St. Clair Chronicle from St. Clair, Missouri • Page 1

Your Own Franklin County Newspaner Clair Chronicle 'he St 8 PAGES IOC FRANKLIN COUNTY, ST. CLAIR. MISSOURI THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28. 1967 VOLUME 43 NUMBER 12 Tornado Strikes Potosi 3 Killed, lore Than 60 Injured of! The storm moved on down Highway to the home of Jesse and Julia Haggard, both about 70, where it hit with such destructive force that nothing remained of the frame and brick trimmed home but the basement walls. Bits and pieces of the Haggard home were scattered er a wide area and the Haggards were blown into a wood lot some 75 feet from the rear of their home.

Both of the Haggards died in the storm. The storm continued down Highway E. leaving bits of towels, sweaters, washing machines, and television sets in its wake. About one mile from the Haggard home, the new trailer home of Lawrence Heddrick's family was picked up and tossed flftv The peace and quiet of pleasant Christmas thoughts were suddenly shattered by mother nature early Thursday morning, December 21, for Potosi residents. A tornado struck at 1:15 ajti.

with devastating results. It left in its wake three dead, more than 60 injured, and more than three million dollars worth of damage. The storm in a matter of minutes affected the lives of 300 families directly, and countless others indirectly in the city of 3000. The storm first hit Potosi on the southern edge of town in Crestwood subdivision. Lilac drive had several nice homes in the $30,000 range just ly built.

Three homes were completely demolished and all received damaee in varying amounts. The storm continued on its path of destruction hitting the Potosi city hall, Jarvls AG market, then skipped across Highway 8 and leveled the office of the Missouri Arkansas Power and LlghtCompany. Austin Plaza, a new shopping center for Potosi, was next in the path of the storm. It was leveled as were many homes behind the shopping center. The storm then skipped over to the Intersection of Highway 21 and where It swooped down without warning into the Jarvis trailer court.

Here little nine year old Julia Hunter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alvln Hunter was killed as the trailer home in which she lived with her family was tossed and ripped open. 4 OElS feet where It landed on Its roof and splattered Into kindling. The Heddrlcks had lost their home to fire in June of this year.

INTENSE RAIN PRECEDED STORM Heavy rain preceded the tornado's fury. The rain caused the creeks in the area to flash-flood and a continuing downpour hampered rescue efforts. Bear Creek which runs between the Crestwood subdivision and downtown Potosi was flooded, and eliminated Mill street for use as a thoroughfare. Bob Hale a reporter for the Potosi Independent Journal, whose home was spared, said that he knew something had happened and went to investigate. He attempted to reach the home of Ms boss Lowell McFarland, who is publisher of the I-J.

Hale said that he soon found that high water and strewn wreckage of the storm would prevent him from reaching the McFarland home on the low route. He then decided to skirt the town and come into the tub-, division from the opposite direction. He said that it was raining so hard that he couldn't see two feet In front of his car headlights. He ran over the roof of the Jarvls AG store which had been blown more than a half mile and deposited across Highway 21. Upon reaching the McFarland home he found that the roof of the building had been blown away and all the furniture sucked out of the house.

Neither Mr. nor Mrs. McFarland was seriously injured. Hale had a flat tire an hour and one half later, the only damage to his car. Don Strange, who lived two doors east of the McFarland home, recounted that he was awakened by a loud noise.

Then the house disappeared and he found himself in the rear yard yelling for his wife and 18-month-old daughter. Mrs. Strange received a bad cut on her left leg from blowing debris. The Strange home was blown into a thousand pieces scattered for more than 150 feet below the foundation. The family dog was found on the opposite edge of town and no one knows how he got there, CONTINUED ON AOt 1 G5 -4ssat on the left leg from flying debris.

There was not one part of a wall left standing but the dog's food dish on the exposed corner of the carport remained in place with the dog's uneaten food still in the dish. The dog was found on the opposite side of town, frightened but unhurt. A frame between the Strange home and that of Lqwell McFarland was virtually untouched by the fury of the storm. STAFF PHOTO The home of Don Strange, Potosi high school coach, was blown away at the floor of the home. This is a view of the general direction that the Potosi tornado took through the community of 2800 people.

It was taken from the floor of the Strange home. Don Strange states that he awoke hearing a great noise, and the next he knew, he was in the rear yard of his home. His home was gone. His wife and daughter were also in the yard. He and his daughter were not hurt, but his wife received a severe cut 2 An almost new shopping center was leveled to' the ground in the Potosi tornado.

The laundromat above is just an example of the destruction. Cleanup crews from the U. S. Department of Agriculture Forestry Service, two construction companies, and various other utility and construction companies pitched in and helped the area residents clean up the mess and attempt to salvage. STAFF PHOTO 'i Ml) Zhe Weatf7i ei.

-i at tr -r it I The $30,000 home of Potosi Independent-Journal publisher Lowell McFarland and his wife was totally demolished in the tornado. The McFar-lands escaped with minor injuries. The roof and upper portions of the walls of the home were blown away and furniture was sucked out. STAFF PHOTO Potosi looked war-strewn last Thursday as residents began a cleanup of the million dollar tornado which hit Potosi unannounced at 1:15 a.m. last Thursday.

STAFF PHOTO Junior College Petitions Complete COLD WEATHER HITS An abrupt drop in temperature arrived on the heels of tornadoes which struck the Blx-by, Viburnum, Potosi and Stony Hill (near New Haven) areas at 1:15 a.m. Thursday. It Is now cold enough for ear muffs and two pairs of socks. Torrential rain came with the tornadoes. Franklin and Warren counties were under a tornado alert Thursday but the death-dealing winds did not develop here.

Residents of Plney Park south of St. Clair however watched a weather phenomena. Mrs. Louis Michie, whose clings to the top of a bluff in Piney Park overlooking a wide stretch of the Meramec Valley jutes that a dark cloud formed all of a funnel except the conical tip at the bottom. It gathered several times, only to be wafted apart by various air pressures.

Such funnel completed 1U formation in that same spot in the Meramec Valley and went rumbling overhead last winter Just prior to the tornado Strike which wiped out homes in Florissant. Rain went over the brim for 1967. The normal total moisture for the year was scheduled st 35.62 Inches. With the measure of 40.82 Inches which actually fell. Including L58 inches this put week, the total CONTINUID ON AOI 2 Immediately after such college, district Is established by popular vote, probably In April.

No definite tax levy has been arrive at to pay for the junior college, --'vr Maune. It was not possible 10 arrive at a figure until the extent of boundaries was known. The State Department will review the petitions and surveys after they are received In Jefferson City January 2nd, and the decision as to a public election here In the proposed district Is up to the Sum except the Pacific R-3 school district (which includes Cata-wissa and part of the Gray Summit district); and excluding the Gerald district, which is Included in the Cwensvllle district of Gasconade county. The proposed junior college district does include that area of Warren county within the Washington, Mo. school district, and the Bourbon school district of Crawford county, whose petitions are signed.

There is an interest at Cuba in Crawford county, and that district may petition to Join in the junior college district asked that the district be dropped from plans of the Junior College. The college district committee met later Saturday and voted that the Warrenton school district be eliminated from Junior college district plans. There were pressures within that district which caused the final decision, says Neil Maune. That area of Warren county which is in the Washington school district however remains In the plan for the proposed Junior College district. This leaves the area included within the proposed college district, with petitions signed, as follows: all of Franklin county All petitions and surveys necessary as the first step in the establishment of a Franklin County Junior College district have been completed, and will be delivered Tuesday, January 2, to the.

office of the State Department of Education at Jefferson City. The next step will be public election on the proposition in April, says Neil Maune, chairman of the steering committee. The Wirrenton school district however has withdrawn from participation. Though more than 30O" signatures had been obtained there, people of that district met last Saturday and The year 1967 was a wet one according to the weather watchers The year, closes with the Tri-County area well over six Inches ahead in total moisture. Rains of the past two weeks have fallen on water-soaked soil, and most of the added moisture has now.

run off. The Meramec had overrun Its banks last Friday and was the highest, it has been all year. If anyone wishes to brave the cold for a picnio at Meramec State Park, they, could have sat In water' waist deep last Friday. STAFF PHOTO..