[goofywife]

1970: Tornado tears through Lubbock

A violent tornado touched down in Lubbock, Texas, today, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds. The storm, which left a path of destruction about eight miles long, blew away entire blocks where houses and businesses once stood and heavily damaged the heart of the downtown area.

"The spring dawn over this west Texas city of 161,000 showed damage over 2,500 square blocks from the tornado and the main storm that spewed rain and hail the size of lemons," reported the San Mateo Times on May 12, 1970. "Wind gusts after the twister lifted were measured at 100 miles an hour. Damage was estimated into the millions."

NOTE: The twister was the worst to hit Texas since the Waco tornado, which struck on the same date in 1953, killing 114 people.

1985: Soccer fans battle fire in England

A fire at a soccer stadium in England killed more than 50 people today. "An assistant fire chief, Peter Kneale, said the blaze was fanned by a strong wind and was 'a very rapid spreading fire.' He said it started in the north end of the stand and enveloped the whole structure in smoke and flames in four minutes," informed The Daily Intelligencer on May 12, 1985. NOTE: It is thought that the fire started when a fan threw a cigarette butt. The cigarette evidently fell under the stadium, where 20 years of rubbish had accumulated, starting a flash fire that spread rapidly.

1953: Tornado devastates Waco, Texas

A F5 tornado struck Waco, Texas today, ending a legend previously believed by a number of residents that their city was the only spot in Texas safe from a twister. "Weary rescue workers freed an elderly gray-haired woman today from nearly 14 hours of nightmare trapped under tons of debris in tornado-hammered Waco where 48 were known dead and more than 250 injured," reported The Kerrville Times on May 12, 1953. NOTE: Before a tornado ripped through Waco, the city of San Angelo, Texas, was struck by a twister that resulted in 13 deaths and more than a hundred injuries. However, the Waco disaster turned out to be the deadliest tornado in Texas history since 1900. After rescue workers were able to dig through the massive piles of rubble, it was found that 114 died and nearly 600 were injured.

1934: Dust cloud covers one-third of nation

"The huge dust storm moving from the Midwest descended on New York and the surrounding territory today, darkening the sky and sifting into Manhattan's skyscrapers. Despite closed windows, the dust penetrated almost every building, laying a thin coat of fine dust over furniture and floors," The Daily Times-News explained on May 11, 1934. NOTE: The dust cloud was 1,500 miles long, 900 miles across and two miles high, covering almost one-third of the nation. Topsoil was lost and crops withered in the ground, causing farmers daily losses of $2 million.

1894: Pullman employees go on strike

Thousands of workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike this morning and demanded their wages be restored to previous levels after receiving over a 27 percent pay cut from last year's pay. Pullman refused strikers' demands, saying the company was running at a loss due to its decision to keep its men employed. NOTE: The strike was broken up by U.S. Marshals and 12,000 Army troops. 13 strikers were killed and 57 wounded.