Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-29
was believed a number had been
killed and much property damaged.
Storm Strikes at Noon,

l
The storm came up little after
IL: 30 o'clock in the afternoon.
At that time the sun was bright,
the air warm. A frisky breeze was
felt. Thousands of people took to
their motors. Others thought the
day just right for stroll. Chicago
feft that spring had come with Palm
Sunday
| And then suddenly In the north
western part of Chicago it became
dark, and the wind grew. The rest
of the city was still in the sunlight
and the warmth.
| The wind grew--and then came the
cyclone, and hundreds were outside
looking at houses dancing in the
wind, and furniture skimming over
the ground. And as they stood anu
stared came a torrential downpour'
and fierce, hard hail.
Just outside the Dunnins district
there was rain and hail-ths win
dows smoked with the downpour of
rain, and some broke with the vOloci-
| ty of the hail-but that was ALL Re-
ports came with the passing Of the
storm and the reappearancs OF the
sun-reports Of heavy damage in
Dunning and Ions Of life were ut first
uncredited. Then peopls hurried to
the district. and to Colonial Gardens
"a little north and east Of Dunning.
Insane Patients Terrified.
The insane patients at Dunning
screamed and ran about the corridors
In terror, 1t is said, and were con-
trolled with difficulty. Then the in
Jured came into the institution in the
police\ patrols and ambulances, ana
thousand cots were made ready for
the homeless and shelterless.
The Irving Park police station be-
came headquarters for ambu;ances
and touring cars converted into tenn
porary ambulances. Twelve police
men We're called in for special duty,
and went into the windswept district
| to keep order and prevent lootins.
Saw Funnel Shaped Cloud.
The tornado was seen by Lester
Benz, and his employer A. J. Martin,
who were on truck speeding west
in Irving Park boulevard toward
Harlem avenue with a load of coal.
They say they saw a funnel shaped
cloud come out Of the southwest,
speeding and swelling as it came,
and tossing articles skyward. Martin
ordered Benz to put on Speed and
try to get out of the tornado's path
but it was upon them as he spoke.
Speedy Relief Measures
Relief measure raced with want
and suffering last night in the wake
of the tornado which wrought ruin
for forty miles around Chicago yes
terday. Health Commissioner Rob-
ertson was among the first to act
He rushed a corps of nurses and a
physician to Dunning, where forty in
jured lay in hospital; sent doctors
and nurses into Melrose Park, where
many were injured, and ordered am
balances and medical staffs to tour
the storm zone and give aid where
ever needed.
After a preliminary survey he an
nounced it probably would be neces-
sary to appeal to the public for a re-
lief fund, not only to supply tempor-
ary aid, but to assist the storm VIC
Tins in rehabilitating their ruined
homes. He estimated that food,
clothing and shelter for several thous-
and would be needed.
Relief Hastily Organized.
In Elgin, Melrose Park, Dunning,
Wilmette, Addison Heights. Plainfield
and other stricken towns wartime re-
lief organizations were hastily re-
assembled to render such first aid
as they could. Aurora, Joliet and
other towns adjacent to the storm
area made preparations to send help
to their stricken neighbors. Red
Cross units and nursing organiza-
.tions formed to combat the influenza
epidemic were called upon to aid in
relief work.
Everywhere homes which survived
the storm were opened to those who
had been left without shelter.
Chief Garrity Aids.
In the area adjacent to Chicago
proper Chief Of Police Garrity per-
sonally supervised relief work. Short
ly after the passing Of the storm his
automobile was hurrying toward the
stricken neighborhoods.
The fire department was first on
the ground with relief I in Addison
Heights, in cooperation with the po-
lice. Fire trucks and patrol wagons
were pressed INTO service ~ uaii'J5-
dead and injured to the hospital at
Dunning.
In many Of the stricken areas
companies Of the Illinois reserve mi
litia have been called out to guard
ruins and assist in the rescue work.
Suburbs Hard Hit.
Residents of Melrose Park, Bell
wood 4 and haywood today are
searching the wreckage left in the
wake Of the Palm Sunday tornado,
which cost the lives Of ten persons,
injured scores and demolished So
homes.
The suburbs were practically un-
der military, law during the night,
soldiers being on guard at the Citi-
zens State Bank at Melrose Park,
in which the windows were broken:
Reconstruction of partially de-
stroyed houses was started today.
Colonel Stuart, in charge Of the in
fantry on duty, issued orders to.
Shoot to kill' to prevent looting.
Most Of the residents will lose all
they had, because, altho they carried
fire insurance. very few had tornado
insurance.
y WreckaSe has been cleared from
the railroads and street car track
and traffic is normal.
FATAL STORMS IN SOUTH.