The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-04-01

over Country-Churcn ana BUSINESS
Blocks in Ruins in Illinois and
Northern Indiana.
Western Newspaper Union News Service
Chicago.-Heavy loss of life and
great property damage was left in the
wake of tornado that swept over
tered in over crippled telephone and
telegraph wires from outlying districts
placed the number of dead at more
than 30. and the injured at more than
500. Property damage was estimated
at from $2.C10OOO to S3,000,000.
While communication had been en-
tablished with outlying districts only
partly, fragmentary details indicated
that the storm had swept a belt
around Chicago approximately forty
miles wide. Towns and villages were
left with buildings razed and scores
injured. AT least nine persons were
killed i'm Melrose Park and Bellwood,
where 300 homes were demolished.
The village of Dunnlng, where the
State Hospital for the Insane is To-
Gated, reported seven TO be dead and
thirty-fve injured Many buildings
were wrecked. Wilmette, a suburb of
10000 in the Northeast part at Cook
county. reported almost every build
ing to have been RACED or damaged.
No loss of life was reported. Two
companies of militia were sent there
to guard property and assist the home
less.
Addison Heights, suburb of Chi
cago, reported five to be killed and 90
injured. Numerous buildings were de-
molished, including a church.
Elgin. H., 40 miles from Chicago,
was cut off from communication. 1t
was reported eight lives had been lost
there and a number injured. Doctors
and nurses from Chicago were being
rushed into stricken areas early. Ii
was expected many injured would be
brought to Chicago hospitals.
The tornado came from the SOUTH
west. The sky was overcast and a
death-like stiffness prevailed for few
seconds, when a blast of wind rent
buildings asunder and left a mass of
wreckage strewn in its wake. The air
was filed with flying debris. Rail-
road trains speeding through the coun-
try were stalled by the force of the
wind and strings of freight cars were
blown from the rails.
T.. III. Toast, of Oak Park, said:
"A series of twO-story stone build
ings, one of them bank, was tlattened
as if made of paper. / saw the multi
ated body of a woman being carried
from the debris OF her home. l don't
know how many were killed"
Fire followed in the wake of storm
i'm number of villages. The body
Of church was lifted and hurled Il
few yards away. The floor remained
on the foundation, leaving the cOngre-
cation seated without a roof. Three
were injured, but no one was killed.
In the exclusive suburb of Evanston
more than 20 houses were wrecked.
Fifteen persons suffered minor in
juries, but no deaths were. reported.
The hurricane came so quickly there
was no time to prepare. Persons were
buried in the wreckage of their homes.
The number of killed and injured is
not known.
An electric car on the Aurora,
Plaintield and Joliet Railroad was
hurled from the tracks and landed in
a field. A number of passengers were
injured. Early reports said num-
Der had been killed at Joliet, al
though property damage was small.
Reports from Southern Michigan said
the storm had swept over the coun-
try, doing vast amount of damage.
and ii was believed there had been
loss of life. In Battle Creek frame
buildings were wrecked.
In East Troy, Wis, woman was
killed when a barn in which she had
taken refuge was blown away.
According to the Chicago Weather
Bureau the storm will continue its
movement eastward and northeast
ward with diminishing force. The
bureau announced il was the first time
since 1876 that a tornado had occurred
in Cook county, Illinois. "The storm
has reached Lake Superior" said OBJ
server Cox. 1T is accompanied by
severe squalls and tornadoes are re-
ported in numerous localities" Sew
eral houses in Melrose Park damaged
by the tornado We're destroyed by fire,
when gas from broken mains ignited.
The towns water supply had been cut
off and water had to be pumped from
wells. All nearby villages swept by
the storm were without fire protection
and there was apprehension that fires
would add to the destruction. No
electric current was available, vlrtu-
ally all power line being out Of COM
mission.