The Ward County independent., 1922-11-09
$1,441,l86 A YEARS
DISASTER RELIEF COST
Red Cross Aided 145,OO0 Vic
tins in United StateS-l0SseS
Total $3O,O00,00O.

Seventy-two disasters. with hun
dreds reported killed and injured, and
more than 145.0 600 either homeless or
requiring assistance, called for emer-
gency relief measures and the ex-
penditure Of $1,441 ,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 torrentlal 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
cludcd twenty-six floods, nineteen tor
nadnes, fifteen fires, four cpidcmlcs,
two theatre collapses, two shipWrccks
Zone an arship), and a bridge col
lapse. mine explosion, railway COLI
sion. and a drought or the floods in
the United States that at San An
tonic. Texas, caused the greatest
property loss, sc 100000 and the high
mark OF fatalities, 100, while the
flood in the vicinity Of Nickshurg and
Natrhrz, Mss. 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
| Df
the distressing collapse of the roof
of the EnirkcrbOcker Theatre in
| Washington, d. c., resulting in nine
| ty-six deaths and 125 persons injured.
| Situated in the center Of the hcautl-
| ful Northwest residential section, this
motion picture theatre was patronZed
| by many persons OF prominence hoth
| in the official and civil life Of the Ma
| tional Capital, whose family and per-
| sonal connect ions radi&ted out over
the entire country The horror was
intensified by 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-
clnia last February with the loss Of 81
officers and men and II injured was
the first disaster Of its kind to call for
Red Cross relief In this country. The
| suldenness of the accident tested the
| preparedness Of the organization and
Of the Chapter at Hampton, Va, but
thc response was immediate and relief
.! furnished the survivors, also funds for
nf hn 1n0f RI
who came 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 $1,5O0,0O0 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 4 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 1872 persons to wreckage. A
food In San Salvador, with death
toll of 50 and 1000 refugees, was also
effectually 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 administra-
tive measures in every field Of Amerd-
can Red Gross 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
11) to, and including, Thanksgiving
Day (November 30).