York, IL Tornado, Jun 1909

Storm was Fatal in Illinois

Three Persons Killed at York, Ill., Friday Night--Many Are Injured and Property Damage Will Reach $100,000.

York, Ill., June 8--Three persons are dead, one fatally injured and a half a dozen seriously injured as a result of a cyclone, which practically wiped out this town last night. The loss to property is estimated at $50,000. The damage to timber, fruit and crops will be more than $100,000. The dead are:
HENRY ROOK, aged sixty, Terre Haute, Ind.
MRS. LUCINDA PINKSTON, aged fifty, York, Ill.
MRS. JOHN BOSTICK, York, Ill.
Injured:
CLYDE SCOTT, York, fatally crushed.
B.F. MILLER, York, injured about head.
MRS. S.F. FREEMAN, guest of the Millers, seriously bruised.
ANNABEL NEWMAN, York, arms and body bruised.
JAMES LAYTON, Grayville, Ind., shoulder broken.
MRS. LYDIA FOSTER, buried under hotel, serious injuries.
MRS. JAMES LAYTON, Grayville, Ind.
Without warning the storm broke while most of the people were at supper. Entire families were buried in ruins of houses and it is remarkable that the death list is not greater. The storm lasted less than four minutes. All communication was cut off until early today.

HENRY ROOK, of Terre Haute, who owns a valuable lumber mill here, had just returned from the home of a neighbor with a pail of milk. He was picked up sixty yards from the house. He had been struck on the head by flying timbers.

MRS. LUCINDA PINKSTON was blown into the top of a tree several hundred feet from the house. She died in a few minutes.

MRS. JOHN BOSTICK was buried in the ruins of her home just across the river from York. She died late this afternoon without regaining consciousness.

The Methodist Church was demolished and the proprietor of a saloon across the street was hurled through his door into a thick hedge fifty feet away. Many horses and cattle were blown away and the carcasses apparently fell into the Wabash river and were washed away.

Heavy damage was also caused at Grayville, Ind. The home of JAMES LAYTON was demolished. MR. LAYTON was blown out of his house and buried under the ruins. He is believed to be fatally injured. MRS. LAYTON also sustained dangerous injuries.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, IN 7 Jun 1909
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!