The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-05-31
NATION, Paris and Charles
ton in Shelby county Vir-
tually Wiped Off Map.
GOVERNOR ASKED TO
SEND RESCUE TROOPS
Toll of Death Not Learned-May
Exceed Many Hundred-Dam-
age Eestimated At Millions.
By International News.

| by international News.
Chicago, ILL.,, May 26.-Hundreds of
lives were lost, railroad traffic was
crippled, telephone and Geographic
connections were broken when the
northern part of Illinois was swept by
cyclone this evening. The toll of
death was variously estimated at from
300 to 400 in various counties Of the
section struck by the element.
Shelby County and the adjoining
counties suffered worst from the ter
rible wind which erased houses, tore
down trees and buried many under the
ruins of the destroyed buildings.
Governor Lowden late this evening
received message from Mayor Swan
of Nation, H., that the town was viz
tually swept off the map, and that at
least 100 hundred had come to their
death under the debris of the build
ings wrecked by the cyclone. He i'm
mediately made arrangements to send
several companies of the Illinois Ma
tional Guard to the rescue of the town.
Paris and Charlestoh> two other
towns in the same county, were also
reported to have been badly damaged
by the cyclone, the total number of
dead had not been compiled at the
time the call for help was sent to the
Governor.
Five persons were killed at Modesto.
five at Palyria. The village, Manhat-
tan, two miles southeast of Joliet was
cut off from all connections with other
towns by the cyclone. No deaths were
reported, however, from that place,
but the number of injured is likely to
exceed three hundred.
The work of the rescuers in the
towns swept by the horrible whirlwind,
was greatly impaired by fallen trees
Wires and railroads were badly dam
aged over a wide area. In some places
the tracks were torn up and bridges
wiped out.
The total extent of the damage done
by the cyclone will not be known for
at least several days. The material
damage will run up into the millions.
the reports from the district touched
by the cyclone indicate.
c{o -In,.L1,- 81
o'clock. A heavy rain preceded the
wind which lasted nearly half an hour.
Nation appeared to be the center of
the cyclone, which extended to the az
joining towns in the same county. Not
a building in Mattoon was left I'M
damaged by the wind. The inhabit-
ants were forced to seek refuge and
shelter from the rain in the base
ments as the upper part Of their homes
was carried off by the wind The
streets were filled with debris and the
railroad connections blocked by the
wreckage.
Telegraph wires were strung over
the streets of Mattoon, killing many
who came in contact with the high
powered current of the wires. Re
ports from small villages and many
farms near Mattoon and in all parts
of Shelby County indicate that the
storm did an equal damage, but the ex
tent can not be ascertained for at least
two days, as all wire connections have
been broken.
Goodnow, a small town 80 miles
SOUTH of Chicago, was also nearly
wrecked by the storm. Several were
reported to have been injured under
the ruins of their homes, but thus far
no deaths have been received from