Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1922-11-10
S1,441,4S6 A YEARS
DISASTER RELIEF COST
Red Cross Aided 145,ooo Vic
Tins in United States-Losses
Total s30,0OO,0O0.

Seventy-two disasters. with hun
dreds reported killed and injured, mad
more than 145, 900 either homeless or
requiring assistance, called for emer-
gency relief measures and the .ex-
penditure of Still, 1896 by the
American Red Cross during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1922. according
to a statement based OH the forth
coming annual report Of the Red
Cross. The greatest toll of life was
taken by hurricane and tornado.
while the overlooking 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-slx floods, nineteen tor
nadoes. fifteen fires, four epidemlcs.
two theatre collapses, two .shipwrecks
Zone an airshlp). and bridge COL
lapse, mine explosion, railway COLL
sion. and drought. or the floods In
the United States that at San An
tonic, Texas, caused the greatest
property loss. S0,OOO,OOO 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 NorthiresS.. residential section. this
motion picture theatre Was on trfaaapep
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 n terrific snowstorm
which, though 1t retarded, did not
block Red Cross relief.
Alrship Crash Finds Aid at Hand
The crash and destruction of the U.
s. Army's large airship Roma In Vir-
Is
officers and men and IL injured was
the first disaster of its kind to call for
Red Cross relief In this country. The
suddenness of the accident tested the
preparedness of the organization and
Of the Chapter Mt Hampton, Va, but
the response was immediate and relief
furnished the survivors, also funds for
the expenses of relatives of the dead,
who cnme from long distances to claim
their own.
In the years oversee record for aid
rendered by the Red Cross are two
fires in the Philippines, one In Manila,
which destroyed 1000 homes, with a
loss of s1,5oO,ooO and 5000 persons
made homeless, the other Mt 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 $4,000
cases with 225 deaths In a 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 1S2 persons to wreckage. A
flood In San Salvador. with q death
toll OF 80 and 1000 refugees, was also
efrectually handled by the local Chap
ter Of the American Red Cross.
Relief Machinery Perfected
The year has seen the further per-
lection of disaster relief ndminlstra-
tive measures in every field of AmerI-
can Red Cross activity. and; that the
work may be carried on to still greater
c 10
Cross Is appealing for widespread re-
newal of membership during the an
nual Roll Call. to be conducted this
year from .Armstice Day November
1D to, and including, Thanksgiving
Day November 30).
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