Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-05-30
TORNADO'S HEAVY LIFE TOLL.
Illinois Towns Observation-Disclosures
Sections Also Visited.

Mattoon, Ill.,, May 27.-The torna-
do that swept Central Illinois and
Northwestern Indiana Saturday even
ing took toll of more than 100
nVes. Sundays sunrise sho wed that
Mattoon had lost Al known dead with
score of persons missing, some of
whom may die, in the devastation Of
l4o blocks of homes occupied by
Worklngmen in the northern part of
the city. The wind razed 1876 houses
ana partly destroyed LAG more, rem
derlng 1000 persons homeless. These
are sheltered with friends, in public
buildings and in a tented refuge in
Peterson Park,
Charleston, 10 miles east of Mat
toon, with 5000 population, suffered
larger loss in proportion to its size
than M&ttoon, the known dead total
ing 81, with 20 or more missing.
scores were injured in Charleston
also and some business BUILDINGS
were wrecked, including the Maple
Hotel, two railroad stations, three
grain elevators and a lumber yard.
Chose Victims in Spots.
me twisting wind chose its victims
In spots, and reports from the rural
regions indicate that small loss of life
occurred outside of Mattoon and
charleston and only at widely sepa-
rated places.
Sweeping through Modesto. south
or NATION, where much damage was
uohe, the storm rushed northeast,
dropping down on the northern part
OF this city. Leaving unscathed the
business section and bar ely touching
the industrial plants, the whirlwind
"a .tnn nalo
Charleston.
There the tornado again gripped
the earth and tore away substantial
buildings, crushing out the lives of
tWo-score more persons amid the fall
ing houses and hurtling of timbers
and the swapping of trees.
The storm f1tfully wore itself out
In the northwestern corner of Indi-
ana. causing more havoc here and
there as 1t hoped along an cratic
course to it's disappearing point.
Fire in MattOOn.
Fire broke out in Mattoon, but was
put out without any serious damage.
But the darkness Of the cloudy whirl-
wind was succeeded by the blackness
Of night and for hours there was a
confused rushing about Of the survi-
Vors In the stricken area. seeking rel
atives and friends. Efforts to send
for help were thwarted by the col
lapse Of wires, but finally a messen-
ger was dispatched to Champaign by
automobile, so that the relief train
arrived before midnight. Later an
uncertain wire to Springfield was
made workable and militia was sent
to aid In guarding property and help
ing the homeless.
Before dawn order had been estab-
lished. A temporary operating room
was set up in hotel. Beds for the
injured were placed in the public IL
brary, the Odd Fellows Home an d in
various churches and school houses.
The storm swept path fourblocks
wide and thirty-five blocks long in
North Mattoon. causing an estimated
loss Of $2,O0o,000. Levelling nearly
all the modest homes of those living
in the windswept zone, the tornado
rushed through Dodge Grove ceme-
terry, turned over hundreds of tomb
stones and demolished the pu bile
stone mausoleum.
Strikes Tennessee Town.
Memphis, Tenn, May 27.-Several
persons are reported to have been
killed and others injured in tornado
which struck the town Of South Dy-
ersburg. Tenn, about so miles north
east of this city, late to-day.
One report, received over a rail
road wire from nearby town, stated
that / 5 persons were reported to
have been killed and more than
score injured in South Dyersburg and
various farming settlements in Dyer
county. Property damage was said
to have been extensive.