The Indianapolis times., 1929-04-11
g. KNOWN DEAD after
TORNADO RIPS PATH IN
3 ARKANSAS COUNTIES
Reports of Many Other Fa-
taIitieS Checked by
Relief Workers.
DOZEN TOWNS ARE HIT
Trail of Ruin Five Miles
Wide Is Swept by Fury
of Wind.

BH United Press
NEWPORT, Ark, April IL.
Full extent of the deaths and
damage caused by a tornado
that ripped a wide swath across
five northeastern Arkansas
counties Wednesday night, was
being revealed gradually today
as crippled wire communica-
tions were repaired and res
cuers penetrated the stricken
areas.
The latest tabulation showed
sixty known dead in seven
towns and rural communities
swept by the tsorm that first
struck west of Guion, lizard
county, and then dealth death
and destruction as it clawed
through Alicia, Parkin, Sneeds,
dorado and Batesville.
Many are Missing
Red Cross and volunteer relief
workers who made brief excursions
into the storm torn surrounding
country said final check of the
rural districts probably would show
many additional dead and injured.
Relief work, caring for the scores
Of injured and hundreds of home
less, was under the direction of Al
bert Evans of st. Louis, assistant
National Red Cross director of dis
aSter relief.
Many were reported missing.
The death toll by towns: Alicia,
IT; Sneeds, 16; Parkin, II; Pleasant
Valley, 5; Lorado 6; Guion, 3;
Statesville, 2; Wynne, 4.
Telephone communications had
not been established to many
rural communities, but unverified re-
ports from those localities said
twelve were killed at Sweethome,
two at Diaz and Moref1eld each one
at Bay Village and five at Almont.
Fear Danger of Floods.
AS Red Cross workers arrived from
Newport and Little Rock to organize
the relief, additional fear was felt
because of the swollen condition Of
the White and Black rivers. already
past flood stages and threatening to
inundate the storm-swept area.
The storm appeared out of the
south shortly before darkness, swept
the town of Swifton, then twisted
and whipped eastward through the
villages of Diaz, Guion, Alicia,
Moorefeld, Almont, Warfield, Bay
City, Pricedale, Smiths Chapel and
Parken
The storm diminished in force
rapidly as it swept eastward and
by the time it reached Newport,
twenty miles northeast OF Swifton,
had decreased to less damaging pro-
portions. Newport barely felt the
storm but was swept by hail and
rain late into the night.
Disaster relief measures we're
rushed to the storm area in response
to appeals to st. Louis Red Cross
headquarters and the Jefferson City
(MoD army barracks.
Tornado Appears Suddenly
The tornado first appeared over
the main highway from SVifton,
approximately two miles from the
town proper 1t dropped suddenly
at 6:l5 p. m, trapping many FAM
lies at the dining tables Of their
homes.
Rain and hail which followed in
the wake of the twister rendered
trunk highways virtually impossible
and searchers proceeded on foot
the darkness seeking dead
an injured in the wreckage of the
many farm houses.
Within five minutes after the
struck the little town Of
Guion, the village was virtually OBJ
liberated, w. E. Weaver, a resident
Of Guion, told the United Press to-
day.
Il had just time enough to get to
the storm cellar when it struck from
the west" Weaver said. Il heard it
coming and rushed out Of the house
TO the storm house, just in time.
When I knew from the sound
that It had passed. l opened the
storm door and saw practically every
structure in town had Lcen blown
away. Probably seventy-hye build
lngs were levelled
When l first saw the storm, it
was hurting huge timbers ar trees
into the air.
After it had passed. the Mis-
souri, Pacific depot was demolished,
some forty houses were destroyed
and nothing but the vault was left
Of the Guion bank. Se---~ stores
were in ruins.
only five buildings in town es-
capped damage and no one hsS q