The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-03-31
RUSH RELIEF
into MIDWEST
TORNADO ZONE
Many Towns Are Damaged
as Storm Whips Across
Several States
KANSAS GOVERNOR
PERSONALLY AT WORK
BY UNITED PRESS

Relief agencies today were mo-
bilized in five states where 80 lay
dead and hundreds remained in
jured in the debris.strewn path
of tornadoes which slashed north
easterly from Oklahoma to ILL.,
nois.
Governor Walter Huxman took
personal charge at Columbus,
Kans., where seven are dead and
at least 100 injured.
Governor Henry Horner placed
the Illinois national guard and
state police at the disposal Of l6
stricken Illinois towns.
: The little railroad town south
of Pekin, ILL.,, Is in ruin with six
dead and more than 60 injured.
At Heber Springs, Ark, four are
dead and 20 hospitalized, two of
whom are not expected to live.
Four more are dead at Neeley-
vile, Mo-, and others were killed
at scattered points. -.s.
Impelled by low pressure area
of terrific intensity, the storm
burst upon Avant, Okla, shortly
before noon yesterday and bar
relied slantwise across Arkansas.
Kansas and Missouri and spent it.
self in central Illinois six hours
later.
The roaring black twisters
struck first in Oklahoma and Ar
kansas, moving into southeast
Kansas where they bore down on
Columbus, q town of 5000 in the
tri-state mining area.
Seven dead were counted in
Columbus last night. Martial law
was declared to facilitate relief
work and the search for addition
al bodies.
The dead at Columbus included
a mother and her two baby daugh-
ters; mother and her baby son,
and two other children.
Following the slanting path, the
tornadoes swept into Missouri and
struck heavily at the central part
of the state near Columbia.
Later the storms dipped into
Rushville, South Pekin and AS
toria, Ill.
One was dead at Astoria and
another at South Pekin.
Earlier yesterday a woman was
killed near Conway, Ark, when
a barn was blown down upon her.
It was reported that IL chill
dren of the TIA in the Highland
Park consolidated school at Co.
lumbus were either injured or
killed. The scene at Columbus was
chaotic. Aid was rushed from
nearby towns. Hospitals were fill
ed with the more than 100 injur-
ed and many were cared for at
homes still left standing.
At the village of Oglesby.
Okla, four pupils were buried in
wreckage of a schoolhouse from
which Sc others escaped few
minutes before a funnel-shaped
tornado struck. The children. res
cued by men who chopped away
the wreckage, we're not seriously
injured. Few houses in the village
were left standing.
Clyde Brilliant, IS, farmer.
was killed at Astoria, ILL.,, as the
high winds wrecked barn in
which he was working. Roman
Little. AZ, also of Astoria, was
injured.
Mrs. Homer Sellers was killed
at South Pekin, ILL.,, and at least
three others there were feared
dead. Between 80 and 60 injured
we're removed to the Pekin hos
pital for treatment.
John Allen, 81-year-old farmer.
was killed when the storm struck
Shaw. Mo-, near Columbia. =.
Mrs. j. Earl Lyons, So, died IN
the wreckage of her home near
Conway, Ark.
Communications were cut off
from Astoria and Rushville, ILL.,,
apparently first to feel effects OF
the storm sweeping northeast
ward from Missouri.
Several of the injured in Co
lumDuS, Mans, anu III So
Mo-, hospitals, were not expected
TO live.
The storm struck just before
noon in Columbus, tearing a path
Of destruction a mile long and
from 100 to 300 yards wide. Vital
services were halted. Hurried calls
for aid brought physicians from
nearby Joplin, NO., and Galena,
Sans.. other towns in the lead
md zinc mining area. 49,,
Torrential rains and hail fol-
owed the tornadoes and Interior
ID with relief work. Physicians
we're operating by candlelight in
Columbus, where the light plant
vas damaged and the water sup
,ly was cut off.
upncr Wac uEn NITT