lornajarrettblanchard

—  66  Earle, Carville V. “Environment, Disease, and Mortality in Early Virginia,” Chapter 3

—  66  Grob. The Deadly Truth: A History of Disease in America. 2002, p. 52.

–>52  PBS. “Death at Jamestown,” Secrets of the Dead, 2016.[1]

 

Narrative Information

 

Earle (drawing upon Percy): “….When Captain Newport departed on June 22, he left 104 healthy colonists. But soon the colony took on a somber attitude. On July 6 George Percy’s journal mentioned John Asbie’s death by ‘bloudie Flixe.’ Three days later George Flowre died of the ‘swelling.’ In the space of a month 21 colonists died, causing Percy to lament that ‘our men were destroyed with cruell diseases, as Swellings, Flixes, Burning Fevers, and by warres, and some departed suddenly but for the most part they died of mere famine.’[2] By the end of September, 46 were dead, and in January, when the first supply ship arrived in Virginia, just 38 of 104 colonists were barely alive.[3]

 

“The abundance of death demanded an explanation. But Percy’s speculation that ‘meere famine’ was the cause of death is unconvincing. In support of his thesis we can say that the colonists’ daily ration consisted of just half a pint of wheat and another of barley, mixed in a gruel that yielded roughly half the caloric intake required for an active man of the colonists’ stature.[4] But we should not hastily accept Percy’s ‘meere famine,’….Captain John Smith…made little of the shortage of provisions, stating matter-of-factly on several occasions that the colony still had many weeks of supplies remaining. He knew that the annual sturgeon run would provide a supplementary source of food. Thousands of these fish entered the James estuary in April and May, and their run to freshwater spawning grounds continued through the summer, when the big fish came in. ‘From the later end of May till the end of June,’ wrote Smith, ‘are taken few, but young Sturgeons of 2 foot or a yard long. From thence till the midst of September, them of 2 or three yards long and fewe others. And in 4 or 5 houres with one nette were ordinarily taken 7 or 8: often more.’[5]….the Atlantic sturgeon averages over one hundred pounds….

 

“The food supply during Jamestown’s first summer, though unappealing, provided sufficient nourishment to ward off starvation and vitamin deficiency diseases….

 

“Although Percy blamed famine, his list of clinical symptoms brings us closer to the actual causes of death — typhoid, dysentery, and perhaps salt poisoning. Medical historians generally agree that Percy’s ‘flixes’ or ‘bloudie Flixes’ describe dysentery, and ‘Burning Fevers’ are symptomatic of typhoid fever.[6] The ‘Swellings,’ though perhaps associated with dysentery, could also result from salt intoxication from the salty river water.[7] These three diseases are also indicated by the incidence and rapidity of death, as chronicled by Percy. Typhoid fever progresses rapidly after infection by the bacterium Salmonella typhosa. The first week may be symptomless, as the organisms spread through the bowel wall and into the lymphatic glands. In the second week the organism enters the bloodstream, causing a rapid rise in body temperature, recognized by colonists as the ‘Burning Fever.’….Before the use of antibiotics, it is estimated that 15 to 20 percent of infected persons died. Dysentery, caused by amoebic parasites, produced the ‘bloudie Flixe.’….Dysentery is often fatal, especially when populations are weakened by other illnesses or undernourishment. Pre-antibiotic mortality rates of 12 to 25 percent have been recorded. Like typhoid, dysentery can act quickly….

 

“An epidemic of typhoid fever and dysentery is consonant with Percy’s description of death and sickness at Jamestown. Percy first noted disease-related deaths on July 6, and sickness and death continued ‘for the space of sixe weekes’ — a time span in keeping with the progression of typhoid fever and dysentery. Furthermore, 50 of the 104 colonists had perished by mid-September….” [pp. 96-101]

 

(Earle, Carville V. “Environment, Disease, and Mortality in Early Virginia,” Chapter 3 (pp. 96-125) in Thad W. Tate and David Ammerman (Eds.). The Chesapeake in the Seventeenth Century: Essays on Anglo-American Society. Williamsburg, VA: Institute of Early American History and Culture, 1979.)

 

Grob: “In December 1606 three vessels and 144 individuals left England. Before reaching American shores the group stopped in the West Indies, where they rested, ate fresh fruits and meat, and replenished their supply of water….At the end of April the expedition reached the Chesapeake Bay, and on May 13 settled on a site for the colony at Jamestown, located some fifty miles from the mouth of the James River. When the vessels departed for England in late June, 104 healthy persons remained behind at the first permanent English settlement in North American. The seemingly happy state of affairs proved short-lived. Within weeks [July-Aug?] nearly 20 percent of the colonists died. George Percy, one of the founders of the colony, provided a graphic description of events that fateful summer. ‘Our men,’ he lamented,

 

Were destroyed with cruell diseases as Swellings, Flixes, Burning fevers, and by Warres, and some departed suddenly, but for the most part they died of mere famine. There were never Englishmen left in a forreigne Countrey in such miserie as wee were in this new discovered Virginia…our men night and day groaning in every corner of the Fort most pittifull to heare, if there were any conscience in men, it would make their harts to bleed to heare the pittifull murmurings & outcries of our sick men without reliefe every night and day for the space of sixe weekes, some departing out of the World, many times three of foure in a night, in the mornings their bodies trailed out of their Cabines like Dogges to be buried: in this sort did I see the mortalitie of divers of our people.

 

“John Smith observed that ‘God plagued us with such famin and sicknes, that the living were scarce able to bury the dead.’ By the end  of September nearly half of the group had perished. Ehen the first supply ship arrived in January 1608, only 38 of the 104 original settlers remained alive.”[8] (Grob. The Deadly Truth: A History of Disease in America. 2002, pp. 51-52 and 287.)

 

PBS: “As they set sail from London to the distant shores of America in December 1606, the men and boys onboard the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery surely expected the best from their adventure. They’d establish a British settlement, find gold and silver, a passage to the Orient, and perhaps, the lost colony of Roanoke. The explorers, funded by a group of London entrepreneurs called the Virginia Company, could not have anticipated the fate that actually awaited most of them: drought, hunger, illness, and death.

 

“Their journey started off as badly as it ended. The three ships were stranded for weeks off the British coast, and food supplies dwindled. Over the course of the voyage, dozens died. But 104 colonists — many gentlemen of privilege, but also artisans, craftsmen, and laborers — survived to reach the shores of Virginia. On May 13, 1607, they decided to make landfall on the swampy ground of what was then a peninsula (and now an island) along the James River, some 60 miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Within a month the settlers had constructed a triangle-shaped wooden for, for protection against the Spanish, who did not want the British to establish any kind of foothold in the New World.

 

“The settlers of the new colony — names Jamestown — were immediately besieged by attacks from Algonquian natives, rampant disease, and internal political strife. In their first winter, more than half of the colonists perished from famine and illness.” (PBS. “Death at Jamestown,” Secrets of the Dead, 2016.)

 

Source

 

Earle, Carville V. “Environment, Disease, and Mortality in Early Virginia,” Chapter 3 (pp. 96-125) in Thad W. Tate and David Ammerman (Eds.). The Chesapeake in the Seventeenth Century: Essays on Anglo-American Society. Williamsburg, VA: Institute of Early American History and Culture, 1979. Accessed 1-5-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=MYBRT-pd_j0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Grob, Gerald N. The Deadly Truth: A History of Disease in America. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2002. Partially Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=U1H5rq3IQUAC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

PBS. “Death at Jamestown,” Secrets of the Dead, 2016. Accessed 1-5-2018 at: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/death-jamestown-background/1428/

 

 

 

[1] PBS does not note the number of deaths in this overview of the show — note that “more than half of the colonists perished from famine and illness.” Earlier note that 104 colonists had arrived to create Jamestown.

[2] Earle footnote 2: “Observations by Percy,” Tyler, ed., Narratives of Early Virginia, 20-21. “The Proceedings of the English Colony” (1607) claims 105 colonists. Edward Arber and A. G. Bradley, eds., Travels and Works of Captain John Smith, President of Virginia, and Admiral of New England, 1580-1631 (Edinburgh, 1910), 1, 94.

[3] Earle footnote 3. Arber and Bradley, eds., Travels and Works of Captain John Smith, 1, lxxvi, 9, 95; Alexander Brown, The First Republic in America, An Account of the Origin of This Nation, Written from the Records Then (1624) Concealed by the Council, Rather than from the Histories Then Licensed by the Crown (Boston and New York, 1898, 55.

[4] Earle footnote 4: Herbert Renardo Cederberg, Jr., “An Economic Analysis of English Settlement in North America, 1583-1635” (Ph.D. diss., University of California, Berkeley, 1968), 144; Arber and Bradley, eds., Travels and Works of Captain John Smith, II, 391-392.

[5] Earle footnote 6: “A Discourse of Virginia per: Ed: Ma: Wingfield,” in Arber and Bradley eds., Travels and Works of Captain John Smith, 8-9, 51.

[6] Earle footnote 10: Very useful are John Duffy, Epidemics in Colonial America (Baton Rouge, La., 1953); Wyndham B. Blanton, Medicine in Virginia in the Seventeenth Century (Richmond, Va., 1930), 3-77; Thomas P. Hughes, Medicine in Virginia, 1607-1699, Jamestown 350^th Anniversary Historical Booklets, no. 21 (Williamsburg, Va., 1957); and Richard Harrison Shryock, Medicine and Society in America, 1660-1860 (New York, 1960), 82-116.

[7] Earle footnote 11: Hans G. Keitel, The Pathophysiology and Treatment of Body Fluid Disturbances (New York, 1962), 162-164; John Hardesty Bland, “Clinical Physiology and Four Avenues of Loss and Gain,” in Bland, ed., Clinical Metabolism of Body Water and Electrolytes (Philadelphia, 1963), 133-164.

[8] Grob footnote 6 cites: George Percy, “Discourse,” in The Genesis of the United States, ed. Alexander Brown, 2 vols. (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1890), I: 167-168; Earle, “Environment, Disease, and Mortality in Early Virginia,” p. 367; Dana P. Arneman, “Mortality in the Early Colonies of Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay Colony: A New Interpretation” (M.A. thesis, University of South Carolina, 1990), pp. 9-10.

–100s-1000s Kohn. Encyclopedia of Plague & Pestilence (Revised). 2001, p. 298.

Narrative Information

Kohn: “Seneca Indian Measles Epidemic of 1592-96

“Evidently one of the earliest outbreaks of measles (rubeola) among Native Americans, striking the Seneca Indians’ Cameron village in what is now western New York state. Indian fear, panic, and inability to cope with the very contagious, viral disease contributed to hundreds, possibly thousands, of deaths between 1592 and 1596.

“Although there is a lack of hard evidence about specific and identifiable diseases among the Indians, historical researchers strongly support the belief that numerous measles outbreaks occurred in the entire Atlantic coastal region from Florida to the Great Lakes and New England from 1528 to 1596. Enough human skeletal evidence at the site of the Cameron village confirms the measles epidemic there of 1592-96.

“At various times during the sixteenth century Spanish ships’ crews and troops carried the measles virus (transmitted by direct contact or airborne droplets) to the West Indies and Florida, infecting the native peoples. Also, French fur traders who traveled up the St. Lawrence River might have carried the infection. However, the Seneca Indians most likely contracted measles through their trading and social interaction with the southeastern Indian tribes of what is now the United States.

“Sometime in 1592 the virus was transmitted to the Cameron village, where it was especially fatal among Seneca infants and children (who accounted for nearly half the death toll). Mortality among adults was less grave, undoubtedly because some older Seneca were immune, having apparently survived earlier exposure to the virus from 1564 to 1570.

“Further reading: Dobyns, Their Number Becomes Thinned: Native Dynamics in Eastern North America; Ramenofsky, Vectors of Death: The Archaeology of European Contact.” (Kohn. Encyclopedia of Plague & Pestilence (Revised). 2001, p. 298.)

Istúriz: “1592-1596. The Seneca Indians in what is now central New York state suffer from an epidemic of measles.” (slide 60.)

Sources
Istúriz, Raúl E., MD. Merging Infectious Reservoirs. Europe Meeting America at the Dawn of the Modera Age. Accessed 3-26-2021 at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjCpqKqxs7vAhW0FlkFHe9TDssQFjADegQIAhAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.escmid.org%2Fescmid_publications%2Fescmid_elibrary%2Fmaterial%2F%3Fmid%3D1404&usg=AOvVaw0fnsH3y7d56D1AC0DCR5ni

Kohn, George Childs (Editor). Encyclopedia of Plague & Pestilence From Ancient Times to the Present (Revised). NY: Checkmark Books, 2001.

–Hundreds?  Blanchard estimate based on New England Historical Society note of devastation.

–Decimated. Roberts, Chap. 19 “Maine” in Native America (D. S. Murphree, ed.), pp. 473-474.

–Devastated. New England Historical Society. “Exactly How New England’s Indian Pop…”

 

Narrative Information

 

Roberts: “Like both the Micmacs and the Maliseets [of Maine], the Passamaquoddy Indians moved with the seasons….When the Europeans came, the Passamaquoddies assisted them in surviving in the area. The Europeans passed on diseases, which very quickly reduced the Passamaquoddy population from around 20,000 to about 4,000. In 1586 a typhus epidemic broke out, further decimating the population. Due to its decreasing population, the Passamaquoddy tribe quickly aligned itself with the Maliseet and Micmac tribes and eventually aligned with Penobscot and Abenaki tribes to form the Wabanaki Confederacy.” (Roberts, Chapter 19 “Maine” in Native America (Daniel S. Murphree, editor), pp. 473-474.)

 

New England Historical Society: “Maine’s Passamaquoddy Indians, among the first to make contact with Europeans, were devastated by a typhus epidemic in 1586. Other diseases brought the Passamaquoddy population to 4,000 from 20,000.”

 

Source

 

New England Historical Society. “Exactly How New England’s Indian Population Was Nearly Wiped Out.” Accessed 4-2-2018 at: http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/exactly-new-englands-indian-population-nearly-wiped/

 

Roberts, Ronda. Chapter 19, “Maine” in Native America: A State-by-State Historical Encyclopedia, Volume 2. Daniel S. Murphree (editor). Santa Barbara, Denver and Oxford, UK: Greenwood, 2012. Google preview accessed 4-2-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=QWxg0Il8M74C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

 

–600 Elsner and Kara. Hurricanes of the North Atlantic: Climate and Society. 1999, p. 178.
— ? “…decimated the settlement and destroyed de Luna’s fleet.” Hurricanes: Science and Society.
— “ Rappaport, Fernandez-Partagas, Bevin. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1996.
— ? Worth. Names several drowned officials, about dozen lost ships; unknown loss on shore.

Narrative Information

Elsner and Kara: “The Tampa Bay hurricane of 1559 killed at least 600 onboard 13 ships.” (Elsner and Kara. Hurricanes of the North Atlantic: Climate and Society. 1999, p. 178.)

Hurricanes: Science and Society: “1559- Florida Hurricane Ruins Spanish Settlement.”

“The Spanish conquistador Don Tristan de Luna y Arellano was sent to conquer Florida in 1559. On August 15, 1559, he landed near present day Pensacola, establishing the first European settlement in the continental United States. Just weeks later, on the evening of September 19, 1559, a hurricane, which lasted for 24 hours, decimated the settlement and destroyed de Luna’s fleet. Those who survived tried to reestablish the settlement, but due to famine and attacks, their attempts failed. The site was abandoned in 1561.

“Fast Facts:
• After de Luna’s colony was destroyed, it was concluded that Florida was too dangerous to colonize and the Spanish did not attempt to settle on the U.S. Gulf Coast again until 1693, 134 years later.
• In 1992, the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research discovered the remains of a Spanish sailing ship, a galleon, off Emanuel Point during a survey of Pensacola Bay. It is thought that this may be one of Tristan de Luna’s sunken ships. Thousands of artifacts and field specimens have been recovered and a substantial portion of the ship’s hull architecture has been recorded.
“Sources:
• History of Pensacola, Florida. Wikipedia. 2009.

• Tristan de Luna y Arellano. Wikipedia. 2009.

• Smith, R.C., Spirek, J., Bratten, J., and Scott-Ireton, D. 1995. The Emaunel Point Ship: Archaeological Investigations, 1992-1995, Preliminary Report. Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research, Division of Historical Resources.
http://www.flheritage.com/reports/Emanuel1995.pdf

• Smith, R.C., Bratten, J.R., Cozzi, J.C., and Plaskett, K. The Emanuel Point Ship Archaeological Investigations 1997-1998. Report of Investigations #68, Archaeology Institute, University of West Florida.
Worth: “During the evening of Tuesday, September 19, 1559, some 458 years ago, strong winds from the north heralded the arrival of a great hurricane in Pensacola Bay. The storm was not the first to assail the bay, nor would it be the last, but the 1559 hurricane did manage to change the course of human history by destroying a fleet of Spanish colonial ships riding at anchor off the newly-founded settlement called Santa María de Ochuse.

“Five weeks earlier, on August 14-15, the fleet of 12 ships carrying some 1,500 soldiers and settlers entered Pensacola Bay (then known by its native name of Ochuse) with the intention of establishing a port settlement, pushing inland to the native chiefdom of Coosa located in modern northwest Georgia, and then crossing the Appalachian summit and descending eastward to found a Spanish colony along the Atlantic coast at a place known as the Punta de Santa Elena, at modern-day Parris Island, South Carolina. Following nearly half a century of failed private attempts to establish a Spanish colonial presence in southeastern North America, King Phillip II had finally provided substantial royal funding and support to launch the largest colonial effort yet attempted in the land they called Florida, in order to block the imminent threat of French colonization.

“At the head of the expedition was governor and general don Tristán de Luna y Arellano, veteran of the Coronado expedition to the American Southwest nearly 20 years before. Leading a group of some 550 cavalry and infantry soldiers and nearly 1,000 others including wives and children, servants, slaves, and even a group of some 200 Aztec warriors and craftsmen from the Valley of Mexico, Luna directed his forces to reconnoiter the bay in search of a suitable site for settlement. Discovering a high, level terrace next to a bluff overlooking the heart of the bay, as far inland as possible while still in view of the bay’s mouth, the Spaniards spent the next weeks clearing the forest, laying out a rectangular grid of streets and some 140 land lots, and initiating the construction of housing for the colonists on the landform now known as Emanuel Point. Though many initially refreshed themselves on land after the nearly two-month voyage from Veracruz, documentary records reveal that the settlers promptly offloaded the majority of their equipment, supplies, and personal possessions, leaving only the vast stores of corn, wheat, wine, olive oil, and other staple foods on board the ships until a sufficient warehouse had been constructed to house them on land.

“One by one, during early September the ships’ crews were certified to be issued their remaining expedition pay as they completed the offloading process. As the unloading was completed, Luna dispatched a detachment of two companies inland along the Escambia River at the head of the bay in search of native villages and informants who could help guide them to Coosa. While awaiting their return, two ships were even prepped for a transatlantic voyage to make a direct report in Spain, while another was sent back to New Spain to report on the successful landing. All seemed well, and as housing approached completion at the new settlement, attention doubtless turned to public structures such as the royal warehouse.

“Even though Spanish residents of Puerto Rico had already been devastated by the approaching hurricane on September 12, Luna’s colonists had no warning when the storm rolled into Pensacola Bay seven days later. Descriptions of the storm indicate that the winds started out of the north, but swirled in all directions around the colony for a full 24 hours, devastating the fleet and young settlement at Emanuel Point. Anchor cables were broken, ships were driven into shallower water and literally broken apart by the waves and wind. On board the flagship Jesús, ready to sail for Spain, its captain Diego López drowned, as did one of the Dominican missionaries named fray Bartolomé Matheos, and a soldier named Melchor González. While the total loss of life on the ships is unknown, nearly all the food stores for the colony were destroyed with the ships. Only a single small vessel was reported to have “miraculously” ended up on dry land in the midst of a grove of trees, and which was completely scavenged afterward. Documents suggest the settlers fared better on land, but the fledgling settlement was doubtless devastated after only a few weeks of clearing and construction. And most importantly of all, Luna was now in charge of well over a thousand people who had virtually no food available to them, and only four ships still afloat, including a caravel, two barks, and a small frigate. One of the barks was sent to Veracruz with the tragic news, and another to Havana for emergency supplies. Two hundred soldiers were also quickly dispatched deep inland to the north in search of native populations with food supplies.

“For the Luna colonists, the struggle to survive had just begun. The next two years would witness an amazing and dramatic sequence of events, including the relocation of most settlers into central Alabama at a native town called Nanipacana for some four months, the arrival of four successive relief fleets from New Spain, the gradual evacuation of more and more of the settlers from Florida, and a series of bitter legal disputes between Luna and his followers, which generated much of the documentation that remains of the expedition. But that is another tale. On another Tuesday, September 19, Pensacola was the scene of a massive hurricane that changed the history of North America forever, illustrating the pivotal role that such storms played and continue to play in human affairs.” (Worth, John. “September 19, 1559: A Hurricane That Changed History.” 9-19-2017.)

Source

Elsner, James B. and A. Birol Kara. Hurricanes of the North Atlantic: Climate and Society. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Hurricanes: Science and Society: “1559- Florida Hurricane Ruins Spanish Settlement.” Accessed 3-16-2020 at: http://www.hurricanescience.org/history/storms/pre1900s/1559/

Rappaport, Edward N., Jose Fernandez-Partagas, and Jack Bevin. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1996. Miami, FL: National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center (Honolulu), NOAA, 1997. Accessed 3-16-2020 at: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdeadlyapp2.shtml?

Worth, John. “September 19, 1559: A Hurricane That Changed History.” 9-19-2017. Accessed 3-16-2020 at: https://www.wuwf.org/post/september-19-1559-hurricane-changed-history

— 1,700  Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History.  Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 8.[1]

 Blanchard note: Have not seen other mentions of such a loss of life on or along the Texas lower coast, thus this might not be reliable.

Source

 Roth, David (National Weather Service). Texas Hurricane History. Camp Springs, MD:  NWS.  1-17-2010 update. Accessed 3-4-2017 at: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf

 

[1] From Table: “Texas Hurricanes — 1527 through 2009.” There is no description.

Compiled by B. Wayne Blanchard, Dec 2015; modified Dec 2019, for website: Deadliest American Disasters and Large-Loss-Of-Life Events. https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–1,752                                    Blanchard tally from State and local breakouts below.

Summary of State Breakouts

 District of Columbia (     10)

Illinois                         (1,033)            Chicago (1,033)

Indiana                       (     12)            Indianapolis (10)

Maryland                   (       4)            Baltimore

Massachusetts           (     33)

Michigan                    (     53)            Detroit especially (>23)

New Jersey                (     11)

New York                   (   147)            New York City and Brooklyn especially

Philadelphia, PA       (     13)

Vermont                     (       1)

Wisconsin                  (   325)            Milwaukee especially (244)

Breakout of 1894 Smallpox Deaths by State and Locality (where noted)

District of Columbia (  10)

—    1  Wash, DC         May 22            Woodward. Report of…Health Officer… p. 1058.

—    9  Wash, DC         Oct-Dec          Woodward. Appendices. Health Officer Rpt., 1894, p. 1102.

–1   “               Oct 13             Woodward. Report…Health Officer… p. 1069.^[1]

–4   “               Oct 15-Nov 6  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N46, 11-16-1894, 1065

–1   “               Nov 7-21^[2]       USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N47, 11-23-1894, 1095

–1   “               Dec 21^[3]           Eliot in Annual Rpt. DC Commissioners, 1895, p. 1290.

–1   “               Dec 26^[4]           Eliot in Annual Rpt. DC Commissioners, 1895, p. 1290.

 

Illinois                         (1,033)            Chicago (1,033)

–1,033                        Year                Report of Dept. of Health of Chicago, 1984, p. xxix.

—  22  Jan 1-24                                    USMHS.  Weekly…San. Rpts., V. IX, N5, Feb 2, 1894, 57.

—    7  Jan 25-30                                  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V. IX, N8, 23 Feb 1894, 110.

—  55  Feb                                           USMHS. Weekly….San. Rpts., V.IX, N14, 6 Apr 1894, 207

—  95  Mar                                           USMHS. Weekly….San. Rpts., V.IX, N14, 6 Apr 1894, 207

–157  Apr                                           USMHS. Weekly….San. Rpts., V.IX, N22, 1 Jun 1894, 366.

–253  May                                          USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N35, 8-31-1894, p703.

–171  June                                          USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N35, 8-31-1894, p703.

—  51  July                                           USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N35, 8-31-1894, p703.

—  53  Aug                                           USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N40, 5 Oct 1894, 869.

 

Indiana                       (  12)               Indianapolis (10)

—  3  Delaware County. Year             Indiana Med. Jour. “The Small-pox Epidemic…” p. 514.[5]

–10  Indianapolis        Up to June 19  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N25, 22 Jun 1894, 423

 

Maryland                   (    4)

–4  Baltimore             May                 Cordell. Medical Annals of Maryland, 1799-1899. 1903, 728.

 

Massachusetts           (  33)

–33  Statewide           Year                Sec. of MA. 53^rd Report of…Deaths…1884, p. 32.[6]

 

Michigan                    (  53)               Detroit especially (>23)

—  1  Adrian Twnsp.   Nov 23            USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N52, 12-28-1894,1270

–25  esp. Detroit^[7]       Jan 8-June 28              USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N31, 8-3-1894, p. 573.

—  5  Detroit                Jun 29-Aug 18 USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N34, 8-24-1894, p674.

—  1     “                       Aug 19-25       USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N35, 8-31-1894, p705.

—  1     “                       Sep 23-29        USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N40, 5 Oct 1894, 871.

—  7     “                       Oct 13-Nov 10            USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N50, 12-14-1894,1179

—  9     “                      Dec 1-29         USMHS. Abstract of Sanitary Reports, X/1, 1-4-1895, p. 2.

—  3  Royal Oak Tw.   Nov 1              USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N52, 12-28-1894,1271

—  1  Sebewa Twnsp. Nov 14             USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N52, 12-28-1894,1271

—  3  St. Johns Oct 28                         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N52, 12-28-1894,1271

 

New Jersey                (  11)

–11  Statewide           Year                NJ Board of Health. 29^th Annual Report… Table 42, p. 48.

 

New York                   (147)               New York City and Brooklyn especially

—  37  Statewide         May                 USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N28, 7-13-1894, p498.

–26  NYC and Brooklyn

—  7  Towns in immediate vicinity of New York City

—  3  Albany Penitentiary

—  1  Rochester

—  24  Statewide         June                 USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N32, 8-10-1894, p610.

—  19  Statewide          July                 USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N36, 7 Sep 1894, 733.

 

—  51  Brooklyn          Feb 17-Apr 21 USMHS. Weekly….San. Rpts., V.IX, N18, 5-4-1894, p.263.

—    1  “                      Oct 6-Nov 17  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N47, 11-23-1894,1095

—    1   “                      Dec 22-29       USMHS. Abstract of Sanitary Reports, X/1, 1-4-1895, p. 2.

—  10  NYC                 Oct 27-Nov 24 USMHS. Abstract of Sanitary Reports, X/1, 1-4-1895, p.2.

—    4      “                    Nov 24-Dec 22 USMHS. Abstract of Sanitary Reports, X/1, 1-4-1895, p.2.

 

Philadelphia, PA       (  13)

–13  Philadelphia       Year                City of Philadelphia. 1^st Annual Message… 1907, p. 100.^[8]

 

Vermont                     (    1)

—    1  Washington      Dec 14             USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N52, 12-28-1894, 1270

 

Wisconsin                  (325)               Milwaukee especially (244)

—    1  Beaver Dam     Nov 19-26       USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N48, 11-30-1894, 1125

—    1  Ellsworth          Oct 22-Nov 5  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N47, 11-23-1894, 1095

—    2  Franklin            Oct 23-Nov 5  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N46, 11-16-1894, 1064

—    1         “                 Nov 5-19         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N47, 11-23-1894, 1093

—    4  Greenfield        Nov 5-19         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N47, 11-23-1894, 1093

—    1  Liberty             Oct 8-22          USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N43, 26 Oct 1894, 968

—  74  Milwaukee       Jan-Sep 24       USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N40, 5 Oct 1894, 867.

—  21         “                 Sep 25-Oct 8   USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N42, 19 Oct 1894, 935

–122         “                 Oct 6-Dec 10  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N49, 12-7-1894, 1149.

—  17         “                 Dec 11-17       USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N52, 12-28-1894, 1271

—    3         “                Dec 18-24       USMHS. Abstract of Sanitary Reports, X/1, 1-4-1895, p. 2.

—    4         “                Dec 25-30       USMHS. Abstract of Sanitary Reports, X/1, 1-4-1895, p. 6.

—    1  Milwaukee Twp. Oct 8-Nov 5 USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N44, 11-2-1894, 1004.

—    2  Muskego          Oct 23-Nov 5  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N46, 11-16-1894, 1064

—    1         “                 Nov 5-19         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N47, 11-23-1894, 1093

—  33  Other than Mil. Jan-Sep 24      USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N40, 5 Oct 1894, 867.

—  15         “                 Aug 1-20         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N35, 8-31-1894, 700.

—    4         “                 Aug 21-Sep 9  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N37, 9-14-1894, 759.

—    1  Rhinelander      Dec 18-24       USMHS. Abstract of Sanitary Reports, X/1, 1-4-1895, p. 2.

—    1  Spring Prairie   Nov 5-19         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N47, 11-23-1894, 1093

—    1  Two Rivers      Oct 23-Nov 5  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N46, 11-16-1894, 1064

—    3         “                 Dec 3-10         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N50, 12-14-1894, 1172

—    2  Wauwatosa       Sep 10-24        USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N40, 5 Oct 1894, 867.

—    7         “                 Sep 25-Oct 8   USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N42, 19 Oct 1894, 935

—    1         “                 Oct 8-22          USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX, N43, 26 Oct 1894, 968

—    1         “                 Oct 23-Nov 5  USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N46, 11-16-1894, 1064

—    1         “                 Nov 5-19         USMHS. Weekly…San. Rpts., V.IX/N47, 11-23-1894, 1093

 

District of Columbia

 

Eliot:^[9] “….It is unfortunate that the Smallpox Hospital is not always kept ready for use, since when patients are under treatment it is almost impossible to find men willing to enter the building to make repairs that may be needed, such as replacing broken window panes, fitting keys, and other like jobs, or to assist in putting up stoves, screens, or do scrubbing. Being in the Smallpox Hospital is like being in the grave, for one is cut off from all association with those on the outside….” (p. 1290)

 

“In this day of general enlightenment it would appear uncalled for to refer to the benefits of vaccination, but while this enlightenment pervades all classes of society it must be admitted that vaccination has gone out of fashion and a state of apathy on this subject has taken its place. In 1871 the same condition of indifference existed and it required an epidemic, which encircled the world, to bring the people to a correct appreciation of the beneficial effects of a successful vaccination….” (p. 1292)

 

“During the late war between the States there occurred among the United States forces, the following cases of smallpox…May 1, 1861, to June 30, 1866…a total of 18,952 cases with 7,058 deaths…Among the Confederate prisoners we find 9,830 cases occurred with 2,624 deaths…[9,682 smallpox deaths]. During the last ten years, however, but 3 deaths from smallpox have occurred in the United States Army, where vaccination is compulsory. Smallpox is a preventable disease, in every sense of the term preventable, through an immunity conferred upon the system through a successful vaccination….” (p. 1293)

 

Sources

 

Chicago Commissioner of Health. Annual Report of the Department of Health of the City of Chicago for the Year ended December 31, 1894. Chicago: 1895. Accessed 12-31-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=_y-6L3g_RxEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

City of Philadelphia. First Annual Message of John E. Reyburn, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia with the Annual Reports of the Departments of Public Health and Charities, Supplies, Public Education, Law, City Controller, City Treasurer, Commissioners of the Sinking Funds, Receiver of Taxes, and Board of Revision of Taxes for the Year Ending December 31, 1907 (Vol. III). Philadelphia: Dunlap Printing Co., 1908. Google digitized. Assessed 12-5-2012: http://books.google.com/books?id=0ihNAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Cordell, Eugene Fauntleroy, M.D. The Medical Annals of Maryland, 1799-1899. Baltimore, 1903. Accessed 12-31-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=Wx8SAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

Eliot, Llewellyn, M.D. “Report of Dr. Llewellyn Eliot, M.D.” Beginning at p. 1290 in Annual Report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ended June 30, 1895. Washington: Gov. Printing Office, 1895. Accessed 2-16-2015 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=ymE3AQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

Indiana Medical Journal. “The Small-pox Epidemic in Delaware County.” Vol. XVIII, No. 12, June 1900. Accessed 12-31-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=no5XAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

New Jersey Board of Health. 29^th Annual Report of the Board of Health of the State of New Jersey and Annual Report of the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Trenton: 1905.  Accessed 12-25-2019 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Documents_of_the_Legislature_of_the_Stat/K4NDAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

 

Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Fifty-Third Report of Births, Marriages, and Deaths in the Commonwealth; Returns of Libels for Divorce, and Returns of Deaths Investigated by the Medical Examiners, for the Year 1894. Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Co., State Printers, 1895. Accessed 12-19-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=ZC1RAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

United States Marine-Hospital Service, U.S. Treasury Department. Abstract of Sanitary Reports Volumes IX-X, Jan 1984-Jan 1985. Accessed 12-31-2019 at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/428/#waosr

 

Woodward, Wm. C., M.D. Report of the Health Officer to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ended June 30, 1895. Beginning at p. 1055 in Annual Report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ended June 30, 1895. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1895. Accessed 2-15-2015: https://books.google.com/books?id=ymE3AQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

Woodward, Wm. C., M.D. Appendices to the Report of the Health Officer of the District of Columbia. Beginning at p. 1099 in Annual Report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ended June 30, 1895. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1895. Accessed 2-15-2015: https://books.google.com/books?id=ymE3AQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

 

[1] An 18-month-old child of an Interior Department clerk just returned from a visit to Vermont.

[2] Suspect this is a reference to Mrs. Margaret Pemberton, a nurse in the DC smallpox hospital who died on Nov 17. (Woodward. Report of the Health Officer to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ended June 30, 1895. 1895, p. 1057.)

[3] The date refers to admittance to the smallpox hospital of a black male. It is noted that he died, but not when.

[4] The date refers to admittance to the smallpox hospital of a black male. It is noted that he died, but not when.

[5] Writes there were several smallpox deaths. For purpose of contributing to tally we convert “several” into three.

[6] From Table IX. – Causes of Death.

[7] Includes Menominee, Muskegon, Otsego and Sturgis.

[8] Table entitled “Deaths from Smallpox from 1807 to 1907, inclusive, and Rate per 1,000 of Population.” Notes death rate of 0.011 per 1,000 population. Previous year death rate was 0.004.

 

[9] When there was an outbreak of smallpox in DC in late 1894, Dr. Eliot was put in charge of reopening and running the Smallpox Hospital.

—>126  Blanchard tally of State breakouts below.

—  100  NCDC. Billion-Dollar U.S. Weather/Climate Disasters 1980-2013.

—  >61  NCDC. “Record Cold in the Central and Eastern U.S. during December 1989.”[1]

—  <60  Dec 16-22. Associated Press. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” 12-23-1989.

—    38  By Dec 19. Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” 12-19-1989.[2]

 

Alabama                     (  5)

–5  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–1  Bellwood, Geneva Co., Dec 22-25. Hypothermia; male, 89, at home. Storm Data, 31/12, p.8.

–1  Birmingham, Dec 22-25. Hypothermia; male, 89, in his house. Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

–1  Dothan, Dec 22-25. Exposure to cold; male, 55. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

–1  Montgomery, Dec 16. Hypothermia; female, 72, outside. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

–1  Montgomery, Dec 22-25. Hypothermia; female, 89, in her apartment. Storm Data, 31/12, p8.

 

Arkansas                    (  4)

— 4  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 2  Crittenden County, Dec 23. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

— 1  Jefferson County, Dec 23. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

— 1  Locality not noted, Dec 3-9. Hypothermia; elderly man. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 8.

 

Florida                        (>26)

—>26  Dec 23-25. Includes hypothermia and stove and space heater-related fire deaths.[3]

—>13  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 9.

—  3  Our number based on “several fatalities…on ice-covered roads in North Florida.”

—>6  Hypothermia. (“At least six people died of hypothermia…”)

—  4  Space heater related fires.

—   6  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

 

Georgia                      (  4)

–1  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–3  Dec 17-19. Weather-related automobile accidents. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10.[4]

–1  I-85 near Atlanta, Dec 18. Traffic accident on icy road; Atlanta Falcons player.[5]

–1  Traffic accident on icy road, Dec 18, location not noted.[6]

–1  Greensboro, Greene Co., Dec 23. Hypothermia; elderly man outside. Storm Data, 31/12, p10

 

Illinois                         (25)

–25  State. Daily Herald, IL. “Illinois Briefs. Bitter cold blamed for 25 deaths.” 12-24-1989, p. 4.[7]

–19  Chicago area, Dec 12-24. Cold weather-related deaths. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10.[8]

—  1  Chicago, Dec 15-18. Exposure; male stuck in elevator shaft, apparent burglary attempt.[9]

 

Indiana                       (  2)

— 2  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  DeKalb County, Dec 17-18. Hypothermia; female found frozen to death in her car.[10]

— 1  Huntington County, Dec 17-18. Hypothermia; male; tried to walk 2 miles to his work.[11]

 

Louisiana                   (  5)

— 5  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Clinton, Dec 23. Boy, 13, playing on ice, drowns in frigid water when ice on pond breaks.[12]

— 1  Slidell, Dec 25. Boy, 13, playing on ice, drowns in frigid water when ice on pond breaks.[13]

— 1  New Orleans, Dec 21. Exposure; male, 36. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

— 1  New Orleans, Dec 24. Exposure; female, 64. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

— 1  St. Francisville, Dec 12. Exposure; male, 90, in poorly heated home. Storm Data, 31/12, 11.

 

Michigan                    (  5)

— 5  Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.

— 4  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Detroit, Dec 20. Hypothermia; male, 59, found dead outside of his apartment.[14]

— 1  Detroit, Dec 20. Hypothermia; female, 86, found frozen to death on her driveway.[15]

— 1  Hillsdale, Detroit area, Dec 18. Hypothermia; male, 65, in his home. Storm Data, 31/12, 12.

— 1  Taylor, Dec 21. Hypothermia; male (age not noted), found frozen to death outdoors.[16]

— 1  Lower MI, Dec 25. Freezing drizzle and snow contributes to 70 road accidents; boy, 15.[17]

 

Minnesota                  (  1)

— 1  Strandquist area, Dec 14-15. Hypothermia; male. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 12.

 

Mississippi                  (  2)

— 2  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Meridian, Dec 24. Hypothermia; male, fell asleep on floor in front of space heater.[18]

— 1  Neshoba County, Dec 24. Exposure; male, looking for firewood outside his home.[19]

 

Missouri                     (  1)

— 1  St. Louis area, ~Dec 21. Hypothermia; female, 87, found dead at home on floor; no heat.[20]

 

Montana                     (  1)

— 1  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Lewistown, Dec 15-16. Hypothermia; male left his car when it became stuck in snow.[21]

 

New York                   (14)

–14  Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.

—  1  Apalachin, Tioga County. Girl, 7, after foster mother poured water on her, put her outside.[22]

—  6  East Jewitt area, Catskill Mts., Dec 15. Plane crash in heavy snow storm — flew into mt.[23]

—  1  Eastern NY, Dec 15-16. Traffic accident blamed on icy roads and poor visibility; female.[24]

—  1  Eastern NY; Dec 15-16. Firefighter traffic accident on icy road.[25]

—  1  NYC subway station, before Dec 19. Man using hot-plate to keep warm sets himself on fire.[26]

—  4  NYC, Dec 15-17. Exposure; homeless people while sleeping in the city subway system.[27]

 

North Carolina          (  4)

— 4  Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below.

— 2  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Camden Co., Dec 22-23. Exposure; elderly man slipped outside of home, could not get up.[28]

— 1  Camden Co., Dec 22-23. Hypothermia; elderly man in his unheated home.[29]

— 1  Warsaw, Dec 25-27. Hypothermia; man found dead in his home on 27^th.[30]

— 1  Wilmington, Dec 22-24. Coastal snow storm; male dies of heart attack shoveling snow.[31]

 

Oklahoma                  (  5)

–5  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–1  Ardmore, Dec 23. Hypothermia; male, 28, outside on a city street.[32]

–1  Goldsby vic., McClain Co. Hypothermia; male, 28, seeking to elude police in wooded area.[33]

–1  Oklahoma City, Dec 22. Hypothermia; male, 24, in his unheated home.[34]

–1  Oklahoma City, Dec 23. Hypothermia; male, 35, outside, after leaving his car.[35]

–1  Poteau, Leflore Co., Dec 8. Hypothermia; female, 44; had left car, gone into wooded area.[36]

 

Pennsylvania              (10)

—  10  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

–>10  Eastern PA, during the month. NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 17.

–7  Philadelphia, “…a number of them were homeless people on the street.” Storm Data.[37]

 

South Carolina          (11)

–11  Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below.

—  9  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

—  1  Alcolu, Clarendon Co., Dec 25. Exposure; male found dead outside near a mobile home.[38]

—  1  Blacksburg, Cherokee County, Dec 25. Hypothermia; male, 65, in his unheated home.[39]

—  1  Carlisle, Union County, Dec 23. Hypothermia; male found dead in unheated home.[40]

—  1  Charleston, Charleston County, Dec 26. Male, found dead in an abandoned cab.[41]

—  1  Dorchester Co. Hwy 178, Dec 22-26. Traffic accident, man, on road with “heavy sheet of ice.”[42]

—  1  Greenville, Greenville County, 23^rd. Hypothermia; male found dead in an unheated home.[43]

—  1  Greenville, Greenville Co., Dec 23. Exposure; female, found dead two blocks from home.[44]

—  1  North Charleston, Dec 23. Exposure; male found unconscious, lying in snow; died later.[45]

—  1  North Charleston, Dec 26. Male found dead in an abandoned mobile home.[46]

—  1  Pageland, Chesterfield County, Dec 23. Male found dead in the yard of a house.[47]

—  1  Roebuck, Spartanburg County, Dec 9. Exposure; male found dead in backyard of home.[48]

 

Tennessee                   (  1)

— 1  NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989. Map: “December 1989 Deaths due to Cold.” P. 7.

— 1  Etowah, McMinn County, Dec 25. Elderly woman wandered away from her home.[49]

 

Texas                          (~6)

—  1  Austin, Dec 22-24. Hypothermia; male, outside in a field near Austin.[50]

—  1  Austin, Dec 22-24. Hypothermia; female in unheated room where heater had gone out.[51]

—  1  San Antonio, Dec 22-24. Hypothermia; male found dead in unheated vacant house.

–~3  “Several” deaths from weather-related fires, locations not noted. Storm Data, 31/12, p. 19.[52]

 

Narrative Information

 

NCDC Storm Data: “A large portion of the eastern two-thirds of the United States experienced one of its coldest Decembers of record in 1989. The cold was notable for both its prolonged duration and its bitterness, as temperatures were well below normal for about half of the month in most areas and many new low temperature records were set. The most substantial cold period was from abut the 14^th to the 25^th of the month, with the coldest air settling in over the area at the end of the period, from the 22^nd to the 25^th when numerous existing records were broken.

 

“Although the coldest temperatures were in the North-Central U.S., it was in the South that the cold had its greatest impact. Where normally temperatures only go below freezing for a few hours at a time during the winter, they this time stayed at below freezing for several days. This resulted in heavy losses for citrus and other large cash crop industries of the South. Also, the unprepared nature of many Southerners for extended periods of cold most likely contributed to the higher death tolls in that region… In all, at least 61 people died due to the cold in December 1989, most as a result of hypothermia brought on by overexposure…..” (NCDC, Storm Data, Vol. 31, No. 12, Dec 1989, p. 7.)

Florida

 

FL Dept. of Health: “From December 22-26, 1989, Florida experienced one of the most severe cold waves in its history with record-breaking temperatures, snow, ice, sleet, and hard freezes. Claiming at least 26 lives, power and transportation were shut down over much of Florida, with heavy losses in the agricultural industry.” (Florida Department of Health. The Christmas Day Freeze of 1989. (Webpage) Floridahealth.gov.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Cold b-b-b-rings Deep South snow.” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH, 12-18-1989, p. A-2. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/ohio/elyria/elyria-chronicle-telegram/1989/12-18/page-2?tag

 

Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/walla-walla/walla-walla-union-bulletin/1989/12-19/page-12?tag

 

Associated Press. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA, 12-23-1989, p. A4. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/california/santa-ana/santa-ana-orange-county-register/1989/12-23/page-7?tag

 

Associated Press. “Record cold grips Missouri.” The Examiner, Independence, MO, 12-22-1989, p. 1. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/missouri/independence/independence-examiner/1989/12-22?tag

 

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL. “Illinois Briefs. Bitter cold blamed for 25 deaths.” 12-24-1989, p. 4. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/illinois/arlington-heights/daily-herald-suburban-chicago/1989/12-24/page-317?tag

 

Florida Department of Health. The Christmas Day Freeze of 1989. (Webpage) Floridahealth.gov. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/climate-and-health/_documents/extreme-cold-factsheet.pdf

 

National Climatic Data Center. Billion-Dollar U.S. Weather/Climate Disasters 1980-2013. “1989. Winter Damage, Cold Wave, Frost.” Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-29-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events.pdf

 

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 31, No. 12, Dec 1989. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Accessed 5-9-2016 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-0435ED3A-B7DC-4990-AAA1-16E2CBAF8EA6.pdf

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aviation Accident & Synopsis Query Page. “NTSB Identification: NYC90FA039. Washington, DC: NTSB, approval date 7-22-1992. Accessed 5-9-2016 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001213X30004&key=1

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Wilmington, NC. “Christmas Coastal Snowstorm: December 22-24, 1989.” 12-7-2014; updated 12-10-2014. Accessed 5-10-2016 at: http://www.weather.gov/ilm/ChristmasSnow1989

 

[1] NCDC, Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[2] “The cold has been blamed for seven traffic deaths and 31 other fatalities since Friday [Dec 15].”

[3] Florida Department of Health. The Christmas Day Freeze of 1989. (Webpage) Floridahealth.gov.

[4] “3” is our number based on “Several lives were lost and injuries occurred in weather-related automobile mishaps.”

[5] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[6] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[7] Notes “Temperatures plunged as low as 24 degrees below zero in western Illinois. Record lows Saturday [23^rd] were 24 below zero just after dawn in Moline, 22 below in Peoria and 21 below in Springfield. St. Louis logged a new record low of 15 below zero, which equaled one of the 10 lowest temperature readings recorded in the city.”

[8] “…cold was directly or indirectly blamed for 19 weather-related deaths in the Chicago area’s Cook County alone.”

[9] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[10] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10

[11] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 10

[12] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

[13] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 11.

[14] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12.

[15] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12. We suspect however, that the date is mistaken and that this is the same death reported by the AP on Dec 19, of  “an 86-year-old found dead, apparently of exposure, in the driveway of her Birmingham, Mich., home [Birmingham is a Detroit suburb].” (Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13.)

[16] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12.

[17] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 12.

[18] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 13. Notes that the man froze to death and that he might have lived had he slept on his sofa in that the warm air from the heater rose to the ceiling.

[19] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 13.

[20] Associated Press. “Record cold grips Missouri.” The Examiner, Independence, MO, 12-22-1989, p. 1. Victim identified as Marion H. Counts.

[21] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, p. 13. “The man was lightly dressed and was found within 100 yards of his car.”

[22] AP. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13. Notes the temp. dropped to 5° that night, that the girl was being punished, and that the foster mother was charged with murder.

[23] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 14, noting 6-11 inches of snow accumulated. NTSB notes that the pilot was informed of marginal visual flight and that instrument flight rules would prevail along the route of flight. “The airplane hit a 3,400 foot mountain at an elevation of 2,500 feet. The airplane was missing 4 days and was found by the crew of a NY State Police helicopter.” The NTSB has the location as Cairo Township and the aircraft as a Piper PA-31-350, registration N45CH. The NTSB also notes there were six fatalities.

[24] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 14,

[25] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 14, Notes the firefighter was responding to a traffic accident.

[26] Associated Press. “Icy hand of winter storm grips nation.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 12-19-1989, p. 13

[27] AP. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” Orange County Register, CA, 12-23-1989, A4. “In [NYC], where arctic chill sent 9,200 people to shelters Thursday night, demonstrators erected four tombstones outside City Hall in memory of four homeless…who died of exposure while sleeping in the city subway system during the weekend.”

[28] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 15. Notes he had gone outside to get kerosene. Fell into a snowbank.

[29] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 15.

[30] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 15.

[31] NWS WFO, Wilmington, NC. “Christmas Coastal Snowstorm: December 22-24, 1989.” 12-7-2014.

[32] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[33] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[34] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[35] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16. According to an AP article his car apparently ran out of gas a half-mile from home. (AP. “Killer cold keeps grip on most of US.” Orange County Register,  CA, 12-23-1989, p. A4.)

[36] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 16.

[37] A Monday Dec 18 AP article notes “In Philadelphia, teams of outreach workers scoured streets through the weekend as temperatures dipped to 17 degrees. An unidentified transient woman was found dead on a downtown bench Saturday, a victim, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office, of exposure.” (Associated Press. “Cold b-b-b-rings Deep South snow.” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH, 12-18-1989, p. A-2.)

[38] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 17.

[39] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18. Notes the heating unit in his home failed.

[40] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[41] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[42] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[43] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[44] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[45] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[46] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[47] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[48] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18.

[49] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 18. Notes death was “due to exposure to the bitter cold.”

[50] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 19.

[51] NCDC Storm Data, 31/12, Dec 1989, p. 19.

[52] We make assumption that “several” must be at least three.

–11 Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 77.
–11 UPI. “11 Killed; 100 Injured as Tornadoes Hit Region.” Kingsport News, TN. 4-29-1971, p. 1.
–10 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.
–10 Blanchard tally of named fatalities (nine in KY and one in IL).

Illinois ( 1)
— 1 AP. “Illinois’ Top Headlines.” The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, IL. 4-28-1971, p. 7.
–1 Thompsonville. Female, 71. Mt. Vernon Register-News. “Tornado…” 4-28-1971, p1.
— 1 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.

Illinois and Kentucky: (10)
–10 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.

Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee: (11)
–11 Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 77.

Kentucky: ( 9)
–10 AP. “Ten Persons Are Dead…South Central [KY]…Tornadoes.” Harlan Daily Enterprise, 4-28-1971, 1.
–5-6 Adair County
–2 Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Smith, 60s, at their home 2½ miles from Columbia.
–2 Mrs. Roby McCarol, 27 and daughter Ruth Ann McCarol, 7, near Columbia.
–1 Mrs. Anna Cundiff, 70, near Columbia.
–2-3 Butler-Warren County area. (The AP article names one fatality.)
–1 Mrs. Love Cockerell, near Morgantown.
— 1 Died at Louisville General Hospital
— 2 Russell County
–2 Mr. and Mrs. Bulan Swanson, Salem home destroyed.
— 1 South Hill, Wendell T. Peay, 50, flung into a tree when he exited his truck.
— 9 Blanchard tally of named fatalities.
— 9 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.
–1 Muhlenberg/Butler/Warren counties, 19:20 F3 tornado.
–6 Green/Adair counties, 20:20 F4 tornado; Mount Pleasant Church area.
–2 Russell/Pulaski counties, 21:53 F4 tornado; Gosser Ridge farm.
— 9 National Weather Service, Louisville, KY Weather Forecast Office
— 9 UPI. “Nunn Asks Nixon to Hurry Disaster Aid to State…” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 4-29-1971, 1.
— 8 Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data. Asheville, NC: Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1971.
–6 Mount Pleasant Church vicinity, Adair County
–2 Gosser Ridge community, Russell County

Narrative Information

EDS Storm Data: “Hopkins, McLean & Ohio Counties…27 [Apr]…5:45 p.m. …347 [length of path, miles]…? [killed]…Tornado, wind, hail.

“State police reported that a tornado destroyed 2 barns in the vicinity of Slaughters, northern Hopkins County; reported trees down in the area of Sacramento, McLean County, about 12 miles to the east-southeast; a news report quoted a witness 2 miles west of Sacramento as having seen a funnel cloud passing high in the sky. There was considerable hail damage at Sacramento, where car windows and the windows of a church were broken. At 6:26 p.m. C.S.T., a radar report indicated a strong thunderstorm in this area, a rotating cell with a top at 53,000 feet and moving toward the east-southeast at 45 m.p.h. Damage at Prentiss, Ohio County, and east-southeast of Sacramento may have been a third touchdown of the funnel (touchdown time not available). A funnel was observed to touch down at Prentiss, damaging a home. A barn was demolished on an adjacent farm.” (April 1971, p. 45).
….
“Green and Adair Counties…27 [Apr]…8:30 p.m. 15 [length of path in miles]…17-200 [width of path in yards]…6 [killed]…58 [injured]…Tornado, wind, hail.

“The funnel, travelling toward the east-southeast, apparently touched down for the first time in the Bramlett area on the southeastern border of Green County about 8:30 p.m. C.S.T. There were no injuries. One home and one mobile home were destroyed. The storm then moved to about 3½ miles north of Columbia, Adair County, staying on the ground a good part of the time. In the vicinity of Mount Pleasant Church on the Holmes Bend Road (Highway 551) 6 persons died as the tornado demolished a number of homes at about 8:35 p.m. C.S.T. The storm continued its eastward movement, occasionally lifting and then touching down again, touching down at Vester and then at Christine at 8:40 p.m. C.S.T., injuring some persons and destroying a number of buildings. Reports indicated path width varying from 50 to 600 feet. A witness just west of Vester stated that he saw the funnel pass directly over his house, that thee lower tip of the funnel was several feet in width at that location, then dip down about 200 feet to the east to strike a neighbor’s home; several of the occupants were seriously injured and the home was lifted across the road and demolished. People along the path of the storm stated that hailstones varied in size from goose egg to baseball. Officials stated that in Adair County 6 persons were killed, that 15 persons were hospitalized, that 43 persons suffered minor injuries. Dollar value property damage was no available but preliminary surveys indicated: 50 houses destroyed; 50 houses with major damage; 3 mobile homes destroyed; 3 churches destroyed; 33 barns destroyed; 100 other buildings destroyed. Additionally many utility lines and trees were downed.

“Kentucky (continued). Russell and Pulaski Counties…27 [Apr]…9:53 p.m. …14 [length of path in miles]…100+ [injured]…2 [killed]…72 [injured]…Tornado.

“The initial touchdown apparently occurred just east of the Adair-Russell counties border before 9:53 p.m. C.S.T, An aerial photograph indicated the path width here as about 70 yards. This location is about 2 miles north of Russell Springs, Russell County, on Highway 127. The funnel apparently moved east-southeastward from this point on, dipping down occasionally and then lifting. East of the first touchdown spot other damage indicated a touchdown on Highway 80 about 3 miles east of Russell Springs. This was near a roadside park where two distinct paths a quarter-mile apart were visible from an aircraft. The path farthest east contained more severe damage that the path closer to Russel Springs. The funnel then moved eastward, dipped down to damage several houses on Highway 910 as it approached Salem School. A number of persons were injured in the Salem School area as a number of houses were destroyed, and the school suffered severe damage (preliminary estimate, $150,000). At this point an aerial photograph indicated a path width of about 300 yards. The funnel then stayed on the same eastward path as it moved through the nearby Gosser Ridge community where two persons died as their home and most of the buildings on their farm were destroyed. There were additional homes destroyed and additional injuries. Officials stated that the casualties in Russel County consisted of the two fatalities and about 70 persons injured. Dollar damage figures were not available but officials indicated the following property damage estimates for Russell County: 35 hours destroyed;; major damage to 105 homes; 3 mobile homes destroyed; 60 barns destroyed; 79 other buildings destroyed. Additionally many utility lines and trees were downed. A news report stated that alone one part of the tornado path in Russell County chickens were stripped of their feathers, but left alive. The funnel apparently continued eastward into Pulaski County, wherein the Faubush community two persons were injured, several buildings were damaged or destroyed, and one mobile home was destroyed.” (Storm Data. Asheville, NC: Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1971.)

Ferrara: “11 die in U.S. tornadoes. At least five tornadoes lashed through Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee April 27-28, leaving 11 persons known dead and more than 100 others injured. The heaviest damage was inflicted in Kentucky, where three tornadoes killed 10 people. Butler’s Creek, three miles north of Columbus, Ky., reported six casualties and at least 40 injured.” (Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 77.)

Grazulis: “IL APR 27, 1971 1543 lk 20inj 200y 5m F3. FRANKLIN—Moved E from 4m W of Thompsonville to town. Eight homes were destroyed. Three commercial buildings and five trailers were also destroyed. Three businesses, 17 homes, and three trailers had major damage. An elderly woman was killed in a frame home….

KY APR 27, 1971 1920 lk 20inj 150y 30m F3. MUHLENBERG, BUTLER, WARREN — Skipped ESE from 4m E of Drakesville, to near Ennis, South Hill, and Riverside. A six-room, brick veneer home was completely destroyed, as were several large trailers. There were two injuries in one, and a death in another. Many homes sustained damage….

“KY Apr 27, 1971, 2030, 6k, 58inj., 100y, 15m, F4, Green/Adair – Moved ESE from Bramlett, passing 3m NE of Columbia, to Vester and Christine. Six people were killed when the tornado demolished a number of homes in the Mount Pleasant Church area on Hwy-551. A total of 51 homes, 33 barns, three churches, four trailers and 100 other buildings were destroyed, and 50 more had major damage.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.)

“KY APR 27, 1971 2153 2k 72inj 200y 14m F4 RUSSELL/PULASKI—Moved E from east of Russell Springs, to Salem, and to Faubush. At Gosser Ridge, two people were killed on a farm as most of the buildings were swept away. Along the path, 35 homes, four trailers, 60 barns, and 79 other buildings were destroyed. There was major damage to 105 more homes. The Salem School was damaged. At one point, there were two distinct paths, as two funnels moved parallel to one another.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1123.)

National Weather Service: “On this day, 6 twisters moved across southern Indiana and central Kentucky, killing 9. Six of those lives were taken as an F4 ripped through the vicinity of Mt. Pleasant Church, a few miles northeast of Columbia in Adair County. 2 more lives were taken in Russell County, as another F4 tore a path of destruction through Gosser Ridge. An F3 tornado killed one person as it moved through Butler and Warren Counties. Along the nearly 30 mile path, a six-room brick house was destroyed, along with several large trailers.” (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. “23. April ’71 Outbreak April 27, 1971.” Top 25 Weather Events of All-Time in Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 3-4-2010 update.)

Newspaper

Apr 28, KY: “Columbia, Ky. (AP) – Ten persons were killed and more than 75 were injured when hit-and-run tornadoes ravaged a wide area of south-central Kentucky late Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported. State Police said damage would run into millions of dollars…. ‘It looks as if there are eight to 10 fatalities and this is a conservative estimate,’ a [KY governor] spokesman said. One death as a result of the tornadoes was reported at Louisville General Hospital. Five persons were reported dead in Adair County. Six persons were reported dead in Adair County. Two were killed in Russell County and ‘two or three’ fatalities were reported in the Butler-Warren County area about 80 miles west of here, the Weather Service said.

“A 75-bed emergency aid station was being set up at Adair County High School here.

“State Police said at least 25 persons were injured in Russell County, adjacent to Adair on the southeast. William L. Walker, civil defense director in Adair County, said about 40 injuries were reported in his area.

“The hospital at Somerset, to the east, said 32 persons were treated and 10 were admitted. At Bowling Green, between the damaged areas, the hospital was put on disaster status and at least 18 persons were admitted. ‘I was there when the bodies were picked up,’ said Walker in Columbia. ‘One body was blown 300 feet from a house. It was a woman. ‘Another body, a woman, was blown about 100 feet away and there was a child blown from a house at another place.’

“Walker said he heard the volunteer fire department siren about 10 p.m. EDT and with other volunteers answered it. Hail and heavy rain were falling at the time, he said.

“Just outside Columbia, the Mount Pleasant Christian Church was swept from its foundation atop a hill. Eight or 10 houses were destroyed and others were heavily damaged in Columbia, he said.

“In Russell Springs, 13 miles east of Columbia, the lights went out about midnight, amid high winds and a thunder and lightning storm, said Mrs. Andrew Norfleet, wife of a weekly newspaper publisher.

“At Greensburg, 20 miles northwest of Columbia, the tornadoes have ‘done more damage than I’ve ever seen,’ said Cary Eaton, the Green County Civil Defense director. He said the twister wiped out houses and barns, but said he knew of no fatalities there.

“In the Russell County community of Salem, he said, two persons were literally blown from their houses. ‘It was definitely a twister,’ he said. ‘It would hit one house, then skip a house or garage, then move on to another. One trailer was blown abut a quarter mile and landed on the same side of the highway where it had been parked before,’ he said. Eaton said one mobile home at Salem ‘just disappeared.’ Eaton said the houses ‘seemed more like they had been hit by an explosion. Windows were blown out. Doors were blown off. ‘It was just like a huge vacuum cleaner sucking up everything in sight. ‘In Russell County, for example, some chickens even lost their feathers – and they were still alive.’ Eaton said automobiles would up in trees in Adair and Russell counties, ‘hanging there like Christmas ornaments. And we even found some Christmas ornaments in trees,’ he said.

“Larry Van Hoose, the governor’s press secretary, said in the South Hill-Riverside area northwest of Bowling Green, ‘there is an area 6 miles long and 1½ miles wide of destruction. Everything. The trees are gone.’ The worst area, Van Hoose said, was three miles north of Columbia at the junction of Kentucky routes 55 and 551. Over a stretch of 10 to 12 miles, he said, five were known dead and 25 to 30 persons were injured….In Somerset, up to four feet of water was reported from the rain that accompanied the twisters.

“The National Weather Service said there apparently were three separate tornadoes, operating in three separate areas. The first touched down near South Hill, northwest of Bowling Green, about 10 p.m. EDT, then skipped on to Riverside and Reedyville. ‘Two or three fatalities, numerous injuries and extensive property damage’ was reported there, the Weather Service said.

“The second hit Adair and Casey counties. It first struck at Cane Valley and ‘apparently remained on the ground for a considerable time as it moved eastward to near Pellyton on the Casey-Adair line,’ the Weather Service said. Numerous injuries and five fatalities were attributed to this tornado. Civil Defense officials asked for 75 cots to set up the emergency aid station at Adair County High School. Massive property damage was reported.

“The third area was near Salem in northern Russell County.

“Before the tornadoes hit, there had been reports from areas of Central Kentucky that hail ranging p to golf ball size was falling. There had been numerous reports of uprooted trees and minor wind damage before the twisters started….

“Officials listed these victims:
–Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Smith, in their late 60s, killed when their home 2½ miles from
Columbia was blown away.
–Mr. and Mrs. Bulan Swanson, killed when the tornado destroyed their home at Salem.
–Wendell T. Peay, 50, killed at South Hill. State Police said he was smashed against a tree
when he got out of his truck during the storm. Officers said his wife suffered a broken
neck when she tried to help him.
–Douglas Frodge, 7, of near Columbia.
–Ruth Ann McCarol, 7, of near Columbia.
–Mrs. Roby McCarol, 27, the McCarol girl’s mother. Her husband and son were
hospitalized in Louisville.
–Mrs. Anna Cundiff, 70, of near Columbia.
–Mrs. Love Cockerell of near Morgantown.”

(Associated Press. “Ten Persons Are Dead…South Central Kentucky Raked by Killer Tornadoes.” Harlan Daily Enterprise, 4-28-1971, p. 1.)

Apr 28, IL: “Thompsonville, Ill. (AP) – A tornado has swept the Southern Illinois farming community of Thompsonville, leaving one person dead, at least 20 injured and most of the town’s 400 residents.” (Associated Press. “Illinois’ Top Headlines.” The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, IL. 4-28-1971, p. 7.)

Apr 29, KY: “Russell Springs, KY. (UPI)….Nine…Kentuckians…were left dead in the woke of the twisters which thundered across a five-county rural area and caused millions of dollars damage. The toll was revised downward because one woman, first reported as dying from the tornadoes, later was listed as a victim of natural causes….” (United Press International. “Nunn Asks Nixon to Hurry Disaster Aid to State Area.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 4-29-1971, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Illinois’ Top Headlines.” The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, IL. 4-28-1971, p. 7. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sterling-daily-gazette-apr-28-1971-p-7/

Associated Press. “Ten Persons Are Dead…South Central Kentucky Raked by Killer Tornadoes.” Harlan Daily Enterprise, 4-28-1971, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/harlan-daily-enterprise-apr-28-1971-p-1/

Edwardsville Intelligencer, IL. “Thompsonville.” 4-29-1971, p. 7. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/edwardsville-intelligencer-apr-29-1971-p-7/

Environmental Data Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Storm Data. Asheville, NC: Vol. 13, No. 4, April 1971. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-B4E5204C-595E-4413-99B2-48A48AADFE4A.pdf

Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979.

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

Mt. Vernon Register-News, IL “Tornado Rips Thompsonville” 4-28-1971, p1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/mount-vernon-register-news-apr-28-1971-p-1/

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. Top 25 Weather Events of All-Time in Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 3-4-2010 update accessed at: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/?n=top_20_weather_events

United Press International. “11 Killed; 100 Injured as Tornadoes Hit Region.” Kingsport News, TN. 4-29-1971, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/kingsport-news-apr-29-1971-p-1/

United Press International. “Nunn Asks Nixon to Hurry Disaster Aid to State Area.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 4-29-1971, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/middlesboro-daily-news-apr-29-1971-p-1/

–109 ASN. Accident description Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, Toronto 5 Jul 1970.
–109 Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010.
–109 City of Brampton [Can.], Office of Mayor. “Brampton Remembers Flight AC621.” 2010
–109 Gero. Aviation Disasters…World’s Major Civil Airliner Crashes Since 1950. 1996, p. 96.
–109 Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1).
–109 Wikipedia. “Air Canada Flight 621.” 12-8-2011 modification.
–108 Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.
–108 Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash…Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20.

U.S.
— 24 Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-’70
— 23 Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.
— 23 Times Standard, Eureka, CA. “23 U.S. Deaths in Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation:
“Time: 08:09….
“Registration: CF-TIW
“C/n / msn: 46114/526
“First flight: 1970
“Total airframe hrs: 453….
“Crew: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
“Passengers: Fatalities: 100 / Occupants: 100
“Total: Fatalities: 109 / Occupants: 109….
“Location: 11 km (6.9 mls) N of Toronto International Airport, ON (YYZ) Canada
“Phase: Landing….
“Departure airport: Montreal-Dorval International Airport…
“Destination airport: Toronto International Airport…
“Flight number: 621

“Narrative: Air Canada flight 621 was a routine early morning flight originating from Montreal-Dorval International Airport, QC (YUL), with destination Toronto International Airport, ON (YYZ). The DC-8-63 plane, a relatively new airplane which had been delivered just over two months ago, departed at 07:17 for a flight which was to take just over 50 minutes. The captain was pilot flying. The enroute and descent portion of the flight were uneventful.

“At a distance of 8 miles from Toronto Airport, about 08:02, the ‘Before-Landing Check’ was made. This included the lowering of the undercarriage and according to Air Canada procedures should include arming the spoilers. This item however was intentionally omitted. On previous flights were the captain and first officer had flown together they had disagreed on when to arm the spoilers. Both men did not like to arm the spoilers at the beginning of the final approach, fearing that this increased the chance of inadvertent spoiler activation. The captain preferred to arm the spoilers on the flare, while the first officer preferred to arm and extend them on the ground. Although both procedures where contrary to company policy, it was agreed between them that when the captain was flying the aircraft, the first officer-would cause the spoilers to be extended on the ground, and when the first officer was flying the captain would arm the spoilers on the flare.

“However on this particular occasion, the captain and first officer had a discussion about when the spoilers should be armed. The captain finally ordered: “All right, give them to me on the flare”, which was contrary to their personal agreement on previous flights. Power was reduced then on the aircraft for the purpose of the flare and the captain gave the order to the first officer by saying “O.K.”; and immediately thereafter the ground spoilers were deployed.

“The aircraft was about 60 feet above runway 32 at that time and began to sink rapidly. The captain immediately noticed what had happened, applied full throttle to all four engines and pulled back the control column. The nose came up as the aircraft continued to sink. Realizing what he had done, the first officer apologized to the captain. The plane than struck the runway heavily, causing the number 4 engine and pylon to separate from the wing. It fell on the runway along with a piece of the lower wing plating, allowing fuel to escape and subsequently ignite.

“The DC-8 rose back into the air, at which time the ground spoilers retracted, and climbed to an altitude of 3100 feet. During this climb, fire and smoke were seen trailing behind the aircraft intermittently. The crew wanted to circle for an emergency landing on runway 32. This was not possible because of debris on the runway, so the controller suggested a landing on runway 23. About two and a half minutes after the initial touchdown an explosion occurred in the right wing outboard of the number 4 engine location causing parts of the outer wing structure to fall free to the ground. Six seconds later, a second explosion occurred in the vicinity of number 3 engine and the engine with its pylon ripped free of the wing and fell to the ground in flames. Six and one half seconds later, a third explosion occurred which caused the loss of a large section of the right wing, including the wing tip. The airplane then went into a violent maneuver, lost height rapidly and at the same time more wing plating tore free following which the DC-8 struck the ground at a high velocity, about 220 knots in a left wing high and nose low attitude.

“PROBABLE CAUSE: The Canadian investigation report did not conform to ICAO standards and did not contain a probable cause as such.

“Follow-up / safety actions: As a result of this accident, the Federal Aviation Administration issued Airworthiness Directive AD 70-25-02 cautioning pilots against in-flight operation of ground spoilers by requiring the installation of a warning placard in the cockpit and the insertion of an additional Operating Limitation in the Flight Manual.

“On June 23, 1973, a Loftleidir DC-8-61 (N8960T) made a short, hard landing, after the first officer had inadvertently activated the ground spoilers during the final phase of the landing approach. The aircraft was damaged extensively when it hit the runway, and injured 38 persons. Therefore the NTSB issued safety recommendations A-73-111 and -112 on December 9, 1973. These recommended the FAA to 1) Require that a protective device be installed as a part of the activating lever mechanism of the ground spoiler system in DC-8 aircraft; and 2) Amend 14 CFR 25 (Airworthiness Standards) to require that ground deceleration devices which directly affect the lift generated by the wings be designed so that they cannot be inadvertently operated in flight.

“Responding to recommendation A-73-111, the FAA issued another Airworthiness Directive (AD 74-04-02), a.o. regarding the installation of a spoiler handle lockout.

Regarding A-73-112, the FAA believed that FAR 25.671, 25.685, 25.697 and especially FAR 25.697(b) and 21.21(b) (2), as presently written, are adequate to ensure airworthy designs.

“The NTSB closed the recommendation May 1974, filing it as “closed — unacceptable action”.” (Accident description. Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, Toronto 5 Jul 1970.)

Newspaper

July 6: “Toronto (AP) — More than 20 Americans were among 108 persons killed Sunday in the crash of a Canadian jetliner landing in Toronto. The Air Canada Super-DC8 crashed in a field about four miles north of Toronto International Airport after attempting to land for a stopover on a flight from Montreal to Los Angeles. All aboard were killed.

“Of 89 identified victims, 23 were from addresses in the United States. There were 75 paying passengers, most of them from Quebec and California; two infants; 22 vacationing Air Canada employes and a crew of nine….” (Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.)

July 7: “Toronto (AP)…. The plane was en route from Montreal to Los Angeles, and more than 20 of the passengers were from Southern California….” (Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “Airliner Crash Claims May Hit $20 Million.” 7-7-1970, p. 8.)

July 7: “Five Valley residents and a man on his way to live in North Hollywood were aboard the Los Angeles-bound Air Canada DC-8 which crashed in Toronto Sunday, killing all 108 persons on the plane.

“The jet crash, the second worst, in Canada’s history in terms of the number killed, claimed the lives of 24 Southern California residents. All but one of the other victims was from Canada.

“The five local residents who died in the air disaster were:

Mrs. Celia Sultan 27 and her sons Robert 2½ and Jerald 5 months, of…Woodland Hills;
Anthony Molino of…Northridge; and
Miss Jacqueline Dore or…Burbank.

“The sixth victim was Isdvad Simon, 34, a Hungarian refugee who was on his way to live with his brother Sandor of North Hollywood…..

“According to reports from Toronto International Airport, the plane developed a fire in one engine and was ordered to climb and jettison fuel when an engine fell off the aircraft and the plane crashed not far from the airport. One witness told authorities the aircraft, was nearly engulfed in flames as it went down in a field. The craft reportedly touched down on the runway, sprang back into the air and fell.

“The flight originated in Montreal and was to make a stop in Toronto before coming on to Los Angeles….” (Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20.)

Brampton Guardian, 2010: “….There was not one whole body identified….

“The airliner was en route from Montreal to California, carrying many Americans returning after Fourth of July celebrations, as well as many Quebec residents….

“The airliner, travelling at 220 knots, hit the ground with a “tremendous blast” just 150 feet from the Burgsma farmhouse, shattering every door and window of the home while the family of 11 slept. “There was no fire,” Sytze Burgsma told reporters at the time. “Everything was silent except for a hissing sound coming out of that big hole.”….” (Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, N of Toronto, 5 Jul 1970. 10-30-2003 update. At: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19700705-0

Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010. Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/842288–lovely-idea

City of Brampton [Can.], Office of Mayor. “Brampton Remembers Flight AC621.” 2010. Accessed at: http://www.brampton.ca/en/City-Hall/Office-Mayor/building-better-brampton/Pages/Brampton-Remembers-AC621.aspx

Gero, David. Aviation Disasters: The World’s Major Civil Airliner Crashes Since 1950 (Second Edition). London: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1996.

Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=62090084

Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1). Accessed at: http://www.socrata.com/ [Inoperable when checked 3-13-2022]

Times Standard, Eureka, CA. “23 U.S. Deaths in Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=54921793

Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=16318751

Wikipedia. “Air Canada Flight 621.” 12-8-2011 mod. Accessed at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Flight_621