The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-11-10

of fruit in Florida and the Rio Grand
Valley in Texas, and destroying the re-
sources Of fishermen and tillers Of the
soil along the Atlantic seaboard from
Delaware to North Carolina.
Forty-four Tornadoes
In about twelve weeks-from March
II to June $50 tornadoes struck In
sixteen states. Had this been one great
storm it would have been appalling
in its intensity and destruction. Red
Gross records show that during the
year a of these fierce wind storms,
swooping within narrow confines to hit
in towns and fields. claimed 326 lives;
injured 2,755 persons and caused Red
Cross relief 10 be given to q, 738.
Aside from tornadoes. the Red Cross
carried relief to the victims Of the
earthquake in southern California; two
fires in Maine; floods in the Ohio and
Mississippi valleys which required sew
eral times; floods and dam breaks in
the northwest; a typhoid epidemic
where $50 persons were stricken in one
county; and in carrying relief TO
snowbound camp of gold prospectors.
In number of lives lost and property
damage the earthquakes of March 10
in southern California was the most dis
aStrous earthquake that had occurred
in the United States in twenty-five
years. Deaths numbered IS and thirty
one thousand homes, two thousand
apartment houses, stores, Office build
ingS, factories, warehouses, theaters
and churches were damaged. Forum
ately the shocks occurred late in the
afternoon, when public buildings, in
Guiding schools were not occupied The
majority of the deaths occurred out
side of the buildings, from walls or
cornices.
The Red Cross was Immediately upon
the scene, and aided by the army. navy
and civilian organizations soon had
temporary tent colonies erected in the
parks. where several thousand persons
were fed and housed for weeks. Four
months later. in July, the Red Gross
brought to close its relief work for the
stricken people A relief fund of $411,-
600 was expended by the Red Gross.
Emergency aid was given to ten thous-
and persons and Its families were
rehabiEtated in their homes and &C.
equations. The largest expenditure was
for building and repairs, and the Sec
ond largest for medical aid.
Dramatic incidents of relief during
the year were such varied types as
rushing food by horse and wagon over
mountain trails to 80 placer gold miners
and their families in Steep Hollow fiat
in California; in 'mobilizng eighteen
Red Cross nurses to fight a typhoid
epidemic IN South Dakota, where $50
were stricken and 80 died before the
plague was brought under control; and
in the vigil of a lone Red Gross nurse
on a mountain top, which she had
reached through blowing hours in a
blizzard, to care for twelve men fright
fully injured in the explosion of grist
mill. She fabricated medical aids from
the meager furnishings Of the log homes
about her, and succeeded in getting all
the men to the hospital the next day
where all recovered.
Disaster Relief Costly
Equally helpful but not 50 dramatic
were the Red Cross relief operations In
the cities of Auburn and Ellsworth,
Maine, following two great fires early
in May. Both fires were famed by
the high winds. destroyed hundreds of
homes and buildings. Aid in rebuild
ing homes and furnishing them was
given by the Red Gross to 163 families
in Ellsworth and 266 in Auburn.
In order to be able always thus to
rush relief workers, medical aid and
supplies, food, clothing and give shelter
when these cataclysms strike, the Red
Gross once each year seeks the sup
port of all citizens, asking them to
join as members Of the organization
during the annual appeal or roll call.