Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1917 — New Albany Devastated By Cyclone; Many Killed [ARTICLE]

New Albany Devastated By Cyclone; Many Killed

Over 100 Hurt Second Storm Within Few Days Descends on Indiana Causing Property Damage Estimated at $2,000,000

New Albany, Ind., March 23. —Between 25 and 50 persons were killed and probably one hundred or more were injured by a storm which late today swept over New Albany, demolishing scores of residences and several industrial plants. Twenty-five bodied are known to have been recovered and it is expected this number will be materially increased when all the debris oi the wrecked buildings has been cleared away. The lighting system for the residence section of the city was put out of commission by the storm and the work of rescue is proceeding slowly and with difficulty. In addition to the bodies taken to the undertaking establishments there were reports’ of others that were taken to private homes. Because of the difficulty in searching the ruins in the darkness it is probable that the fail list of bead and injured will not be known before tomorrow. A baby, about six months old. was found floating in a small stream into which it had been borne Ibv the wind. The child was alive and clinging to a dog which apparently had been killed by the storm. The child died in the arms of its rescuer and the body was taken to an undertaking establishment. Later an aunt idetnified the body and then reported that both the father and mother had been killed. The streets in the path of the storm were a mass of wreckage and it was soon seen that outside assistance was. needed to meet the situation. An appeal was made to the city authoritie sos Louisville, who sent a large number of policemen to th* scene. In addition every available officer from the Indiana state reformatory at Jeffersonville and from the Jeffersonville poilce force were hurried to the stricken district. A call was made on the governor for state troops and it was reported tonight that these were on the way. Numbers of citizens from surrounding towns hastened to New Albany and offered such aid os they were able to render. Early in the night plans, were formed for furnishing relief to" those whose homes had been distroyed. At

a hurriedly called mass meeting atth* city hall, a large fund was sub scribed by citizens and ommittees were appointed to direct the work of relief. The work of conveying the injured to St. Edwards hospital, the only public institution of the sort in the city, was hampered by fallen wires and uprooted trees Which blocked many of the storm swept streets. The hospital soon filled, however, and it 'became necessary to place later arrivals in corridors. Late tonight injured persons still were being brought to the institution for emergency treatment. . The hospitals of Louisville were prompt in placing their facilities at the disposal of injured. West Union, a sub-division in the northeastern esetion of the city bore the brunt of the storm. Here the wind swept a path two blocks wide and more than a mile long, demolishing residences, several factories and destroying a negro school building. Twenty-five children were in the building. Some of them are thought to have escaped, but the total number of victims here will not be ascertained until the wreckage has been cleared away. At 7 o’clock the injured taken to St. Edward’s hospital had filled all available rooms and wards and overflowed into the halls. St. Eward’s is the only public hospital in the city and arrangements were being madp to transfer many of the injured to Louisville institutions, which had offered their facilities. ; . —.— The storm struck the Corydon pike about two miles from New Albany and moved southwest. Entering the city at State street near Ealy, it swept through three blocks. At the intersection of State and Pearl streets it left the ground and then struck again at Vincennes street and Charlestown road.nearlyamiieaiway. At thatr point dwellings in three blocks were demolished. In its progress along the Corydon pike the storm uprooted hundreds of trees and destroyed many small dwellings, many of whose occupants were injured, according to reports reaching New Albany.