Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-24
DEATH ANS
IN TORNAEs ~
80 Known Dead, ,7TXred
100000 Prsre.ty I
Loss
SWEEPS INDIANA TOWNS
New Albany Chief Sufferer-Aid
Rushed From Louis
Vile
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, March q.

n.
Thirty-nine persons known to be d..a
nearly $50 injured and property loss a,
So 900. 900 was today the toll of the ,or
nado which swept across southern Indian.
late yesterday.
The storm spent its fury at New ALBANY
where thrty-four bodies have been recov.
ered In that town alone an additional Inn
were injured and $1,5o0,oOO damage don.
to property.
Before striking New Albany the storm
came down on the city from the northwest
Reports today showed many deaths and
heavy damage over wide territory, as fol.
lows:
Homon--One dead, two injured: prou.
erty loss of $4,000.
Jeffersonville-one dead, three injured:
several homes razed.
sullivan County--Two dead, fifteen hurt.
twenty homes in ruins and 100000 prom.
erty loss.
Hendricks County-One injured, twenty
homes destroyed and $4,000 damage.
District north of Decatur-Five injured.
$4,000 damage to farm buildings.
Delaware County - One injured. $4,000
loss.
Howard County-Two injured, $1,000
Corydon County-Twenty injured, twenty
homes damaged and loss of $4,000.
Flat Rock, Ill.-One killed, three injured
and loss of $4,000.
800 HOMES WRECKED
Three hundred homes in New Albany
were destroyed and about 1000 persons
were without shelter. The devastated dis
trict. including about one-third of the city,
is a half-mile wide and two miles long.
Martial law was in effect today. Two
companies of the National Guard ordered
m
morning. They had orders to shoot on
sight in case of looting. One other COM
pany was on the way. Practically all Of
the homeless were cared for during the
night Fires broke out frequently, one
destroying three houses.
Hospitals were crowded to overfowing
with the injured, who were being cared Tor
by nurses and physicians from Louisville.
Many of the injured were in a serious con-
dition, and physicians stated that the
death toll from those in the hospitals would
reach fifteen.
Many bodies may still be buried in the
debris. No thorough search could be made
of the district during the night Estimates
were that from ten to thirty bodies were
still to be found.
On account of the limited hospital facili.
ties, it was planned to transfer many Of
the injured to Louisville.
RELIEF WORK UNDER WAY.
Relief work was we'll under way today.
The indianapolis Red Cross has taken
over the details. j. j. O'Connor, director
of the central division of the Red Cross,
arrived here to make a survey of the situ.
alton and arrange to raise the needed
funds. Many cities have already offered
aid and relief funds were being started.
The tornado followed an afternoon Of
light showers. The district of the city
struck was where the working men lived.
Within few seconds the entire district
was in ruins. ,..
Wild scenes followed the sweeping Of the
storm. Women and children ran through
the streets searching for lost members Of
the family while men attempted to put out
fires.
The body Of Martha Stella Ehrlnger, a
two-year-old baby, was found in creek
with her arms clasped around the body Of
a dog. The baby and her pet went to death
together.
Tom Caldwell, watchman at the Monon
railway crossing. was one Of the heroes Of
the tornado that swept New Albany.
Peerng from his high tower. Caldwell
him with the speed Of an express train.
There was time for him to escape, but q
train was approaching he uttered prayer
and grasped the levers more firmly. The
train swept by. The next instant the
tower was fiattened. to earth as If by q
blow from some great projectile.
Caldwell was injured and probably will
die.