The Mail-Journal, Volume 11, Number 11, Milford, Kosciusko County, 10 April 1974 — Page 24

Atwood hit hard by full force of storm

The Atwood area remains under the protection of the national guard as its residents continue in their attempt to salvage what they can from their demolished homes and businesses The national guard is in the town to regulate traffic, keep order and to protect the townspeople against looting. The Red Cross is also there and has set up a relief center in the community building to feed and take care of the immediate needs of the townspeople and the volunteers who are working tirelessly to put the community back on its feet. The storm, which moved in at great speed from the southwest, hit the town at 6:12 pm One Dead The only person to die in Kosciusko county during the storm was killed in Atwood when the mobile home where he lived with three other men was destroyed by the tornado Dead is David Ugarte. 27. Mexico City, an employ ee of Kralis Brothers He died of a crushed skull. Ugarte had only been in the area three months. There are a number of other persons still hospitalized and several were treated on Wednesday following the storm and released from the hospital. Many of the town’s residents were in Warsaw at the time to attend a banquet given by the Clunette Elevator for its customers and friends. It is believed this saved many from being seriously injured or even killed m the storm. When the electricity went off in Warsaw the banquet was called off. Later, when it was learned the tornado had taken its toll in Atwood the unserved food was taken to the community Center for (bstnbution Many hours of volunteered labor has gone into the Atwood community in the last week. Jon Treesh. an 18 year-old Wawasee high school senior, son of Mr. and Mrs Glen Treesh of Milford, spent the last two days of his spring vacation in Atwood relaying messages via radio to friends and relatives about persons in the community. Others likewise donated their time.

I r*fiooo~ TUfcF Piles Os Rubble In Atwood Box Score Os Toll Taken By Tornado A box score of toll taken by last Wednesday’s tornado which swept the midwest and south is: — An estimated 302 dead and search is going on for others missing and feared dead. — 4.500 injured and thousands homeless. ? — 1.8*4 homes uninhabitable in Kentucky. 1.000 each in Indiana and Ohio. — Dead by states: Alabama 72. Kentucky 71. Tennessee 46. Ohio 37. Indiana 46. Georgia 16. North Carolina 3, Michigan 2, Illinois 2. Virginia 1. West Virginia 1. and Ontario. Canada*. -Monticello, hardest hit in Indiana, suffered SIM million in damages.

On Sunday the Otterbein and Harrison churches met for a combined worship service with members attending in casual clothing so they might join in the clean-up as soon as services were concluded Perhaps the biggest loss, dollar and cents wise, in the area are the several large poultry houses which were destroyed. Each was valued at 3200,000. Some of the other losses in the area are as follows Southside Repair Shop owned by Virgil Wise, destroyed Atwood Hardware owned by Howard Blackbum. destroyed MK Metals owned by Mike Zoezevich. lost roof t A total of 25 residences, including those of Virgil Wise, trustee Chester- Clampitt of Harrison township and cochairman of the county Red Cross disaster team Maurice McDaniels, were destroyed by the tornado Lester Blackbum's cattle bam collapsed with a number of registered Angus trapped inside. Mentone Too While the town of Mentone escaped the storm numerous residents between Atwood and Mentone and Mentone and Warsaw suffered severe losses. Seven bams with from 500 to 600 head of cattle blew down 1W miles north of Mentone with an estimated loss to the Midwest Heifer Enterprise Yards at one half million dollars. The yards are owned by Donald Shepherd Some 90 per cent of the cattle were killed or had to be destroyed. Three homes were destroyed between Mentone and Atwood with an additional 58 being damaged extensively and 27 being damaged to a lighter extent. In addition eight mobile homes were destroyed. Five bams were destroyed and 19 others were damaged extensively. Some 45 sheds and outbuildings were damaged.

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Many Residents Os Atwood Lost Everything When The April 3 Tornado Struck Their Town

Talma and Rochester hit in Fulton Rochester, county seat of Fulton county, was another of the many cities which were in the path of the April 3 twister. Several persons were killed there as homes, mobile homes and businesses alike were totally or partially demolished by the storm. Fulton county, along with White and Jefferson counties, were hardest hit by the storm. At Talma A few minutes later the storm hit Talma, a small community in Fulton county, just west of Mentone on state road 25. The storm all but wiped this community from the face of the earth. One death, that of two-year-old Beth Ann Nichols, was reported in the Talma area. The Talma elementary and junior high school, part of the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation. was demolished by the high winds which took the roof completely off the classroom portion of the building and the gym. leaving the steel girders standing to tell their bleak story. Spring Vacation A decision is expected later this week on where the former Talma students will be attending classes in the future. Last Thursday and Friday the Talma school as well as Burket and Mentone were not in session because of the power outage in that area. This week the schools are on spring vacation. NIPSCO power on in 24-hours Workers from the Northern Indiana Public Service Company’s Syracuse division, in the Goshen district, worked through the night Wednesday to restore power to area residents Power was back on in the northern part of the county within 24 hours. Most residents in the northern half of the county were without electricity for a very short time during and immediately following the storm. However, those who reside in the Syracuse area which was in the direct path of the storm did not have their

i % jb a x Xikig Flgprif\ Scenes Like This Will Be Long Remembered Destruction Was Heavy Where Tornado Touched Down

electricity restored until Thursday night. Jay Peffley, manager of the Syracuse division, said there are still a few customers who do not have power. These are homes where there was extensive damage by the storm and owners are not ready for the power to be

FIND W-2 FORM FROM MONTICELLO A W-2 form bearing the name of D. H. Stover. Monticello, was found at the Robert Wolterman residence west of Milford on Friday. The form was found by the Woiferman's 10-year-old son Chris. Monticello is about IM miles from Milford.

turned on at this time. Some factories were asked to cut back on use of electricity the latter part of last week as among the lines which were downed by the storm were those carrying 138,000 volts. These lines were back in operation the first of the week. c