Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-13
INTENSE SUFFERING
IN T0RNAD0'S WAKE
People of Newcastle Settle Down
to Another Night of Chill
and Darkness.
DEATH LIST SHOWS NINETEEN
Contributions of Food Supplies
and Money Begin to Reach
City Late in Day.
DEATH LIST SHOWS NINETEEN
iBy Associated Press. !


patrollins the streets. tho city Of New
castle. which was swept by tornado
late Sunday afternoon. settled down
tonight to another night of chill and
darkness. churches. schools. lodge
rooms. public halls and dwellings
having been thrown open to the home
Tess. nu, suffering in many cases was
intense.
The death roll tonight showed
nineteen dead. three persons missing
ana about q score seriously injured.
with a hundred more suffering from
been found III the ruins late to-day.
but two OF the injured died in hos
piiais during tho day
Contributions Of food yuunlies and
money began to reach the city late
to-day. The food problem began IN
take on serious aspcc, early in the
day. Crackers sold a, cents each
and bananas at a nickel apiece. The
gas supply was shut off. and many
places were without means of pre-
pairing food that was at hand. and
canned goods were at a premium
RELIEF FUNDS STARTED
IN MANY CITIES OF STATE
In answer 10 tho appeal by a cit
izens committee. relief funds have been
started in many cities of the state
Charles w Fairbanks contributed
81. 200
Funeral arrangements had not been
made tonight, as most of the day ha
been spent in searching the ruins for
bodies. Plans which probably will in
clude public service for all the dead
will he completed tomorrow.
Up 10 tonight no looting has been
reported to the military authorities
While martial law has not been de-
clared. the soldiers are ruling the city
with strong hand
Dr W. ]. Fugate. local health officer.
expressed the belief to-day that there
would be no serious outbreak of dis
ease. although many persons suffered
from exposure.
STRICT PATIIoL OF S,rnICKISN
DISTRICTS MAINTAINED
The tornado struck the city from
the west, after lercIling the rolling
mills of Blue River Valley. 1t swept
through The entire width Of the city
from Sixth 10 Twenty Streets
The first homes in the path Of the
twister were levelcd. after which the
wind apparently raised slightly. TAX
ing the roofs from the houses from
Tenth To Twentieth Streets, where il
again dipped. sweeping practically
every house before il to Twcnty-tifth
street The greatest damage was done
III the south section where great
many OF the factory employees reside
and several thousand were homeless
throughout the night. Two hundred
special officers were sworn in by Mayor
watkins. and strict patrol of the
stricken districts was maintained
The death loss was all in the south
eastern part, where the wind apparent
~ struck low. One fire occurred. NJ.
NJ. Mintch losing his drug store and
his home
The tornado cut path from 300 to
500 feet in width through tho city for
distance of eighteen blocks 1t en-
tered the city limits near the south
west boundary line. and worked its
way in a zigzaS manner mort for two
blocks. and then east. II turned south
near the eastern limits. and left tho
city in a southeasterly direction.
The Eroans OF dying and the screams
of persons less injured who were pinned
under the ruins of their homes wa
heard on every side. Most OF the dead
we're taken from homes that We're COM
pletely demolished. Many escaped in
jury by rushing into cellars.
MANY FREAK ACTS
PLAYED BY TORNADO
The tornado played many freak acts.
On number of streets every house.
with one exception, was levclcd To the
ground, and in one block every second
house was wrecked and the other
homes escaped untouched Entire roofs
were torn from houses and carried FOR
squares, and one house was picked up
and carried ii half-square and set down
again practically unframed
The three Newcastle ambulanccs were
supplemented few hours after the
catastrophe by three umbulunces from
Muncie. The Muncic machines were
hlied with doctors and medical supplies.
Muncie also sent large squad of
police TO assist in the rescue work.
The state fire marshal wired the local
gas plant To shut off it's supply as a
safeguard against fires from broken
pipes IN the ruins. The order threw
most of the city into darkness. as tho
electric current of all of the southern
portion of the city was cut off
Communication with nearly all Vi.
laSes was broken off. but reports from
mobiles were that at least several per-
sons had been killed in the vicinity.
IL was reported three had been killed
at New Lisbon, three at Aloreland and
three at Mount Summit.
The entire city responded to Mayor
Whtkins's call for assistance. Hotels.
lodges and private homes and lodge
rooms have been thrown open to the
homeless. No church services wcrc
held last night. and all OF the churches
were opened to care for the un-
fortunales.
Freaks Of the storm and narrow cs-
capes were numerous. The Indiana
Rolling Mills was demolished. c. "
Mouch, president of the company, was
In the offices at the time. He. with
Mr.. and Mrs Harry Newhousc. rushed
into the large vault, where the books
and records were kept. They were un-
injured.