished, and one colored woman was instantly killed. Several were blown into the lake.

The next place visited by the unwelcome visitor was Johnson's Bend, on Lake St. Joseph. Your correspondent visited this place at 4 o'clock and the scene was one of desolation. Johnson's Bend is leased by MR. A. BLAND. The grain house contained a great quantity of hay and was totally wrecked. Three barns containing corn were also destroyed and a great deal of corn was blown away. Six cabins in its path were all blown to pieces entirely, and many timbers were blown into Lake St. Joseph. Several persons were badly cut and bruised, but no lives were lost. MR. BLAND had a number of hogs killed by falling trees and timbers. The road on the lake St. Joseph front was covered with fragments of houses, furniture, cotton, corn and household effects. Later reports show two deaths of colored men at BLAND'S from lightning and two colored women and a baby from Locust Land drowned in the lake where they were carried by the fury of the elements.

Fort Wayne Weekly Gazette Indiana 1896-11-05
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!