The Mail-Journal, Volume 11, Number 11, Milford, Kosciusko County, 10 April 1974 — Page 23

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SENATOR SHOWS CONCERN — U.S. Senator Birch Bayh flew into Atwood late Friday afternoon by army helicopter to personally tour the damage done by the storm in last Wednesday’s tornado. Following his tour he visited the Atwood community center where he expressed concern for those who had suffered loss in the disaster. He had high praise for volunteer workers of the Red Cross and others who set up the relief center in Atwood. Here the senator is shown with members of the group, including Mrs. Inez Devenney, executive secretary of the Kosciusko county chapter of the American Red Cross.

American Red Cross gives aid to all victims

Members of the Kosciusko County Red Cross chapter, scores of volunteers and National Red Cross representatives have been working night and day in Kosciusko county since the tornado struck last Wednesday night The Atwood community building which was spared when the tornado swept through the town has been turned into the Red Grass disaster relief center for the county. Heading the operation is David Van Gorder of Kansas City. Mo., who has been sent here to direct the disaster operations in the county. Il is estimated some 170.000 will be spent by the Red Cross to aid tornado victims in this area. To date some 5.000 meals have been served with meals being shuttled into Talma from Mentone and served at various locations in this county. Survey Mrs. Inez Devenney. executive director of the county chapter, reports a survey taken by Red Cross volunteers gives no estimate in dollar figures but lists the following information: S homes destroyed 134 homes sustained major damage 137 homes sustained minor damage 121 mobile homes destroyed 43 bams were destroyed 13 cage feeder houses used by the poultry industry (these alone were estimated at 17 per unit or SIO.OOO each) 120 barns and farm building sustained major damage Red Cross workers surveying damage in Plain township and the Dewart Lake area included Mrs Dale Morehouse and Mrs Paul Schermerhorn Mr. and Mrs Howard Hom and Mr . and Mrs George Reed. Jr, surveyed Harrison township while Ray Williamson and Maurice Mr Daniels did Atwood. Mrs Arthur Smith was in charge of Prairie township. Charles Taylor was in charge of Syracuse. Robert Nichols is serving as survey chairman. Guy Hygema of Warsaw is chapter chairman.

Currently the survey is being updated A meeting was held at 1 p.m. Monday at the center in Atwood and case workers were assigned to begin calling on the families who have had losses. These caseworkers will be part of the family service assistance guide of the Red Cross and will see that all families receive equal care? Rev Herbert Edwards, whose home received minor damage, is county chairman of disaster while Maruice McDaniels, whose home was destroyed, is cochairman of the disaster committee. Van Gorder said he had not seen an operation where the community and the county worked so well together. He said this county has a lot to be proud of and noted the fact the training and mock disaster operations in the past had proved helpful Mrs Devenney said one thing the county was lacking was generators, these proved to be the biggest need. She continued that operations had gone well and a lot of clean-up has been accomplished in the Atwood area. The community center will be kept open with a limited amount of food being served until the need is no longer there.

Ligonier digs out of worst disaster in living memory

The Ligonier area fell in the path of one of the worst tornadoes in living memory early last Wednesday evening. Loss to area residents, business and industry runs into millions of dollars as a result of the twister. At this writing victims of the holocaust are recovering from the shock of the disaster and are digging out. Repairs are being made on damaged buildings. Other persons are seeking new or temporary bousing because of

Van Gorder said the most work will be in the hands of the caseworkers, that of finding food, clothing and sheltering where needed. He said HUD has moved in and the Red Cross will be working with this too as it sometimes takes a day or two after an application is made before HUD can locate a home for those applying. The Red Cross will assist too with basic household furnishings, making sure that no one is without a bed. table and other necessary items of furniture. The Red Cross will also assist persons in seeking help from the federal government which is set up in Rochester with everyone feels he may have a need of assistance urged to file as soon as possible. Red Cross representatives said Donald Frantz estimated damages in the county would be \ around Tfc million dollars. J Persons wishing to donate funds to help with the Red Cross work in this county should send then to the Red Cross office at Warsaw. To date some 38.000 has been donated and Mrs. Devenney said clothing items by the scores have been donated for distribution to those in need.

complete or partial destruction to homies Essentially, the storm, which swept the area with superhuman force, struck west and north of the city of Ligonier with principal damage in terms of dollars being to the huge Monsanto plant in the industrial park off Lincolnway west and to the Perry Centralized elementary school north of town. Goveracr Here Damage here was severe enough to command the attention of Indiana Governor Otis R. Bowen, himself a resident of Bremen, just 30 miles west of Ligonier on US 6.

Governor Bowen flew into Ligonier Thursday morning. He conferred with* Ligonier mayor Grover Patrick for about 20 minutes on conditions here. The governor wanted to see what relief the state of Indiana could bring to local residents who are destitute as a result of the storm. The miracle of it all is that only one person was killed and that there was very little serious personal injury. The hearts of community residents go out to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Dunlap, r 1 Ligonier, whose four-year-old son. Dennis Ray. was killed as the family was fleeing their mobile home at the Dunlap campground on US 6 west of the city. Monsanto-Perry School It can safely be said that major damage in the Ligonier area was done to the big Monsanto plant and to the Perry school. It should be noted first, however, that before the twister hit this area, it toppled several semi-trucks headed east on US 6 west of town. a One driver was taken to the hospital as a result. A mobile home. from the Dunlap campground was carried to a point on US 6 where it overturned and blocked traffic. The occupants were not at home at the time of the storm. Considerable damage was done to the area around the campground. The Ed Clapham residence on the south side of US 6, west of Ligonier, was directly in the path of the storm. Windows were blown out. and furniture in the home was scattered askew. Mrs Clapham was home at the time, and was left stunned, but not injured. Debris was strewn along US 6. sufficient to halt traffic from both directions, and emergency units, including the newly formed Noble County Emergency Medical service, went into action and brought what relief they could to the stricken areas around the town. The Ligonier division of the service was assisted by the Wolflake division. Huge trees were felled throughout the area, often making it impossible for traffic to pass and thus hindered the work of the emergency workers. - Damage to the Monsanto plant was estimated at a quarter of a million dollars by plant manager Gene Barham. He also said two men narrowly escaped personal injury when the storm hit. They were loading freight cars two bays away when the plant was struck. One literally ran for his life to get away from the full force of the tornado. The other got under the nearest large object he could find for protection from the storm Barham also said there was considerable water and wind damage to plant inventory. He estimated about a quarter million dollars to plastic bottles that were ready to ship. According to Barham the damage cost to the 35 million bottles was in labor and packaging The plastic can be saved and re-used.

Fashion v tie Farm Market Damaged Severely

There was very little damage to meat trays and polyflex stored in the Ligonier warehouse. Warehouses outside the area will now be needed for storage according to the plant manager. Os the 650 Monsanto workers. 120 reported for work on Friday. By mid-week the plant hopes to have over 200 back on the job. Repair work is proceeding rapidly. Quick Thinking Saves Lives Perry elementary school custodian Jake Mast and 20-year old Marty McDonald are credited with quick thinking which possibly saved the lives of around 20 persons in the school. Several young men were playing ball in the gym and a number of women were making preparations for a Saturday. April 6. chili supper Custodian Mast and young McDonald, who hoped to join others in a game at the gym. shepherded the others into the basement locker rooms away from the gym which was destined for complete destruction McDonald’s car was north of the gym and was demolished Destruction of the Perry school was so complete that it is doubtful that it will be rebuilt. A decision on this is up to the West Noble school board A total of 150 children attended the Perry school, aside from special education and' kindergarten students. Beginning Monday of this week the special ed and kindergarten classes will meet at the Wawaka elementary school Grades 1 and 2 will attend classes in the Ligonier junior high building Grades 3. 4. 5 and 6 will be going to West Noble high school for classes Buses will transport the children to their respective schools. Suffice it to say that the storm continued unabated in a northeasterly direction into the southeast edge of Topeka, then on to Rome City. South Milford, and into Sylvan Lakeand Angola area before it spun itself out. Repair Lines Valiant soldiers in the emergency proved to be the host of voluntary workers that worked unending hours to bring what relief they could to the disasterstricken area residents. Phil Schloss, president of the Ligonier Telephone Co.. said toll service was completely repaired on Friday, and that other lines will not be completely repaired for about a week. He could offer no real estimate of damage at this early date. Nor could he offer an estimate of how many telephones in the area were out of service According to Wiliam Nimmo, district manager of the I 4 M utility company at Kendallville, power was restored to the area at 4 p.m Thursday. No estimate of damages could be ascertained, he said, but it certainly would run into many thousands of dollars Utility workers were among the unsung heroes of the disaster