Herald New, Thursday, May 27, 1915:
ONE LIFE LOST IN CLOUD BURST
Heavy Rainfall Sends Pitman And Otter Out Of Banks And Hundreds Of Dollars Of Damage Is Reported.
Two Sawmills Carried Away By The Water
As a result of a waterspout which occurred at Badger Yesterday afternoon, James Hash lost his life, two sawmills were swept away by the rusing waters of Pitman Creek, One home washed away by Otter Creek, many head of cattle drowned and hundreds of dollars of damage done. The occurrence is not equaled by any previously reported in this section of the State.
A heavy wind and rain storm swept over this section of the State yesterday afternoon, and from all reports that are obtainable, dropped suddenly on Badger, creating a rushing torrent of Otter and Pitman Creeks. which swept everything in their path and so quickly that few in the danger had time to escape.
Details are meager, but from telephone communications from A. B. Warren at Hibernia. It is learned that the home of Arthur Hash, (James Arthur), on Pitman Creek in Taylor County, and John Johnson, on Otter Creek, in LaRue county, were engulfed in the waters, creating total losses. Two sawmills, the property of King Skaggs and a Mr. Price, both on the Taylor county side, were carried into the waters. Three head of horses, and several head of cattle were drowned, many small buildings washed away, and much other damage was done.
James Hash, the young man who lost his life in the disaster, was a son of Arthur Hash, whose home was carried away by the water. He was about 12 years of age.
Badge is situated at the headwaters of Pitman and Otter Creeks, and both streams reached torrential proportions in a few minutes after the rain started, Pitman Creek runs in Taylor County, and Otter Creek comes through LaRue County. It was in the former stream that Hash, lost his life, and in which the sawmills, and home of Arthur Hash were carried away. This stream also carried away 100,000 completed staves belonging to one of the mills.
The damage caused to the homes, loss of stock, lumber, timber, and damage to growing crops, while not fully estimated, will probably reach upwards of several thousand dollars. The disaster is one of the worst that ever occurred in that part of the County.