Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1917 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS 0F THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention from Many Places. TORNADO SWEEPS NEW ALBANY Thirty-four Known Dead Many Bodies Not Yet Found. New Albany, March 26. —A tornado tore the north and northwest parts of this city to pieces Friday afternoon. It swept through the city at the rate of seventy miles an hour, tore down or damaged more than 200 buildings, killed at least thirty-four persons, Injured about 200 and did more than $1,000,000 damage to property. There may be ten or fifteen bodies in the ruins, but \only thirty-four have been recovered. [When the tornado dashed away after a stay of less than five minutes, rain came in great sheets and soaked to worthlessness much of the property in the unroofed houses and buildings. Not only were bouses destroyed, but factories, churches and public buildings went down in heaps. The damage wrought »here Is much worse than the damage at

Thiit j-fooe Known Dead Many Bodies NoC Yet Found.

Newcastle—more dead, more property destroyed and more people ini need of help. John J. O’Connor, j director of the central division of the Red Cross, got here Saturday morning and began taking part ia relieving the distressed at once. j The chaos which came in the w of the storm was quickly suc- - : 1 by organized efforts to as--s;those', in need of help. A fund of was raised at a hurriedly gathered meeting of citizens at the city hall, au»d committees appointed to undertake the work of relieving tWji whose homes had been destroyed. This fund was increased by contributions from many cities and individuals throughout Indiana. With aa ample organization perfected the most insistent need, according to J. J. ©’Connor, Red Cross director in charge of the relief work, is money with which to carry out the plans of local com- | mittees and Red Cross helpers. A call to Masonic lodges of Indiana to 4rt?ke contributions to relief funds for New Albany, Newcastle and other places affected by tornadoes was issued yesterday by Harry B. Tuthill, grand master. Mr. O’Connor made a report of the situation at New Albany to William Fortune, president of the Indianapolis Red Cross, and sum-; jmed up the situation as follows: j “Well organized ’general executive Committee, excellent group of men. and Ray Ellis, chairman relief disbursements, on my suggestion, an admirable man. Smith is handling financing and helping on construction problems. Have medical department, visitation department. feeding, housing, stores, clerical, financing, accounting department. all going strong. Feel better satisfied after one day here than first three days after arrival j Newcastle, owing to earlier ‘start and stronger staff. Thirty-four J dead, sixty in hospital. Fifty more slight injuries. Careful survey by good appraisals committee of hankers. real estate and insurance men shows 492 houses hit, 300 of them demolished. Residence realty loss appears to be about $600,000; per-' sonalty. $250,000; factory plant and equipment loss about $200,000 additional. Have SIO,OOO in hand, ,$2 1 additional in sight; need at least $200,000. Situation !s. | c-asllv twice as had as Newcastle, i i Excellent spirit here and Red Cross arateiullv and cordially welcomed. We should get the money needed at once and dean this job up in preparation for possible emergency situation.”