Evening star., 1938-04-10
NEWF[0OD THREAT
GUSTS HUNDREDS
Crops Also Are Menaced in
South by Cold Wave-82
Killed in Nine Days.

ern river basins today while winter
reluctantly relaxed its grip on the
rest of the country.
In the deep South the Coosa and
other Central Alabama rivers surged
toward predicted record crests while
Coast Guardsmen and other rescuers
raced to aid endangered households.
Freezing weather in some sections
of Dixie threatened to add to suffering
and blast young crops.
Warmer weather cut into the snow
blanket that stretched northeast from
the Texas Panhandle to the upper
Atlantic Coast
Red Cross reports at the end of the
first nine days of usually mild month
showed toll of 80 killed, 6l2 injured
and l09 homes destroyed by sporadic
tornadoes and floods which swept
South and Central United States be-
tween March % and April 7.
Unofficial reports indicated A of
those deaths had occurred within the
last three days.
A bowling northwest blizzard routed
spring in Western North Carolina
-Four inches of snow and tempera-
lures ranging downward to l6 degrees
were recorded
In Asheville fine snow began fall
ing during the middle of the after
noon and continued through the
evening,
A blizzard was reported raging in
every county tonight. with highways
practically impossible from accumu-
lated sleet. The temperature was 20
degrees
Watauga County. adjoining Avery,
also reported blizzard, with more
than 3 inches of snow and a tenn
perature of % degrees Fruit crops
were believed to have been killed.
More Damage Threatened.
MONTGOMERY, Ala, April 9 LP.-
Rising rivers tonight threatened ad-
dltlonal damage in floodtorn Ala
bama, Georgia and Mississippi. drove
thousands from their homes and
ruined crops and property in many
localities
An intense cold wave moved into
the area to add to the misery of those
whose homes have been lost to floods
and tornadoes and to threaten crops
in some sections. Warmer weather
Is expected in most of the South to-
morrow
Blbb Graves, Governor of Alabama,
the State where the floods are most
serious, issued an appeal for relief
. funds. BY proclamation he designated
the American Red Cross the official
relief agency and invited citizens of
Alabama and other States to con-
tribute.
Relief agencies said 10000 already
are homeless and that the total would
be 10000 by the end of next week
in Alabama alone
Over 1000 Homeless.
Meridian reported 1000 homeless
In Southeastern Mississippi, and near
Rome, in Northwest Georgia, $50 fam
lilies were moved from flooded low
land areas. Hundreds of others
doubtless moved out in smaller num-
bers from scattered communities, par
ticularly in Alabama and Mississippi
Flood peak forecasts along the Ala
bama River were later revised down.
ward from predicted record levels, in
dlcating waters would rise only about
a foot more at Montgomery and Selma
the focal danger points.
The revised forecasts would give
Montgomery 50 feet and Selma 55
feet as contrasted with So to go feet
oNInally predicted. Record stages
for the cities were 59.7 and 81 feet.
respectively, established in 1886.
Except for 13 deaths Thursday night
at Whitestone. Ga, where mountain
freshet washed house away. loss of
hfe from floods was small because
residents in most instances had ample
warning.
Three other food deaths were re-
ported, one each at Birmingham and
Selma, Ala, and one at Meridian,
Miss. In all three cases. men lost
their lives when they fell into flooded
bitches or pits A tornado at Alice
vile, Ala, killed 13 Thursday.
The first estimate of damage in
any one town came from Mayor L. N
Gillespie of Prattville, textile town
in Alabama, inundated yesterday. He
said loss would run from $4,000 to
100000.
Crop damage, particularly in Ala
bama, was widespread and observers
feared it would become greater as
over-taxed rivers and creeks carried
the flood into the low-lying areas of
Southern Alabama.
Crop Damage Seen Great.
County agents in Mobile and Bald
win Counties in Southern Alabama
estimated cold damage might run as
high as Sl50,000 in cucumber, melon.
sweet potato and snap bean fields and
cotton men said crops not actually
inundated would be hurt by rains and
low temperatures.
Asphyxiated, 1 Lives.
PAMPA, Tex, April 9 (P).-The sin
gle survivor of a mass asphyxiation
that claimed seven lives in a snow
bound oil field home near here yester-
day regained consciousness today and
physicians said he probably would re-
cover.
w. I. Martin was found barely
breathing by neighbors who broke
down the door to the j. o. Turner
home. The seven victims apparently
were overcome as they slept.