Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1921-01-27
WHAT WOULD YOU
Do IF DISASTER
HIT YOUR TOWN?
$4,000 Victims of Sudden Disasters
Helped Last Year by
Red Cross

Atlanta, "a, What WOulC
your town do tomorrow, were it sud
denly stricken by disaster?
The question is not as foolish as
il may sound to people who are living
today in safety and happiness and
who no more anticipate disaster to
morrow than they do the end OF the
world.
For no one knows when or where
disaster will strike.
There was no warning of the San
Francisco earthquake and fire. One
moment the people of that mighty city
were bustling about their business
Utterly devoid of fear or premonition;
The next their entire world was tum-
bling about their ears.
One morning two miles of the city
Of Atlanta, Ca, were swept by fire
in less than four hours.
Wall street never expected bomb
explosion until 1t came and killed
more than thirty people and manned
scores OF others in less time than 1t
axes to read this pal agraph.
Even gathering storms and rising
floods. such as the south has known
IN its coasts and at river cities like
West Point, Ga. give scant warning
before homes are inundated and peopl3
forced to flee for their lives.
To any one at any time tornado,
dire and storm may bring peril and suf
fering. SO the question is asked
again:
What would your town do tomor-
row II disaster struck"
It is to provide an answer TO that
question that the American Red Cross
has beep in existence for years and
years. II is the recognized official
agency for disaster relief, and it has
lived up TO its responsibilities In d
wonderful way.
That is one reason why the Red
Cross deserves the support Of every
one OIL its Fourth Roll Ca.l-to main
ain il so that, when disaster strikes,
the stricken will always have help
ing hand to turn to, the American Red
Cross.
The disaster relief part of the Red
Cross organization has been so thor
oughly perfected that it can answer
.alls for help In the briefest possible
time.
People of the south we'll remember
how promptly the Red Cross respond.
ID to the need during the West Point
flood last year, the Corpus Christi
storm and several other southern dis
asters, while fresh in the memory of
the entire country is the fact that
Red Cross doctors and nurses were
first on the scene" at the Wall street
explosion.
In addition to furnishing such
prompt relief as this, practically ev-
cry Red Cross chapter has a per.
manent disaster relief committee,
which has made survey Of resources
in their respective communities and
is prepared to act promptly with the
means at hand when disaster occurs.
Illustrative of the genuine need for
just such preparedness as this in the
United States is the fact that. last
year alone, the Red Cross aided go
900 persons In 1914 communities, all
victims Of rs separate and distinct dis
asters.
In the accomplishment of this re-
lief work 140 Red Cross chapters were
called upon to assist, the sum OF $780,
900 In cash and supplies was expend-
ed. Thirty temporary hospitals were
called into existence, twenty-odd mo-
tor corps were organized, seven spe-
cial relief trains were sent out and
ITO special representatives and nurses
were furnished In addition to the aid
given by the local Red Cross workers
in the community visited by disaster.
In these 73 disasters, including IS
tornadoes and cyclones 2 hurricanes,
2 cloud bursts, hail storm. 2 earth
Quakes. / landslide, Is fires, explo-
sion. floods, 10 shipwrecks, train
wreck, riots, / motor accident and
2 Groughts-S persons were killed,
I 500 were injured, 1900 (approxi-
were rendered homeless
while property valued at SIS, GOO. 900 was
destroyed
The largest and most destructive |
disaster of the year was at Corpus |
Christi, Texas, In September, 1919. |
4 approximately 400 were killed and A.
200 made homeless. The he'd Cross
iiyision director with staff of 50
assistants administered fund of $500 |
Zoo. giving aid to 5000 families and |
ru. towns and rural districts and sui
,ciclt supplies to each family to eu.
Able Il to stand on its feet.
because of tornadoes, the Gulf anG
axe Divisions were called upon to
lend Emergency relief with trained
workers to nearly so communities. The
wo dr0ughts in Montana ard North
Dakota gave abundant opportunity for
raiued workers from the Northern Di-
Tision TO help the led Cross chapters
their usefulness. Will =
number of shipwrecks proved the read.
acss ut the Atlantic Division and th
Iew York Metropolitan Area Com.
ee to assist in tina; line OF work.
The record Of lass year emphasis
he need of abundant prepareeia sz