The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-02
TORNADO TOLL
PAST 20 MARK.
SCORES HURT
Seven States of Midwest
Laid Waste by Lash of
Three Storms.
PROPERTY LOSS is HUGE
Relief Units Modified to
Aid Homeless Victims
of Hurricane.

BIZ United Prose-
CHICAGO, May 2.-More than
twenty deaths were counted early
today in the wake Of three tor
nadoes and accompanying lesser
windstorms that left scores of per-
sons injured and hundreds homeless
in devastated sections Of seven
midwest states.
Five deaths we're known in Ne
braska. as many in Minnesota, five
in Missouri, two in Illinois and one
each in Kansas, Wisconsin and
North Dakota.
The region of greatest damage lay
in the Missouri river valley, center
ing in the north in an area of
northeastern Nebraska and in the
south in districts around Kansas
City.
Coming out of northeastern Ne
braska, the first of the tornadoes
visited its fury on Tekamah, town
of 900 inhabitants, killing four per-
sons and injuring many, and de-
stroying whole blocks of homes.
Three others lost their lives
when the storm hit Fender and
passed on over five other Nebraska
Homer. Jackson, Winnie
bago, Bancroft and Walthill.
Break During Night
In the northwest another series
of tornadoes broke loose during the
night, and first reports showed
they had hit near zumbro Falls.
MINI, indirectly causing three
deaths, and at Westby, Wis, where
one death occurred.
A cloudburst that came as the
aftermath OF the tornado that
passed close to the Minnesota town
and wiped out a number of farm
houses, resulted in the drowning of
Mrs. r. w. Lawler, her 5-year-old
daughter, and Mrs. Walter Dodge,
all of Rochester, MINI. The two
women and the girl were in an
automobile travelling toward Lake
City, Mimi. when a torrent of
water loosed by the cloudburst
swept over them.
Damage Is 100000
At westby, Wis, Archer Funk, 9,
was killed and several persons were
injured in the other tornado, which
did damage estimated at nearly
100000.
Two operators in the Westby tele-
phone exchange were blown through
a window and severely injured.
other storms in Minnesota and
North Dakota resulted in six deaths.
The cloudburSt, which came as
the aftermath of a tornado that
struck near Zumbro Falls. Mimi,
caused the death Of two more wom-
en- when their car skidded from the
highway.
Bolt Hits Farmer
Lightning struck and killed a
farmer at Lawton, N. D.
High wind at Rockford, ILL.,,
juries to another when the automo-
bile in which they we're riding was
struck by a falling tree.
Violent winds, accompanied by
lightning, hail and rain, struck the
outskirts of Chicago during the
night, doing damage of approx
mately 100000 in the exclusive
= rr,- lot ~r-f-s. .
man was killed by lightning. A dozen
persons we're injured as roofs we're
blown away and windows we're shat
tered.
The tornado struck three times
in northwestern Nebraska. More
than a half dozen communities were
in its path. Farm buildings we're
leveled and communications we're
demoralized.
Travelling northward on the Ne
braska side of the Missouri river,
the storm struck the towns of Walt
hill. Winnebago, jackson, Homer
and Looms.
Phone Girl Heroine
Winnebago and Walthill are on
the Indian reservation and country
nearby is populated by members of
the Omaha and Winnebago tribes.
The courage of Mrs. Lille La
throp, a telephone operator at
Homer, who several years ago was
awarded the Vail medal for heroic
service, saved many persons living
in that town. Mrs. Lathrop re-
manned at her switchboard warning
townspeople of the approaching
storm. Hundreds were able to flee
because of her advice.
Tekamah, with a population of
near 1000. suffered severely. Prop
erty damage was largely confined to
the homes of poor, though homes of
Scattered communities of north
eastern Kansas and northwestern
Missouri were a chaos of death, in
Jury, shattered homes and twisted
communication lines today, mark
ing points where a tornado dipped.
Norborne. Mo, about one hundred
miles northwest of Kansas City,
paid the heaviest price. Three per-
sons were killed in the town and
two others died in the collapse of
a farmhouse two miles northwest
The storm struck first near Win
chester, Kan, killing Lawrence
Kern, a farmer, who was lifted
from his feet through the air and
= A. -.