Evening star., 1926-11-15
$4,000 IS NEEDED
TO HELP LA PLATA
First Estimate Is More Than
Doubled After Survey
by Red Cross.

Sixty thousand dollars is needed for
the relief Of the tornadO-stricken area
surrounding La Plata, 1t was an
nounced this morning by the Ameri-
can National Red Cross, whose rep.
resentative, G. B. Gwin, has com
pleted an inspection tour Of the ter
ritory with committee Of La Plata
business men, headed by State Sen.
ator Walter Mitchell. This more than
doubles the first estimate.
While the heaviest loss of life was
recorded at La Plata by virtue Of the
schoolhouse destruction, the storm s
damage was by no means confined to
that place, j. Arthur Jeffers, assistant
to the vice chairman Of the Red Cross,
said this morning. Several farm
Charles and Prince Georges counties
were demolished and their families
consequently made destitute, he said.
AS the storm struck after harvests
had been stored, the means Of liveli-
hood of most of the families in those
counties were completely obliterated,
and before the homes Of those per.
sons can be rebuilt outside assistance
must be given them, 1t was explained.
rs Farms Swept.
A careful check by the touring
party Of La Plata business men and
the Red Cross officer shows that a
total of 10 farms were swept in
Charles County, in addition to 6 in
Prince Georges County. Six houses
were demolished in the immediate
neighborhood Of La Plata, as we'll as
6 farmhouses and their barns in the
same area. Three houses Of that Sec
ton were seriously demaged and these
must be almost rebuilt to make them
habitable. At Cedarville. in Prince
Georges County, a house, a store and
6 barns were leveled.
While their parents and towns
folk strive to rebuild their destroyed
and damaged homes. La Plata's chill
dren In Washington hospitals con-
tinue to improve their chances for
are still in a serious condition.
These include little Maria Murphy.
whose fight for life has been a re-
markable one. When she was brought
to Providence Hospital she was more
dead than alive and surgeons ex-
tracted from its deep bed in her brain
a two-inch piece Of stone and a nail.
The bone Of her forehead was crushed
through by the impact Of the stone's 8
entry. This morning she was a little
better" though her Improvement is
far less marked than that of most
OF her classmates in the same hospital.
Others Are Improving.
Little Benjamin Miles and Louis
Swami each spent restful nights since
Saturday, Providence announced, and
their recovery Is expected IL their
improvement continues.
Samuel Berry, at Children's Hos.
pital, whose skull was fractured and
whose arm was amputated following
morning and his recovery is expected.
despite his critical injuries.
All the other children are out Of
the serious list. Some Is Of them
talking about the future, playing with
their many gifts and eating nourish-
Ing food. Scores Of visitors, most of
whom do not know the youngsters.
filed into Providence Hospital yester-
day.
While the inspection party toured
the area yesterday, thousands of sight.
seers In automobiles choked the roads
to La Plata. 1t was estimated that
from early morning until sunset be-
tween 1000 and 5000 machines were
driven from Washington to the little
town. For the first time in it's history,
La Plata had traffic cop" stationed
at Its entrance: a State trooper was
detailed to handle the steady stream
OF vehicles which brought curious
souvenir-hunters. who carried to their
homes with them such morbid memoes
as bits Of broken desks from the
shattered school.
Money Sought for Needs.
While the Red Cross In it's relief
work makes no attempt to provide
stricken farmers with an Insurance
fund to cover all their loss, Mr..
Jeffers said this morning that tho or
ganization seeks to provide money!
for their immediate needs. In many
cases the Red Cross Is providing
families with a part of the equity in
their rebuilt houses and barns, which
can be added to what funds thew
already have. SO that sufficient
money can be borrowed from banks
by the individuals to permit the re-
construction of their homes. This Is
being done in addition to the Inn
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