Evening star., 1925-03-20
SIT Bodies Recovered, But
Many Are Believed Buried
in Ruins-35 Towns Are
Hit-Property Loss Huge.
GAS, LIGHT AND WATER
GONE, ADD TO HORROR
Temporary Morgues and Hospitals
Filled and Doctors Are Forced to
Operate Without Using Anes-
thetics in Some Cases-No Food
Shortage Reported.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, March 20-Still pros
trated, but with the hurried efforts
at temporary relief supplemented by
the arrival OF trained workers, sup
plies and medicines, the storm
stricken area of the Ohio Valley
today continued to count the terri
fc loss in life and property of its
greatest tornado catastrophe.
Revised casualty lists indicated lit
tie change from the first estimates
as Wednesday afternoons twister
plowed its eccentric and destructive
course into FIVE Middle Western
States. Fairly systematic checking
in IS cities and towns in the storms
path indicated a death list Of be-
tween 300 and 900. with approxi-
mately 5000 injured and many other
thousands homeless.
At noon today 577 bodies had been
recovered, but it was believed that
many were still to- be found, as en-
tire towns were demolished and iso-
lated.
Untold Property Loss,
A check of the devastated areas had
not progressed far enough to permit
even rough estimate of property
losses, although sums of millions were
mentioned from many points. Officials
of the Red Cross in Washington char
~ -
disaster since the Ohio Valley food
of 1913, when $5o0,o0o,0oo worth OF
property was laid waste.
Additional light on the charac-
terfstfcs and behavior of the great
tornado was provided by Prof. Henry
J. Cox, Government forecaster at Chi
cago, who called 1t typical Middle
West Springtime storm. II orfginat-
ed over the Gulf of Lower California
ne said, passed harmlessly over Colo
rado, dipped to Arkansas and then
took path OF lest resistance along
the Ohio Valley. There it's major
force was spent and 1t rushed Off
on a high wind in the direction of
Iceland.
Prof. Cox explained that in the
Spring the sun heats the air in GER
tain regions, causing warm whirling
currents which strike colder waves
from the North. The result is great
circular movement OF air over a large
area. which is called a cyclone. Tor
nadoes. varying from a mile to five
miles in length, develop on the edges
of the cyclone and cause the damage
by their violent movement
Shipping Is Damaged.
Sporadic reports of the storms
course after its five-hour dip to earth
from eastern Missouri to western In
diana came yesterday and last night
from Great Lakes ports. Some dam
age to shipping and property was re-
ported near Buffalo, n. Y. The tor
nado then moved Northeastward
through the st. Lawrence Valley to
the Atlantic Coast, dissipating as it
went.
AS relief measures got under way,
stories of the almost unprecedented
misery in the storm-swept area came
In from all points. Temporary
morgues and hospitals were filled to
overfiowing, while frantic men, wom-
en- and children searched the long
lines of dead for missing dear ones
In some instances, doctors performed
major operations out of doors or in
roohess buildings, without the aid of
anaesthetics.
Paralysis of gas. Hight and water
facilities in some towns added to the
discomfort and confusion, and
through a second night of horror, re-
lief workers had only candles and
lanterns to guide their efforts of
mercy. No food shortage exists, how
ever, the Red Cross at ST. Louis an
nounced
Death List Mounts.
In southern Illinois, where terrific
havoc was wrought in four towns,
Murphysboro, West Frankfort, De
C-f~ ar.I -h 0l1 L. lit.
territory, within a IS mile radius of
Carbondale, the relief center. the toll
of dead and injured continued to
mount today additional bodies
were taken from the ruins. The
death list was above the 500 mark,
while between 1000 and 5000 were
injured and thousands were homeless.
Relief workers said the loss of life
might reach 1000. The property dam
age in the area estimated at
S7.00O.000.
There the disaster fell largely on
persons of limited means. some out of
work because of the shutdown of
coal fields. Many women and chill
dren and a score of babies appeared
on the death list. Entire families
were wiped out One man, searching
three children, found the bodies of
his babes side by side in one room,
his wife in another
Many of the bodies were mangIed,
SCARED or burned, some beyond rec
ognition. Identification In many In
Stances had to be made by rings or
other personal belongings.
No Plans for Funerals.
The Government, Red Cross. private
Institutions and individuals combined
in the huge task of caring for the
injured, giving shelter and huntin &
bodies, while additional workers and
State troops including medical units
were due today. Funeral plans had
not been made, but 1t was expected
that multiple services would be held
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