Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-05-22
HOW OMAHA ELKS HELPED SUFFERERS
 Were Equal to the Occasion When Tornado Left Death and Destruction.
LADIES AIDED TOO
EicbIiShed Free Lunch Stations the Morning After tle Storm and
 Raised Big Fund.

The story in detail of the. terrible tornado of wind, thunder, lightning and hail that swept across Omaha Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, at about o'clock D. m.. crossing the city from Ralston on the southwest to the Illinois Central railroad bridge on the northeast, and thence across the Mis- solri River to the state of Iowa. leaV- ing track of death and destruction from four to six blocks wide. has been told in the daily papers and in sou yenir halftone booklets. The Graphic Will treat the subject as it afflicted the Omaha El ks Lodge, and from that standpoint alone.
 Many Elks lived in the section of the city traversed by the tornado. which, 1t is estimated travelled the dis lance noted above in less than four minutes. The greatest wonder is that more people were not killed in the wholesale, and in many instances en- tire destruction of residences, at an hour of the day when nearly every one was at home. It might be consid- cred almost a miracle to state that lot an Elk was killed, but such was lhe fact Four women of Elk families lost thelr lives. The mother of John 'uliiVah, the wife of Robert R.. Van uer' Vene, the wife of Anson H. Bigc- low and the widow of the late Dr. F. Y. fitzgerald CMrs. Fitzgerald being sister of Mrs. Bigelow), were among the dead.
 Mahy Omaha Elks were seriously ihJured Many had their houses |s"ept entirely away, and others had 'neif homes badly damaged, but not oeyohd repair. The entire space of 'hls paper would not be sufficient to 'eh the story of each individual case. 'nerelore we are unable to print the names in this article.
 Early Monday morning, March q. 'ne Omaha Elks arranged for relief "o'A on behalf of the lodge. Four free '"ci stations were established-tWo on 'ne north side of the. city, one at | {,:-
 a, a'o0 ra'rlck avenue, and the other at -ao Lake street, and two on the south que Of the city, one at Forty-eighth
 i'eaVenWorth streets and the 'Aof at the Beal schoolhouse ont on Aor street. Ham sandwiches. hot
 snsry' In the first hour of the cal "''s the people. appeared to be daz- " the disaster, and in many in- es the Elks went out from the el slatlons( hunted up the strick- r p'opie and carried food to them. =, ieedlng stations were main c,; 'u TOT several days, until the ,,,, ,,1ehs Relief Committee became organized and were able to take o '"e work and carry it on.
 d. sn sunday, March 30, the Elks la ..s s went after the people with tags. a. a'out sixty ladies volunteered to d, re ~, work. Believe us, they work ana ne work was done by districts, s.s systematically. There were thou tha or Visitors from out of town in cp,.' .''y that day, the result of ex- hu, ns :, over the several railroads ; cio, = iaales received the best finan, Tha. esults from our home people, mon collected $2,146.3O. and this t,an was all turned over to the .Ci- con committee, of which Robert
 0ssll is treasurer. .,,,..na. 1l aean ! had .ue meantime many telegrams loa.s 'eh received at the Omaha .Elks
 T rooms from sister lodges some