Metropolis, Illinois Tornado
March 28, 1890
METROPOLIS DESTROYED
Several Hundred People Killed and Injured By a
Cyclone.
CHICAGO, Ill., March 28.-A late special says
that Metropolis, a small village in Illinois,
about thirty-five miles from Cairo, was
destroyed by the storm and several hundred
people killed and injured.
Specials to The Herald report that a
violent storm of wind, hail, rain and snow
prevails all over the northwest, in some places
approaching the fury of a cyclone.
Newark Daily Advocate, Newark, OH 28 Mar
1890
CAIRO, ILL., March 29.-A tornado
struck Metropolis, Ill., at five o'clock in the
evening, doing great damage to property. Many
houses were blown down, but no loss of life is
reported. Millcreek Mills, on the M. & O. road,
was also visited by the storm, and considerable
damage is reported. Wires are down for miles,
and no fuller account can be obtained.
Newark Daily Advocate, Newark, OH 29 Mar
1890
At Metropolis the
tornado unroofed and otherwise damaged about 200
houses, among them being the court house and
bank and Judge MILKEY's
residence. One person was killed and several
hurt.
Newark Daily Advocate, Newark, OH 29
Mar 1890
The Metropolis Horror.
METROPOLIS, ILLS., March 29.-The cyclone cut
a clean swath about a quarter of a mile wide
clear across the town, wrecking property of all
descriptions and burying men, women and children
in the debris of falling buildings. The number
of victims can not be ascertained with anything
like accuracy, but it is reported several
hundred people were killed or wounded and
between two and three hundred houses were swept
away from their foundations and dashed to
pieces. The storm passed in a moment and then
came a blinding rain which greatly retarded the
work of rescue. As fast as possible the victims
were taken from the ruins. On every side could
be heard groans of the dying all around lay
mangled bodies of the dead. Scores of bodies
were removed from the ruins and the wounded men
were given every possible attention, but many
have doubtless died through lack of proper
medical attention.
In the business district havoc was terrible.
Stores considered substantial were demolished in
an instant. The cyclone entered the town on the
south and the west, sweeping everything before
it. Small barns and outbuildings were caught up
and carried with crushing force against larger
structures. Trees were twisted off short and
hurled long distances. Fences were levelled in
the country for miles.
Newark Daily Advocate, Newark, OH 29 Mar
1890
Hundreds Killed at Metropolis.
CAIRO, Ill., March 28.-A tornado struck
Metropolis, Ill., at 5 o'clock last evening,
doing great damage to property. Many houses were
blown down, and it is reported that several
hundred people were killed and injured, but all
wires are down and it is impossible to get
details.
Metropolis is a town of about 4,000 inhabitants.
It is situated on the Ohio river, which at that
point is a broad stream now much swollen by the
floods which have threatened the towns along its
banks. It is the county seat of Massac county
and lies directly south of the center of the
county. This town has but one railroad, the
Terre Haute, which, running south through the
county, turns at Metropolis and follows the
course of the Ohio up the river to a point
opposite Paducah, Ky. There the road crosses to
the Kentucky side and becomes the Newport News &
Mississippi Valley.
Davenport Morning Tribune, Davenport, IA
29 Mar 1890
Transcribed by Linda
Houston. Thanks, Linda!
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