Hallam, NE Tornado, Jun 1912

The farms most severely hit in Lancaster county by the tornado were those of Chris Keller, one-half mile east of Hallam; George Sanserline [sic], one-half mile west and one mile north of Hallam; Gus Nelbuhr, one-half mile west and two miles north of Hallam; and Alton Vrbsky, also near Hallam. All of the buildings, including the residences, were totally destroyed on these places, and the residents saved themselves only by taking refuge in their cellars. Farm machinery and other property was carried away and scattered over the country, and much live stock, though the total amount is unknown, was killed.

On the farm of [illegible] Schneider, one-half mile west and three north of Hallam, the barn and some sheds were destroyed, but the residence remained standing.
The storm traveled from northwest to southeast, and in many respects was a tipical [sic] tornado. Following the general overcasting of the sky so that it became almost as dark as twilight, a heavy hail of large stones fell, and this was followed by the violent wind of the funnel-shaped cloud which swept a path of about forty rods in width. The tornado just missed the town of Hallam, and was witnessed by the residents of that place and of the neighboring towns and villages.

The tornado did not move in the direction that a majority of these storms do. It is seldom that one travels from northwest to the southeast as this one did. The prevailing direction is from southwest to the northeast.

At the weather station it was explained this morning that all depends on the direction the wind is blowing at the time that a tornado originated. As it almost invariably blows from the southwest when such destructive agencies are generated, they generally move necessarily in a northeasterly course.

Lincoln Daily News, Lincoln, NE 15 Jun 1912
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