Irving, IL Tornado, Apr 1860

THE STORM IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Irving, Ill., April 17, 1860

To The Editors of the Alton Courier:

Last night our town was visited by a tornado little less destructive than that which occurred in Pana near two years ago. The cloud made its appearance abut five o'clock. About half past five the wind began to blow, and so great was its force that a building of James Kelley's occupied as a drug store, some thirty-six feet long and two stories high, was blown some five feet from its foundation, destroying a large quantity of drugs and medicines. Another house was blown down; it was owned by John W. Kelley. Thomas Black's lumber was damaged very much, being piled up in his lumber yard. Some of the lumber was blown one-fourth of a mile. The methodist and Lutheran Churches were much damaged; but few houses, in this place, but received some damage; some suffered only the loss of their chimneys. Also, William B. Vanborn's carpenter shop was blown down, and so great was the force of the wind that some of the timbers were blown from his shop and struck his dwelling house some six or eight rods east of his shop, and penetrated to the interior of his dwelling, and, strange to say no person was hurt by the falling lumber and bricks.

Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL 23 Apr 1860
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Transcribed by JMCox8.