Evening star., 1925-03-20
FREAKS ARE FOUND
IN STORMS WAKE
One Towns Tax Receipts
Found so Miles Away.
Barber Chair Mystery.
BY the Associated Press.


WEST FRANKFORT, Ill, March
20-Many wind freaks were reported
N Wednesdays tornado which struck
Franklin and adjoining counties in
southern Illinois, leaving death and
destruction in its wake.
Murphysboro tax receipts of We'd
nesday's date were picked up at Fair
field, 80 miles northeast.
A barber chair found in field near
here was a mystery. as no barber
shop was known to have been in the
stricken West Frankfort area Pre-
sumably the chair had been transport
ed through the air from some other
town.
A frame building of the West
Frankfort water plant was left stand
ing untouched, while large trees on
all sides OF it were snapped off or
torn up by the roots
Hundreds or automobiles here had
their tops blown off. were hurled up
side down or virtually demolished.
Most of tin-can dump was picked
up from one side of the West Frank
fort-Benton highway and transferred
to the other side.
A grove of trees near here reminded
observers of the family wash day be-
cause of the articles of clothing
stretched on the limbs
Tragedy In Vivid Picture.
Three silent lines of storm surviv-
ors, standing before the hospital and
two morgues here. bore testimony TO
the tragedy which yesterday brought
destruction and death to the north
ern part of West Frankfort and
at hi ~ fw -
Rescue workers, military author
tiles. city officials and throngs of Curl
Gus persons picked their way through
the debris in the streets.
With many dead still unidentified,
officials expressed the belief that the
debris Of homes still concealed bodies
of other victims. Late this afternoon
the sidewalks in front of the under
taking establishments were packed
with relatives or friends waiting for
admission to positively identify some
of the bodies.
Children Designated "Unknown..
Wards at the hospital were crowded
and scenes there were tragic as
anxious relatives were turned away
by youthful guardsmen. In the hos
pital are five children designated
simply unknown" More than that
~
In the hospital at the city hall is a
three-year-old boy, his arm broken
and in a sling, who has not yet been
claimed by any of the refugees from
Wednesdays tornado. He was found
on the outskirts of the devastated
area this morning.
Attendants are unable to under
stand the lad when he tries to tell
them his name, but he is sure his par
ents will call for him.
The Illinois State guardsmen on
duty have thrown a Gordon around the
devastated area. Petty pilfering in
the demolished residences had been
discovered and guardsmen were or
dered to protect all such property.
Owners were permitted to visit
their homes through the issuance of
passes, and many of them, using a
motor truck or a passenger car, re-
moved their undamaged household
goods.
A steady influx of doctors and
nurses continued all day yesterday
from towns and cities on all sides of
the devastated area, including ST.
Louis and Chicago.
Water Supply Exhausted.
The limited water supply of the
town was exhausted in extinguishins
- - " MN Spi dHS up III the S.
Throughout the day water for hos
pital and relief usage was brought in
railroad tank cars from Herrin, Is
miles away. Residents obtained wa
ter for private use from scattered
wells and cisterns.
Railroad crews worked all night
and this morning clearing tracks, and
by noon sufficient repairing had been
done to permit normal movement of
trains.
Frantic calls were sent out yester-
day afternoon for blankets, cots and
other supplies to house the storm
victims. Requests for aid were sent
to virtually all nearby towns, and
supplies were ordered from wherever
they might be available.
A call for volunteer grave -digeers
went forth from West Frankfort last
night West Frankfort Is compara-
lively quiet. Relief for the injured
and destitute now is well organized
and many of those whose hurts are
less serious have left the hospital
enabling the staff of physicians and
nurses to better care for those in a
serious condition.
Anxious relatives and friends gath
cred despite the warning of attend
ants that they could not be admitted
to the crowded wards, in the hope
that a chance might permit them to
learn the condition of their loved