Geneseo, IL Tornado, May 1860

Oakly

The destruction by the wind at this place was great. The store of T. F. Davenport, Esq., was entirely stove to pieces, and his large and valuable stock of goods, was found Monday morning, laying around promiscuously, over an area of one hundred acres. The steam mill was destroyed, besides several valuable houses.

Spring Creek

At Spring Creek, the house of Mr. Hoyt of New York, of which Harry Jones is agent, occupied by Mr. Razor, was taken up by the wind, leaving a “large and interesting family” sitting upon the ground, and after turning sommersaults for some twenty rods, it hit a ‘ridge,’ and, therefore, could not, by its most intimate acquaintances, be distinguished from a pile of rubbish. Narrow chance for Razor’s family, but a miss is as good as a mile.

Railroad Bridge.

The long covered Railroad Bridge of the C. & R. I. Railroad, over Rock River, was blown down and is a perfect wreck. This will be a serious inconvenience to the company, besides being a severe loss. It will, doubtless, be speedily rebuilt.

The amount of damage done in this town, we cannot, at this time, estimate; but it is very large, and falls heavily upon some of the sufferers. We nearly forgot to mention that several of our citizens received “calls” from the wind, which left its cards in the shape of chimneyless houses, broken windows, shattered cornices, &c., among whom, were Mr. A. Soule, Geo. Perry, Dr. Morse, Dr. Wells, Mr. Reed, Mr. McArthur, Mr. Mannington, John Wilshire, Perry & Spaulding, and numerous others, whose names we cannot now call to mind. They would do well to heed so emphatic a warning.

Chicago Press and Tribune, Chicago, IL 25 May 1860
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Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you, Audrey!