The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-12-13
,4t,4S6 A YEARS
easter RELIEF COST
led Cross Aided $4,000 Vic
inns in United States-Losses
Total $30,000,00.

smrcnty.two disasters, with huh-
G-eds reported killed and Injured anu
| mure than $4,000 either homeless or
| recurring assistance, called for 'emer'
| rpnry relief measures and the e8-
! penditure of $1,441,4sa38 by the
| American Red Cross during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1922, according
| TO q statement based on the forth
| coming annual report OF the heo
Cross. The greatest toll of life was
taken by hurricane and tornado,
while the overlooking Of rivers, the
breaking Of dams and t~orrential 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
] sluded twenty-si1 foods, nineteen tor
nadoes, fifteen fires, four epidemies'
two theatre collapses, two shipwrecks
Zone an airship), and a bridge col
lapse, mir explosion, railway COLI
sion. and a drought. OF the noods IN
the United States that at San An
tonic. Texas, caused the greatest
property loss, 100000 and the high
mark Of fatalities, 100, while the
food In the vicinity Of Vicksburg and
Natchez, Miss, forced $1,000 persons
from their homes.
A National Calamity
In the Red Gross 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.
J. Situated in the center Of the beauti-
fIl 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 apital, whose family and per
sonal connections radiated out over
the entire country. The horror was
intensified by a terrific snowstorm
which. though 1t retarded, did not
| block Red Cross relief.
Airship Crash Finds Aid at Hand
The crash and destruction Of the q.
8. Army's large airship Roma in Vir'
pinia last February with the loss of 81
officers and men and IL injured wa
the first disaster Of its kind to call for
Red Cross relief in this country. The
audiences Of the. accident tested the
preparedness Of the organization and
Of the Chapter at Hampton, Va, but
the was immediate and relief
furnished the survivors, also funds fol-
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 two
fires in the Philippines, n IN Manila
which destroyed 1000 homes, with q
loss Of $1,5O0,0O0 and 5000 person.
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 a total Of 22,0e
cases with 25 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 II persons and reduced the
homes Of 1872 persons to wreckage. A
! food in San Salvador, with a death
toll Of 50 and 1900 refugees, was, also
efectually 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 admlnistra'
tive 8 in every field Of Aneri'
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 Armlstice Day (November
III to, and including, Thanksgiving
Day (November S0).