The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-18
S1,441,4S6 A YEARS
DISASTER RELIEF COST
Red Cross Aided $4,000 Vic
tins in United States-LoSSeS
Total S3O,OOO,0O0.

Scyenty-two disasters. with hun
dreds reported killed and injured, ana
more than $4,000 either homeless or
requiring assistance, called for emer-
gcncy relief measures and the eN.
penditure of 81 AL ,4S6.36 by the
American Red Cross during the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1922, according
10 statement based on the forth
coming annual report of the Red
Cross The greatest toll of life was
taken by hurricane and tornado.
while tile overlooking Of rivers the
breaking Of dams and torrenlial 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 twcnty-slx floods, nineteen tor
nadoes, fifteen fires four epdcmics.
two theatre collapseS, two shipwrecks
Zone an airship), and bridge col.
lapse. mine explosion, railway COLI
sion and drought or the Hoods in
the United States that at San An
ionic. Texas. caused the greatest
property loss. SG,OO0OO0 and the high
mark OF fatalities. 100 while the
food IN the vicinity of VickSburs md
Natchcz. Miss forced 81 600 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 q
SENSE OF horror and of loss This was
The distressing collapse Of the roof
Of the Kniclcrhocker Theatre in
Washington, H. g.. resulting in nine
iy.Siy deaths and l21 rers"nS Injured.
Situated in the center oi tuc heauil-
fal Northwest residential section, this
motion picture theatre was palronizeq
hy many persons Of prominence both
In The official and clv. HE Of the Ma
ional CAPITAL. whose family and per
sonal connections radiatcd out over
the entire country. The horror was
intensified by a terrific SncwStorm
which. though II retarded, did not
l,incl, Red Cross relief,
Airshp Crash Finds Aid at Hand
The crash and destruction OF the L.
:. ArmyS large airSlip Roma In Nir-
gina last February with the loss of 81
officers and men and II injured was
the first disaster Of It's kind 10 call FOR
Rcd Cross relief In this country The
suldcnness OF the accident tested The
preparedness of the organization and
OF the chapter at Hampton, Na- hut
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 nv the Red Cross are two
fires in the Philippines, one IN Manila
which destroyed LOCO homes, with II
lass Of Sl.5oO0o0 and 1900 persons
made homeless. the other nj Tonic
which drove 5000 from their dwellings.
I'm medical relief that was quick and
effective the smallpox epidemic in san
Domingo which had total OF 22,O0O
eases with 225 deaths in single day,
tested the readiness of the Red Cross
Tor action. and the same can he said
of the san Domingo hurricane. which
Killed II persons and reduced the
homes Ct ls2 persons to wrcckage. y
flood in San Salvador with death
ioll of 30 aid 1000 refugees, was also
efrec,ually handled by the local Chap
ter Of the American Red Cross.
Relief Machinery Perfected
The year has seen he further per
lection of disaster rc.!c dministra'
tive measures IN every field of Amcrl-
! ran Rcd cross activity, and that the
work may be carried o 10 still greater
accomplishments the American Red
rroSS is appealing FOR widespread re-
newal Of membership during the an
nunl Roll Gail. to he conducted this
year from Armistice Day tNoNemhcl
10 TO. and including, Thanksgiving
Day tNoycmber 3O).