TORNADO RIPS THROUGH S.E. MO., 
STRIKES NEAR FARMINGTON
 Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, 
Fri. March 21, 1952

     A tornado ripped across Southeast Missouri late Tuesday afternoon, damaging homes and buildings and disrupting electric and telephone service. In St. Francois County the tornado first hit in the vicinity of Doe Run and swept a path about a mile south of Farmington, where damage estimated at $100,000 was caused by the storm.

     The tornado struck at 5:25 p.m. when a funnel-like cloud was seen approaching Farmington by several citizens of that city. A two-room frame house, occupied by Mrs. Mary Barnhart, was completely demolished, but Mrs. Barnhart, who had stepped out of the house, sustained only minor injuries. She was taken to the Medical Arts Building for treatment, and later moved to Bonne Terre Hospital, where she remained until Thursday.

     Another dwelling nearby escaped with only broken windows, and the Sprott Nursing Home, which was completed only last year, was damaged considerably. Elmer Chatman, who operates the Blue Diamond Cafe near where the twister struck, stated that he saw the funnel-shaped cloud just as it passed over the highway going East. He also saw several large trees and telephone lines blown down and roofs of barns and other outbuildings sheared off.

     Scattered amidst the wreckage was a battered washing machine and water tank. The homes of Charles Penberthy and George Hopkins were badly damaged and the Penberthy automobile, parked near the residence, was extensively damaged when a limb from an uprooted tree fell on it. The tornado continued in the direction of Ste. Genevieve on Highway 25, and John Gegg reported that between 600 and 1000 bales of hay were blown from his farm and strewn along the road.

     The city of Farmington fortunately escaped the fury of the tornado, but reports by radio and television that a portion of the city had been destroyed caused alarm to relatives living in distant states, who began telephoning their loved ones to learn of their safety.

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