Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
Red Cross Takes Lead in
Giving Relief to Cyclone
Victims at Mattoon, I'LL,
and Other Wrecked Towns
- Sympathy of Nation
Goes Out to Sufferers

and imperative needs Of tire home
less thousands Of mattoon and
Charleston was issued today by
the American Red Cross.
| A much larger sum must be OBJ
| tanned shortly for the work, 1t was
announced. The work Of relief
| has been increased by the cold,
| wet weather which has followed
the tornado. Contributions should
be sent, Il was announced, to the
treasurer Of the local Red Cross
| organization.
Mayors George Swan Of Mattpon
| and T. T. Shoemaker Of Charles
ton also issued prociamations ap-
peaiing to the people Of Illinois for
aid, especially for financial con
tributioas.
Compilation by the Red Cross
today Of the first detEited statis-
tics on the disasters indicate that
charieston's dead number 20 and
Mattoon's So.
/ Mattoon, Ill.,, May 2S-American
sympathy manifested itself in sub
stantial fashion today for the plight
of Charleston and Mattoon, twin VIC
TINS Of the tornado which swept CEN
trail Illinois on Saturday leaving be-
hind It death and ruins
Scores of communities throughout
Illinois, Indiana and neighboring
states responded to the appeals Of the
stricken cities with cars Of foodstuffs
blankets and cots and assurances
were received that more was available
If necessary.
Organized relief for the destitute, of
whom there are about 5000 in the two
towns, was begun today smder the gu
pervision Of J. j. CsCunnor of the Ussn-
trail division of the American Red
Cross. who arrived with contingent
of fifteen nurses.
RED CROSS At WORK.
Today food stations were establish
ed and owners Of motor cars were
pressed into service delivering to
public buildings. institutions and pri-
vate homes serving as temporary shell
ters for the stricken.
So far as was known today, the wind
cost ninety-one lives and resulted in
injuries to about 600 persons in Coles
county.
Reports from the farming districts
indicated that the casualties were
heaviest in the two cities. The farm
ers. however, reported heavy property
losses in the destruction Of buildings,
the death of stock and damage to
growing crops. Available estimates
placed the damage doubtfully at be
tween $500, 900 and So, 900, 900 Of which
$3.50, 900 was In Mattoon and about
$75a.0o0 in Charleston.
FUNERALS MEMORIAL DAY.
Plans for the burial Of the dead are
under way today In Mattoon public
Memorial day funeral is contemplated.
burial of large proportion Of the vic
tins being in the Dodge Grove ceane-
terry, itself storm swept.
Mr.. OConnor asserted that it will be
at least ten days or two weeks before
many of the destitute can be put on
anything like a self supporting basis
and that the rehabilitation requires
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars.
Officials of the state board OF health,
including a corps Of medical and sani-
tarv engineers an epidemio}ogist and
registrar Of vital statistics, began
their surveys in the wasted sections OF
the two cities, one Of the first results
being the quarantining in Mattoon OF
a man reported to have been suffering
from contagious disease.
DEATH LIST GROWS.
The number Of death, reported in
Nation was increased to SIS late today
when Mrs. Belle Shelley died from In
juries at hospital here and the bodies
of J. Needy and infant child OF owen
waggpner were found in the wreckage
of their homes on nearby farms.
The Charleston death list was un-
changed
STATE ASKED TO AID.
Springfield. H.. May 2S-The sum
of 50, 600, 900 will be needed to meet re-
lief requirements at Nation. Charles.
ton and other Illinois towns, special
committee from Msttoon told Governor
IIowden at noon today.
The committee said Mattoon will be
able to contribute 100000 of this
amount and that Charleston will be
asked to raise $4,000.
After the conference Governor Low
den said no legislative appropriations