Jackson County IL Archives News.....152 BODIES TAKEN FROM RUINS IN MURPHYSBORO; 8000 PERSONS HOMELESS March 19, 1925 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Karima Allison quest@insightbb.com July 9, 2006, 4:20 pm St. Louis Post Dispatch March 19, 1925 By R. R. STANARD, Staff Correspondent of the Post-Dispatch Murphysboro, Ill., March 19--One hundred and fifty two bodies had been recovered this morning from the wreckage caused by the tornado which struck Murphysboro at 2:30 p.m, yesterday. From 100 to 150 more are believed to have been killed, and 250 persons lie seriously injured in provisional hospitals. The storm and the night of fires which followed have rendered 8000, about two thirds of the city's population, homeless. The force of the tornado wrecked the city's power plant, leaving the city without water or light. Approximately 100 blocks of the city were destroyed by the storm and 70 more, including the best residential section, were swept away by flames. The storm wrecked the Murphysboro High School, killing five students and injuring a number of others. Four other public school buildings were wrecked and about 12 pupils were killed. Two hundred persons, seriously injured, are being cared for in the Sisters' Hospital. At the Masonic Temple, 30 surgical cases are being cared for and at the Elks' Home there are 20 injured persons. Scenes of suffering and horror marked the storm and fire. Throughout the night relief workers and ambulances endeavored to make their way through the streets strewn with wreckage, fallen telegraph poles and wires and burning embers. The only light afforded was that of the burning area. A company of militia from Carbondale arrived early and began the work of relief. Shortly afterward a train of doctors, nurses and supplies from St. Louis arrived. By midnight the restaurants and hotels which had escaped damage were out of supplies. By morning, other relief trains had arrived and the distribution of food and supplies was begun. This morning a special train from Chicago, carrying 150 doctors and 100 nurses and quantity of supplies, arrived. Two carloads of food, also were received by the Red Cross, which opened canteens for dispensing food. In the early evening firemen and fire-fighting apparatus arrived from DuQuoin and Carbondale, but the work of the fire-fighters was confined to dynamiting structures to prevent the further spread of the flames. In this work a carload of dynamite, rushed here from Williamson County was employed. Col. Sam N. HUNTER, Illinois National Guard, together with Harry M. BAKER of Washington, D.C., national director of disaster relief of the American Red Cross and Dr. T. H. LEONARD of Springfield, representing the State Health Department, are in charge of the relief forces. Today, Col. Hunter enrolled 200 citizens of Murphysboro and 200 volunteers from Carbondale into organized squads of searchers. Of the dead, 80 bodies lie in ROBERTS' undertaking establishment. The establishment of the city's other undertaker was destroyed. Other bodies were placed in the courthouse and in the Presbyterian Church. Estimates of the fire loss vary, but it is believed to have been in excess of $1,000.000. Col. Hunter has made Murphysboro the militia headquarters for the storm area. A company from Cairo is stationed at West Frankfort and a company from Scott Field, Belleville, at DeSoto. A committee from the State Legislature arrived today to obtain first-hand appraisement of the damage, with a view of recommending State relief. Additional Comments: Transcribed by Mary Riseling from her grandfather, Dr. C. E. Riseling's collection of old newspapers. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/jackson/newspapers/152bodie27nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb