The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-01
SEEK OTHER
VICTIMS IN
CITY RUINS
Injured Number Is; 80
Houses Wrecked; 100
Homeless.

WeDD City, MO-, NOV. L.
Hundreds of searchers well
coined daylight this morning
after five hours spent crop
ing in the darkness in their
efforts to find the bodies of
four persons who are be-
lieved to have lost their
lives in a tornado which
swept this city just after mid
night. One woman, a Mrs.
Freds. was known to have
been killed and Is other
persons were injured, some
of them critically in the
storm, which struck the city
in two places. About thirty
houses were demolished and
more than 100 persons are
homeless.
Search for the dead and injured
was hampered by the fact that a
cloudburst preceded the windstorm.
1t is estimated that from three to
four inches of rain fell within a
few hours before the tornado. The
debris of the demolished buildings
was searched with lanterns and
flashlights and all available ambu-
lances from Joplin and otner close
| places were rushed to the two sec
tions Of the city which suffered
from the storm.
Cuts Quarter Mile Swath.
! The storm struck first in the
south part of the city and. passing
over the business section in the
center of the town, dipped down
again IN the northwest residential
section In each place buildings in
an area of abclt quarter Of a
mile square were demolished. In
the south residential sections. the
residences were principally those
of laborers. while the northwest
section contains home Of the fin
est residences in town.
In the southern part, but one
house was left standing in the dam
aged area, the others being razed to
the ground.
With the coming of daylight only
a superficial search had been made
and It had been impossible to check
accurately on the nUFshAr Of miss
ing. While it was believed shat
only four or five persons had been
killed, searchers admitted that the
number might be increased.
i All Wires E.-.S
Telegraph and telephone CON-
munication was interrupted for
some time after the storm. The
first information regarding the tor
nado was given opt shortly after
communication on the Associated
Press wire to Joplin. few miles
from here, was re-estabiished.
about 30 minutes after the storm
struck. Some time later tele-
graphic communication was estab-
lished at Joplin and other nearby
points.
The storm was believed to have
taken a northcasterly direction
from here. Although reports OF
high winds were received from
otner points, no serious damage
was done elsewhere. as tar as has
been learned.
SIX hurt In Belleviile.
Belleville, H., Nov. six men
, were injured seriously today when
, a winQstorm blew oown large
smokestack at the Beileyille stose
and Range company. The six men,
; all residents OF Belleviile, wei
pinned under the debris, ana il took
nremen about an hour to extricatt
all OF them.
, The men were at work q ths
second hoor of the plant when ths
smoke stack crashed on the roof
They were carried to the first hool
(. with the wreckage.
The damage to the building wa
3. estimated at more than s50,000.
" The storm also did damage abou
J the city. A number OF window
. were broken, trees we're uproote
and several frame buildings wer
i unroofed.