Melrose Park, IL Tornado, Mar 1920

The wind tore into the business quarter of Melrose Park, ripping roofs from buildings, shattering windows and piling the streets with debris.

The Church of the Sacred Heart was severely damaged. The church bell, weighing nearly a ton, was thrown 100 feet away.

The roof of the parish house adjoining was carried away and three nuns were injured by flying debris. Fire for a time threatened to add to the havoc, but the flames were confined to the wreckage.

Several Melrose Park houses damaged by the tornado were destroyed by fire Sunday night when gas from broken mains ignited. The town’s water supply had been cut off and water had to be pumped from wells.

All of the villages swept by the storm wore without fire protection. No electric current was available.

The Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, ID 29 Mar 1920

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Known Dead:
Melrose Park, 9:
WILLIAM SELK, PHILLIP KING, FRED FLIPPINGER, ANTOINETTE LESANSKI, MR. and MRS. WILLIAM TECKMEYER, AUGUST SWANSON, MRS. NELLIE BUTTS, 80 years old; JOSEPH IVANSCK.

Tulsa Daily World, Tulsa, OK 29 Mar 1920

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In Melrose Park, Mr. and Mrs. STEIBEL regained consciousness to find themselves in their own basement with the adjoining house above them, resting upon the foundations.

Several houses were split in half one portion jumbled into a mass of splintery debris, the other portion standing firmly on its foundations, exhibiting its contents in cross section.

Orders to “shot and shot to kill” were given soldiers on guard against looters in Melrose Park today by CHARLES WILTZ, the village president.

CHARLES PETERSON was buried under the ruins of his house and spent the night at a hospital. This morning he left, declaring the storm had demolished his chicken house and he had to find his chickens.

Melrose Park a small residential suburb of Chicago lost eleven lives. More than 200 were without homes today. Every house standing sheltered wounded who had been dragged from the debris of seventy-five shattered buildings.

Over $410,000 of flour was scattered when a mill was destroyed. The flour lay inches deep in some parts of the streets.

In almost very place where building were wrecked the menace of fire followed. Torn gas connections and burning gas stoves in the wreckage contributed that danger.

The Fort Wayne News And Sentinel, Ft Wayne, IN 29 Mar 1920

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The suburbs are practically under military law. Soldiers are guarding the Citizens State Bank of Melrose Park, in which all the windows were broken and the roof carried away. Colonel STUART, in charge of the troops, has issued orders to “shoot to kill” if looting is attempted.

As far as could be learned little tornado insurance was carried by residents of the storm areas and individual losses are heavy.

In Melrose Park and Wilmette fire further added to the havoc.

The New York Times, New York, NY 30 Mar 1920
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!