Reports Coming In of Tornado Devastating Southern Illinois, Indiana, March 18, 1925

Tornado Kills Hundreds. . . Several Towns Almost Completely, Obliterated by Stormy Wind; With Wires Down, Full Extent of Havoc Has Not Been Determined. . . Known Dead Over 900 with List Increasing. . . 2,674 Persons Injured. . . In Town of Parish, Only Three Out of Population of 500 Escaped Death or Injury—88 Bodies in Ruins of School Building at Desota—Late Report Says 700 Killed at Parish and West Frankfort Alone

Chicago, March 18—A tornado tore through southern Illinois today after lashing western Missouri and then caused considerable damage in Indiana before it died out to the northeast after collecting a reported toll of 3,631 persons, dead or injured, on the basis of estimates available tonight from the storm-swept region where communication largely was destroyed.

While darkness and prostrated wires made collection of data difficult, estimates which came in through various sources with ever increasing totals, place the total dead at 957 and the injured at 2,674 before midnight.

The destruction of property was enormous, several towns being almost entirely wiped out and such populous places as West Frankfort and Murphysboro having lost whole block of buildings.

In the town of Parish, only three persons were said to have escaped death or injury out of a population of 500.

Bodies Carried a Mile

The storm was so strong at Parish that bodies were carried more than a mile, it was reported. At Murphysboro, where the dead totaled 100, a schoolhouse was blown over the heads of 245 pupils while at Desota, later estimates placed the dead at 100 and the injured at 300 out of a total population of 705.

A special schoolhouse at Desota also was razed and only three of the 250 occupants escaped unhurt, while 88 bodies already have been taken from the ruins. The latest reports say that 700 persons were killed at Parish and West Frankfort alone, but other information places the loss in these towns somewhat lower.

Wind Close to Earth

It was around 3 o’clock when the tornado again touched north with its mighty swish, swinging through Murphysboro and Desota and laying those places waste in the twinkling of an eye. The wind rushed on close to the earth for 15 or 20 miles and then apparently lifted until it came to Carmi, Ill., near the Indiana line.

After taking its toll in that district, the storm again arose, only to descend more than 20 miles west of the state line at Princeton, Ill.

Among other towns and cities to report damage and loss of life were Desota, Illinois, with 150 casualties reported; Prish, Ill., with all but three of a population of 500 either killed or injured; Princeton, Indiana, with an estimate of 100 casualties; Griffin, Indiana, with 20; Groham, Ill., with 87; Carmi, Ill., with 150; and Crossville, Bush and Hurst, Illinois, reporting serious damage and numerous casualties.

Murphysboro in Flames

St. Louis, March 18—Passengers arriving in St. Louis at 8:45 tonight on a Mobile and Ohio train, which passed through Murphysboro, Ill., two hours previous, reported that the city is "completely in flames.” Water mains have burst, they said, and there are no lights. As the train stopped to take on 50 refugees, citizens by the hundreds were seen running frantically through the streets, clad only in blankets. Estimates of the dead in Murphysboro range from 100 to 180.

Orders Out Medical Units

Springfield, March 18—Governor ?? has issued an ?? to medical units of three Illinois regiments to ??? proceed to Murphysboro and the ??? comprise about 50 doctors.

Company k of the ?? infantry of Cairo has also been ordered to proceed to Murphysboro.

From the front page of The Goldsboro News, Thursday morning, March 19, 1925

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