Evening star., 1938-03-31
ILLINOIS STORM
CLAIMS L LIVES
Wind Wrecks Dozen Towns,
Leaving 100 Persons
Injured.
Is the Associated Press

PEKIN, ILL.,, March 3l.-Two tor
nadoes which lashed out of the south
west against dozen Central Illinois
towns left in their trail today at least
II dead, 100 injured and extensive
property damage.
The destructive winds tore a path
more than 100 miles long UP the
Illinois River Valley yesterday and
laid waste small area near Alton, on
the southwest boundary.
Seven victims were counted at South
Pekin, the community hit hardest. More
than go persons were given medical
attention by doctors summoned to the
stricken town of 800 five miles south
Of here.
Astoria, Mount Sterling. Deer Greek
and Rushville were other towns
whipped by the tornado winds in
Central Illinois. The damage at AL
ton was put at 100000 by Chief of
Police Paul Smith. Seven persons
were injured there and one man was
killed at nearby Venice.
Scores Sent to Rescue.
The State Highway Department
sent scores of rescue workers to the
devastated areas. Water purification
equipment was ordered to some COM
munities.
Only a half dozen homes on the
east edge of South Pekin escaped
severe damage. Two gas pumps
served as the only evidence of filling
station in the main street.
Dan Trpan, owner of the North
western Hotel, said he saw man
blown out of the second story of
house into an adjoining lot and left
completely denuded.
The water tower was blown over,
leaving the community dependent on
canned water sent to the town.
State police and 25 C. c. C. youths
patrolled the streets to prevent loot
ing. Special deputies cleared high
ways for ambulances bearing injured
to Peoria and Pekin.
900 without Shelter.
Red Cross officials estimated 600
persons were without shelter at South
Pekin American Legionnaires took
over the damaged community store
building as headquarters for distribu-
ton of food,
The tornado, accompanied by rain
and hail, roared into South Pekin
about pm. so suddenly that virtually
every one was caught unawares.
Frame structures were crushed like
matchboxes. Brick buildings crumpled
like paper
About $50 houses were wrecked.
The Chicago 6, Northwestern Railroad
roundhouse and depot were reduced
to mass of debris. About $50 box
cars and passenger coaches were
streWn along the right of way as
though they were toys brushed aside
by hand.
Corn stalks and grain, borne by the
winds from barns in the rural area,
were streWn over the streets. Physi-
clans at Pekin said they found oats
and wheat kernels deeply imbedded in
the wounds of the injured.
More than 40 homes and business |
buildings were unroofed at Alton. |
Butler Heath said his home was blown |
to pieces as the 10 members of his |
family sat down to dinner All escaped !
death
Some one shouted the house across
the street was being carried away by |
the wind" Mrs. Heath recounted |
'The next thing l knew was floating
through the air, and I landed in the |
corner of the basement I caught the
baby (three years old as she came
down, and pulled her to me as the
wind jerked at her"
Car Blown Into Field.
Near Deer Greek the tWister picked
up car bearing two women and de-
posted it in field The women were
taken to Peoria hospital
Property damage at Astoria was
estimated by Mayor Fred Thompson
at $4,000. He said the tornado
visited the town twice. shattering
windows, uprooting trees and crushing
buildings
Many towns, some on the outskirts
of the storm area, were in darkness
last night. Rescuers in the devastated
areas searched the debris with flash
lights.
Mayor George Baird of Rushville
fixed the damage there at 100000.
Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock, a teacher,
was injured when her one-room
schoolhouse at Friendly Grove, near
Timewell, collapsed, but half dozen
pupils escaped injury. Norland
Hatch, a pupil. said the wind swept
him out of the building and into a
field nearby.
Near Kellerville the tornado
squashed steel bridge into the form
Of an accordion.