Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-06-12

STORM IN ILLINOIS.
Torrents Of Rain and High Winds
Do Much Damage.
THREE DEATHS At KINGSTON MINES.
- -aEaDS



B0ats-Damage to Farmers.
Peoria, ILL.,, June 1.-THE double
storm that struck Peoria at ten
o'clock Tuesday night and again at
two o'clock yesterday morning was
the worst that central Illinois has
experienced since 1913. Rain fell in
torrents and the damage caused by
the high winds ID inestimable at this
time. Probably the worst damage in
proportion to the size Of the town
was at Kingston Mines, a small min
ing town 20 miles below Peoria.
There three persons were killed out
right and ten were injured, three
fatally. George Rearden, an EN-
ploye of the electric company, was
instantly killed yesterday morning
while repairing the storm damage at
Glen Oak park. He was caught by
live wire and died instantly. George
Ashlock, another lineman, was Sc
riously burned in attempting to ex-
tricate Rearden from the wire.
The Peoria & Pekin Union round
house was blown down shortly after
ten o'clock. In it at the time were
eight men. All escaped without Sc
rious injury but Samuel Spence, an
Iowa Central engineer, who was
caught by the falling walls and re-
ceived serious injuries to his back.
Thirteen locomotives owned by the
Illinois Central, two owned by the
Iowa Central, four owned by the To-
ledo, Peoria & Western and five
owned by the Big Four were wrecked.
The Chicago, Rock Island & Pa
cifc train which left this city at 1925
o'clock Tuesday night for Chicago
ran into a washout Just above the
city. The engine is buried in sand
and mud, and the baggage car turned
over. Robert Atkinson, the engineer,
was the only person injured.
The roof Of the new warehouse at
the Corning 4 Co.'s distillery was
blown off, as was also that Of the
Clark distillery. Several stores had
the roofs blown off and the stocks
wrecked by water.
Shortly after II o'clock report
reached the police that the people
living in Dry Run, on the bluff, were
in danger Of drowning, as they had
been caught by the food. Rowboats
were hauled to the scene at once and
the police took 10 persons from their
homes. They were standing on
pianos, with the water almost to
their necks. Within an hour all
would have been lost.
All communication with the outside
world was destroyed for over ~
hours, and it was almost noon yes
terday when wire was secured be-
ween Peoria and Chicago and st.
Louis. All street car service was
stopped, and the fire alarm system
was completely knocked out.
A tugboat with steam launch
which have been plying on the river
at this point have disappeared since
the storm, and It is believed they
are now at the bottom of the Peoria
lake. Their pilots have not been
seen. Three large dry goods houses
in Peoria were on fire at the same
time after the storm, and the entire
fire department of the city was on
duty all night.
The Peoria & Pekin Union tracks
are washed away at Wesley City and
no trains can get into Peoria over
the Big Four Illinois Central and
Chicago. Peoria g. st. Louis roads.
The storm struck Morton, small
village Is miles below here, and Ed
ward Reeman was killed by falling
timbers. farmer named Ellison
was killed while attempting to save
his horses. He was found surround
ed by the bodies Of six dead horses.
The damage to farmers is beyond
estimation at this time.
The steamer City OF Peoria, out on
the Illinois river with an excursion
party of 500 women, was caught by
the storm while in the narrows, sew
eral miles below Peoria. The steam
er's orchestra played lively music
during the progress of the gale. and
prevented a panic. Capt. Sively sue
ceeded in landing the steamer safely
at 2:20 yesterday morning.