Lincoln, Illinois Tornado
June
20, 1897
Four Instantly Killed
Twenty-Six Inmates Caught in the Wreck of a Stock Barn at Lincoln, Ills.
Lincoln, Ills., June 20.- - At 8:45 p.m., a tornado was seen approaching from
the southwest. The state institution for the feeble minded containing over
700 inmates, seemed to be directly in the pat of the storm and stringent
measures were quickly taken to prevent a panic. The roofs of several
buildings were carried away and much damage was done about the grounds, but the
700 inmates were under perfect control of the attendants and the threatened
panic and great loss of live was averted. The tornado passed on to the
northeast touching next on the farm and stock barn connected with the asylum,
three miles distant. In the cow barn were huddled 26 persons, including
the superintendent of the farm, Jacob Wilmot, 24 pupils and an attendant.
The barn was wrenched from its foundation and torn to pieces. Four of the
pupils were instantly killed. The others, with the exception of the
superintendent, escaped serious injury and were shortly rescued from the debris.
The dead are: JAMES O'BRIEN, SYLVESTER BAKER, NEAL McKENZIE, CASTLE
LeBARON. The injured: Jacob Wilmot, farm superintendent, will
probably die; Lemuel Gleason, attendant, serious internal injury, may die;
William Misner, pupil, severely cut, will probably recover.
The tornado passed on to the northeast, doing great damage, the extent of
which is not known. The storm divided into sections and covered a wide
territory. It is feared that the loss of live will be greatly enlarged
when the reports are received from outside the city.
The Greeley Tribune, Greeley, Weld Co., CO, 24 Jun 1897
 Search
for more information on the Lincoln Tornado
and other disasters in the Historic
Newspapers Collection. The number of
newspapers on line has recently doubled - search
over 1000 different newspapers. Use this
Free trial to search for your ancestors.
Search for ancestors in
Lincoln, IL among billions of names at ancestry.com. Use this
Free trial to search for your ancestors.
History of Logan County, Illinois : a record of its settlement, organization,
progress and achievement 1911 Use this
Free trial to search for your ancestors.
|
