Most Violent December Tornadoes In Southern Illinois History
Southern Illinois experienced its worst storm in 47 years as tornadoes swept the region on Wednesday. SIU geographer Dallas Price notes the Murphysboro tornado was not as strong as the 1925 event, with wind speeds near 175 mph and a record low barometer around 28.43 inches. He adds December is unusually frequent for tornadoes here and Murphysboro’s two hits in 32 years is unique.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Southern Illinois
Dallas Price
Southern Illinois University
Murphysboro
Price
Illinois
SIU
Henry Boren
Carbondale
Tornado Scare Prompts SIU Evacuation in Carbondale
A tornado scare prompted SIU to evacuated the Chau tauqua Housing Project at Southern Illinois University around 5 pm. President Morris called the move precautionary as storm warnings lingered after a Wednesday tornado. Thompson Point dorms were used as shelter while Carbondale Community High School dismissed early.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carbondale
Chautauqua
Southern Illinois University
SIU
D.W. Morris
Thompson Point
Morris
Carbondale Community High School
Army Boosts Draft Call In February Total 13 000 Men
The Defense Department announced a February draft of 13 000 men for the Army an increase of 3 000 over January. January’s quota is 10 000 and under current plans the rest of 1958 will approximate February levels. The 1957 monthly rate was 7 000 since last July.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington, D. C
Defense Department
Army
Department
Drips to Call Sign Sparks Philly Plumber Gaffe
A Philadelphia plumber’s truck sign jokes about leaks with the line If you have a leak we’re the drips to call prompting a splashy local reaction and viral sharing across social media. The quirky cue highlights a lighthearted moment in city trades.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia
Company Demonstrates Equipment in Tornado Repairs
Conneticut firm Emhart Mfg Skyworker Division agents Gordon Knowles and Max Zaremba arrived in Murphysboro with a 40 foot hydraulic aerial tower for a tree trimming demo but turned the gear over to the power company to repair tornado damaged lines on high poles.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Conneticut
Gordon Knowles
Max Zaremba
Emhart Mfg. Co
Skyworker Division
Milford
Murphysboro Stores Sell Out Lights After Tornado
Demand in Murphysboro for kerosene lamps batteries and lanterns surged after the tornado struck at 5 25 p m Wednesday with power out across the town. Carbondale stores reported batteries lamps and Coleman gas mantles sold quickly while several shops restocked minimal supplies. Candles in brisk demand and emergency sales continued as customers prepared for outages.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Murphysboro
Carbondale Hardware
Douglas Jones
Carbondale
Bradley’s
Suburban Hardware
Patterson Hardware
Cole
Mine Engine Derailed By Washed Track Inches Idle Mines
Heavy rains weakened track at Bell Coal Co. Zeigler 3 mine causing it to idle. Orient 3 mine at Waltonville also idled after a Thursday tornado disrupted power. Locomotive damaged. company did not state when production would resume before Christmas.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bell Coal Co
Zeigler 3
Orient 3
Waltonville
Georgia Doctors Hurt In Wreck Near West Vienna
Two doctors from Trenton Georgia were injured in a one car crash three miles west of West Vienna at 4 a.m. State police said Dr. Allen F. Devore 40 lost control ran off the road and struck a tree. Dr. Devore and passenger Dr. Roscoe E. Ownby 63 were taken to Union County Hospital in Anna and were reported in good condition at noon.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Trenton
West Vienna
Allen F. Devore
Devore
Roscoe E. Ownby
Union County Hospital
Anna
Holden Hospital Mobilizes Rapid Disaster Response
Holden Hospital in Carbondale reported swift action after Wednesday tornadoes in Murphysboro Carbondale area. All off duty staff and volunteer auxiliaries joined by 6 p.m. with X-ray and lab teams on standby. Four tornado injured treated, including 16 year old Mary Shanklin of Murphysboro.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Murphysboro
Carbondale
Holden Hospital
Mary Shanklin
Living Costs Rise Again Announces November Increase
Washington reports living costs rose 0.4 percent in November, lifting the Labor Department index to 121.6 percent of the 1947-49 average. About one million workers will see a 5 cent per hour wage boost under contracts tied to prices, mainly in steel and aluminum. Ewan Clague cites higher new car prices as the main factor with clothing and services also rising.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Labor Departments
Ewan Clague
Labor
Centralia Man Killed In Motorcycle Collision
Lafe J. Waterbury, 35, of Centralia was killed Thursday in a crash on U S 50 near Lebanon when his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lebanon, Ill
Lafe J. Waterbury
Centralia
U. S. 50
Lebanon
Tornado damages base near power station
A base lies damaged by Wednesday's tornado, with debris affecting a power station building and hindering service. Local responders report disrupted utilities as crews assess the scene and restore power.
Williamson County treasurer bid filed by Marion mayor
Marion mayor Robert Cooksey seeks the Republican nomination for Williamson County treasurer in the April primary. He filed petitions Wednesday. Sheriff Carl Miller announced his Democratic bid for the same office. Cooksey, a state game warden, has held multiple local posts and is a Marion native with a wife and four children.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Marion
Robert Cooksey
Williamson County
Cooksey
Carl Miller
Stateville Penitentiary
Tornado Victims Funeral Rites Listed in Marshall Area
Funerals set for Mrs. Julia Marshall and grandson Robert Earl Marshall at Mt. Carbon Christian Church with burial in Crab Orchard Cemetery. Also joint services for Butcher family tornado victims in Murphysboro. Bids for Herrin low cost housing open Jan. 23 for 100 units costing about 1.25 million.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Earl Marshall
Mt. Carbon
Murphysboro
James McRoy
William McRoy
Elkville
Robert Earl Marshall
Harold W. Marshall
Phyllis Mae
Jerry Harold
Ira Trout
Herrin
Albert Storme
Williamson County Housing
Heroin Township High School
Storme
Frank Felts
Lee Potter Smith
Paducah
Four-year-old dies as Mt. Vernon tornado toll rises
In Mt. Vernon after three tornadoes, 4 year old Brad Copple died at Good Samaritan Hospital. 12 of 42 injured remain hospitalized. Isaac Morgan 46 and Pearl Siebers 72 critical at Jefferson Memorial Hospital. Mayor Baker valued damage at one million dollars as families cope with devastation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brad Copple
Good Samaritan Hospital
Roberta Copple
Isaac Morgan
Pearl Siebers
Jefferson Memorial Hospital
Bernice Backensto
Virginia Brown
Richard Brown
Betty Buron
Earl Howe
Emma Hoen
Joe Martin
Karen
Steve
Dennis Wangler
St. Louis
Virgil T. Baker
Eisenhower Returns to Washington After Paris Trip Delayed
President Eisenhower landed in Washington at 9 33 a m after a week in Paris where 15 NATO allies drafted a plan to cope with missiles era. The Columbine II faced an over three hour delay due to head winds with refueling stops at Keflavik and Harmon AFB. About 50 officials greeted him on arrival.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
D. C
Eisenhower
Paris
NATO
Keflavik
Iceland
Harmon Air Force Base
Newfoundland
U. S
Shorted Wires May Set Fires Warns Hanson
Murphysboro Fire Chief Urba Hanson warned that shorted wires could touch off several fires when power is restored. The fire department and three Greenville volunteers will stand by to answer calls as rain helped suppress fires in the wrecked area.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Murphysboro
Urba Hanson
Hanson
Greenville Fire Dept
British MPs approve missile bases in Britain
Prime Minister MacMillan won parliamentary approval in the House of Commons by 289 to 251 for establishing nuclear missile sites on British soil. The vote backs NATO decisions made in Paris to basing American made missiles in Britain.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
MacMillan
House of Commons
NATO
Paris
Britain
CCHS Lettermen Lead Clothing Drive for Tornado Victims
The C Club at Carbondale Community High School organizes a clothing drive for Murphysboro tornado victims. Pete Peterson cites tonight’s game with Chester as collection, plus Saturday pickup at Teen Town 208 W Elm from 8 am to 12 pm.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carbondale Community High School
Lettermen
Murphysboro
Pete Peterson
CCHS
Chester
W. Elm St
Peterson
Carbondale Junior Chamber of Commerce
Jaycee
Frank Herman
Funeral arrangements incomplete for Brenda Joyce Johnson
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Jackson Funeral Home in Carbondale for Brenda Joyce Johnson, age 12.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jackson Funeral Home
Carbondale
Brenda Joyce Johnson
Funeral services for Richard Menley in Carbondale
Funeral services for Richard Menley are set for 1 30 p m Saturday at Jackson Funeral Home Carbondale burial in Tower Grove Cemetery Murphysboro Anni e Menley wife arrangements incomplete Daughter Viola Menley en route from Cleveland Ohio
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Richard Menley
Jackson Funeral Home
Carbondale
Tower Grove
Murphysboro
Annie Menley
Viola Menley
Cleveland
Ohio
Chamber Urges City Action on Civil Defense Plan
The Carbondale Chamber of Commerce calls for the city to establish a workable civil defense and disaster organization. In a letter to Mayor John S. Wright, Chamber president Phil Stiles cites the Murphysboro tornado emergency as evidence that Carbondale lacks a disaster plan and urges prompt action.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carbondale Chamber of Commerce
John S. Wright
Phil Stiles
Chamber
Carbondale
Murphysboro
Herschel Mayer dies at 61 in Carbondale area
Herschel J. Mayer 61 of Makan da died Thursday at Marion Veteran's Hospital. Services set for 2 p m Saturday at Van Natta Funeral Home Carbon dale with Rev. Paul Holder officiating. Burial in Li cemetery south of Carbondale. Friends may call after 2 30 p m today at the funeral home.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Herschel J. Mayer
Makan‘da
Marion Veteran’s Hospital
van Natta Funeral Home
Carbondale
Paul Holder
Li Cemetery
Storm Cancels Santa's Visit in Murphysboro
The Retail Interest Committee of the Chamber of Commerce canceled Santa's planned appearance at a kiddieland area on Walnut Street due to the ongoing Sooner situation and a dead business area. Santa may visit later in the week, with a decision pending power restoration and business reopenings as Murphysboro remains largely closed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Santa Claus
Murphysboro
Chamber of Commerce
Santa
Kiddieland
Walnut Street
Marion Nash
Nash
Cory
Billion More For Arms Seen
Secretary of Defense McElroy said the Pentagon will seek about one billion dollars in supplemental funding when Congress convenes. The money would support missiles and other arms for the NATO buildup, boosting the defense budget for the year ending June 30 to around 39.5 billion dollars.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington, D. C
Defense
McElroy
Pentagon
Congress
NATO
Paris
Defense Department
Amusing Incidents Recalled Amid Murphysboro Tornado Cleanup
After the Murphysboro tornado, workers recalled humorous moments and odd anecdotes. A telephone operator logged frantic calls predicting impact, while staffers from The Southern Illinoisan narrowly missed the twister near their office. Residents found small comforts amid destruction, from an egg sized hailstone saved in a freezer to neighbors sharing heat from an electric heater.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Sunfield
Wye
Pinckneyville
Georgia
Holden
Frank L. Dobbs
Washington, D.C
Illinois Electric and Gas Company
Herrin Housing
Williamson
Butcher
Jeannett Butcher
George Butcher
Mary Jean
Donald Ray
Janet
Glenna Lucile
Gerald Lee
Crawshaw Mortuary Chapel
William Boatman
Boy
Mt. Vernon
Lke
Menley Rites
Herschel Mayer
Storm
Grand Tower
Glenn Exchange
Southern Illinoisan
Tony Stevens
Jim Herron
Randolph
Perry County
McLeansboro Area
St. Andrew’s Hospital
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