The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1922-11-09
$1,A1,405 A YEATS
DISASTER RELIEF COST
Red Cross Aided $4,000 VIC
Tins in United StateS-LosSeS
Total S30,000,0o0.

Seventy-two disasters, with hun
dreds reported killed and injured, and
more than $4,000 either homeless or
gency relief measures and the ex-
penditure of S1,441, ,4S6.36 by the
American Red Cross during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1922, according
to a statement based on the forth
coming annual report of the Red
Cross. The greatest toll of life was
taken by hurricane and tornado,
while the overflowing of rivers, the
breaking of dams and torrential rains
drove the greatest number of people
from their homes. The property loss
was estimated at more than $780,
100000.
The years disasters reported in
cluded twenty-six floods, nineteen tor
nadoes, fifteen fires, four epidemics,
two theatre collapses, two shipwrects
Zone an airship), and bridge col
lapse, mine explosion, railway COLI
sion. and a drought. OF the floods in
the United States that at San An
tonic, Texas, caused the greatest
property loss, $6,000000 and the high
mark of fatalities, 100, while the
flood in the vicinity Of vicksburg and
Natchez, Miss, forced $1,000 persons
from their homes.
A National Calamity
In the Red Cross disaster relief
records there will probably remain
for many years one calamity which
touched nearly every state with a
sense Of horror and Of loss. This was
the distressing collapse of the roof
of the Knickerbocker Theatre in
Washington, d. c., resulting in nine
ty-six deaths and 125 persons injured
Situated in the center of the beauti-
full Northwest residential section, this
motion picture theatre was patronized
by many persons of prominence both
in the official and civil life Of the Ma
tional Capital, whose family and per
sonal connections radiated out over
the entire country. The horror was
intensified by a terrific snowstorm
which, though it retarded, did not
block Red Cross relief.
Airship Crash Finds Aid at Hand
The crash and destruction Of the U.
s. Army's large airship Roma in Vir
ginia last February with the loss of "a
officers and men and IL injured was
the first disaster of its kind to call fOre
Red Cross relief in this country. The
suddenness of the accident tested the
preparedness Of the organization and
OF the Chapter at Hampton, Va, but
the response was immediate and relief
furnished the survivors, also funds for
the expenses of relatives Of the dead,
who came from long distances to claim
their own.
In the years oversee record for aid
rendered by the Red Cross are 'wo
fires in the Philippines, one In Manila,
which destroyed 1000 homes, with
loss of s1,50O,000 and 5000 persons
made homeless, the other at Tonic
which drove 5000 from their dwellings.
In medical relief that was quick and
effective the smallpox epidemic in San
Domingo, which had total of 22,000
cases with 225 deaths In single day,
tested the readiness of the Red Cross
for action, and the same can be said
of the San Domingo hurricane, which
killed IL persons and reduced the
homes of 1872 persons to wreckage. A
flood in San Salvador, with death
toll Of so and 1000 refugees, was also
handled by the local Chap
ter of the American Red Cross.
Relief Machinery Perfected
The year has seen the further per-
fection Of disaster relief admlnistra-
tive measures In every field Of Ameri-
can Red Cross activity, and that the
work may be carried on to still greater
accomplishments the American Red
Cross is appealing for widespread re-
newal Of membership during the an
nual Roll Call, to be conducted this
year from Armistice Day November
lD to, and including, Thanksgiving
Day (November 30).