The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-31
At Least Is Dead and so In
iured in Tornado.
Southern Illinois and Parts of
Missouri Hit.
dANY THRILLING ESCAPES
One Passenger Train Ran a
Race With Death.
Block Signal Saved Another
From Bad Wreck.

st. Louis May 31.-Additional re-
ports of the havoc wrought by the
storms that swept southeastern Mis-
souri, and southern Illinois Wednes-
day brought the death roll up to
eighteen at noon today. The list of
injured has grown to about sixty, and
a family of seven is reported missing.
The tornado apparently started near
Salem. Mo-, going thru the edge of
that town. but doing little damage
| there, then striking Steeiville, Mo-,
where 1t demolished a few houses but
| injured no one. A woman was hurt
at Sligo, Mo. Two carloads of provi-
! slons for the relief of the homeless az
Mineral Point and other places were
sent from here today
| Reports were received here today
of a windstorm IN Bollinger Scott and
Stoddard counties in southeastern
Missouri. that resulted in several
deaths and many injuries Word was
brought to Cape Girardeau today and
thence telephoned to St. Louis .ha,
four persons were killed near zalma.
Bollinger county.
1t also was reported that W. F.
Boyce, his wife and five children, who
live north of Zelma, are missing and
|
was blown into the Castor river and
that all occupants were drowned, it IS
feared.
The death of one woman is reported
at Dongola, Boliinger county, and 4
boy is reported dead at Advance,
blown down at Crowder, Scott county.
The names Of dead reported follow:
Near Zalma-C. j. Slaughter, John
Morgan, Mrs. Daniel Cato and -
McAllester of Greenville, Mo.
Several tenant farmers living ne5r
Zalma also are reported killed or in
juEed.
Set Block Signal
One of the freaks of the Illinois
storm occurred near Mounds. when a
ten ton steam road roller was lifted
and whrled for fifty feet.
An automatic block signal on the
Iron Mountain railroad near Mineral
Point, put into operation BY the wind
warned, a Memphis-St. Louis train
carrying 40O passengers, who watch
ed the storm destroy the town and
then gave aid to the injured The
victims were placed on the train and
taken to DeSoto where they were car
ed for at the Railroad Y. NJ. c. A.
Scores Of negroes at Mineral Point
aided in the rescue work. They per-
formed feats 0e strength in lifting
heavy timbers thus releasing persons
who had been pinned down.
number of freaks was reported by
those who survived the storm. One
was the experience of the station
agent who was standing with his arm
about the shoulders of Thomas Le-
masters, a conductor. when the sta
ton was demolished. The agent
escaped unhurt but Lemasters was
killed instantly. a telephone operator
who was in he station at the time
ESCAPED with his life, but probably will
be blind.
A thrilling race with the tornado
was won by the engineer of the Mis-
sissippi & Bonnie Terre railroad train
near Mineral Point, and possibly saved
the lives of 100 passengers. When the
itwister became Visible. the conductor
ordered the engineer to put on full
speed in an effort TO outrun it. The
storm followed the train for more than
mile before changing its course.
Towns Were Wrecked.
Cairo, Ill. May 31.-Reports from
the section of Pulaski county that was
swept by ste rms yesterday tell of fur
Their destruction of buildings and oil
persons being injured, but no more
fatalities are reported. The town Of
Mounds is without city water sup
ply. The power plant was partly de
molished. Hundreds are working tc
clear away the wreckage at Mounds.
Twenty Persons Hurt.
Cairo, May 31.-At Mounds,t the
ice plant of the Illinois Public Service
company vas blown down. More -hai
twenty persons were hurt in the storm
| that swept Alexander and Pulaski
counties.
, Killed by Lightning.
Pana, ILL.,, May 31.-During a Sc
we're electrical storm that swept over
the country seven miles southeast oil
here last right, James Drain, a farm.
er, was killed by lightning.
in OUR SCHOOLS!