Yukon, Oklahoma Tornado

April 20, 1912

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., April 20. – Three persons are known to have been killed, at least a score injured and many farm houses and village dwellings were wrecked late to-day when a tornado which formed in the vicinity of Yukon, near Oklahoma City, Near Yukon, a schoolhouse was demolished.  All of the children have been accounted for.  Mrs. William Feasing was badly hurt when her home was wrecked. 

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, IN 21 Apr 1912

One boy, James Beasley, who sought refuge in the Riverside section house, north of Yukon, is supposed to have met his death when the building was demolished.  No trace of the lad has since been found.

A picnic party composed of about twenty school children had left a building less than twenty minutes before the storm struck.

Numerous farm houses and out-buildings throughout the storm-swept district were blown down or damaged.  One woman, Mrs. William Peasing, [sic] north of Yukon, was badly inujred [sic] and it iss aid [sic] she may die.  In this neighborhood the residences and farm buildings of Mrs. James Moore, William Corley, R. M. Bailey, “Bud” Dueback and Will Feasing were swept away.  All the occupants except Mrs. Feasing escaped by seeking shelter in storm caves.

It seems three of four distinct twisters formed simultaneously between Yukon, Kingfisher, Dover and Hennessey.  They merged and followed a northeasterly direction toward Guthrie and Perry.  Those who saw the funnel-shaped cloud say that it moved at terrific speed.

Within a few minutes after the tornado had passed beyond Edmond, twelve miles north of Oklahoma City telephone calls for aid were received at Yukon and Kingfisher.  Automobiles have been dispatched to the storm-swept district, but on account of telephone and telegraph communication being badly crippled it it difficult to reach the rescue parties. 

The Evening News, Ada, OK 21 Apr 1912

Articles Transcribed by Jenni Lanham.  Thank you, Jenni!

THREE DEAD AT YUKON

Oklahoma City, OK, April 20. -- Three persons are known to have been killed at least a score injured, and many farm houses and village dwellings were wrecked late today, when a tornado which formed in the vicinity of Yukon, near Oklahoma City, swept in a northeasterly direction through the counties of Oklahoma and Logan.

Near Yukon a schoolhouse was demolished.  All of the children have been accounted for except one.  Mrs. William Beasing [sic] was badly injured when her home was wrecked.

One of the tornadoes, the one which formed north of Yukon, after demolishing the Riverside School, swept on, wrecking the farmhouses of Mrs. James Moore, Bun Terrell, William Corley, R. M. Batley, Frederick Duebeck and William Feasing.

A searching party is continuing north from this point along the trail followed by the twister....

The tornadoes gave advance warning of their approach.  At Yukon a quick fall of the thermometer was reported by Mrs. E. G. Barrett, fifteen minutes before the dark cloud was noticed forming north of the city.  The blow was accompanied by a downpour of rain. 

The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, MO 21 Apr 1912

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