Evening star., 1947-04-10
'1OO-kiIe Area
In Wheat, Cattle
Belt Damaged
Death Toll Is 100
In Woodward, oklo.;;
Property Loss High
BY the Assoeioi.d Press

WOODWARD, Okla, April 10.
"A devastating tornado swept
across a 1o0-nlile path of the
worlds richest wheat and cattle
country last night, killing an
estimated 154 persons, injuring
more than 1000 and inflicting
property damage running into
the millions.
The Texas State Highway Patrol
quoting a Red Cross estimate, re-
ported at least 152 were believed
dead with the probability more
bodies were buried in the rubble,
Hardest hit was Woodward, Okla,
where 100 were estimated to be
dead, with between 300. and 1000
injured. Approximately 100 blocks
OF buildings were destroyed in this
city Of $500 population.
Other estimates included Shat.
tuck, Okla, 40 dead; Higgins, Tex,
"a, and Glazier, Tex, s. Earlier,
two were reported dead at Gage,
Okla, which would bring the total
to 154.
Course Of Storm.
The general course of the storm
was northeastward from White
Deer, Tex, so miles from Amarillo.
then through Glazier, population
200: Higgins. population 750; Wood
ward and Gage, a community Of
800 persons.
Many Of the injured were being
taken to nearby towns, and hospitals
as far away as Wichita, Kans., were
preparing beds for possible rstie1ts.
Disaster crews were rushed to the
stricken areas and peace cf1cers
and hastily formed vigilante crews
guarded against looting after early
reports of vandalism.
Fires which followed the tornado
were brought under control early to.
day. Firemen were aided by tor.
rental rains accompanying the
Southwest's most disastrous storm OF
the year.
Woodward, Okla, was hardest hit.
Earlier estimates placed the toll at
u, but the Red Gross said 1t had
reached 100 dead.
Third Of Woodward Flattened.
Jewell L. Wilson, night supervisor
at the Woodward Memorial Hospital.
said the injured might run as high
as 800. Mortuaries were lighted by
candles.
Approximately d third Of Wood.
ward population $500 was hat-
tened by the storm. Fire followed
the tornado, but was quickly extin-
guished by f1remen and by the heavy
rain. Medical corpsme1 from Tinker
Field, near Oklahoma City, aided In
treating the injured, and other mill
tary units helped with relief work.
Woodward is in the heart Of the
Oklahoma cattle country.
Power and lights failed, and erner-
gency generators were used at hos
pital and dressing stations. The
Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. plant
was leveled and Irwin Walker, 81,
veteran night engineer at the plant,
was killed as he started to work.
Only one telephone line remained
In operation, but by daybreak an
other circuit was established. Strik-
ing telephone workers volunteered
to return to their switchboards dur.
ing the emergency.
Streets were blocked by debris
and cars were rolled into knots as
If they were pieces of tinfoil, twisted
between huge fingers.
Survivors wandered the streets In
a daze, still unable to realize what
had happened.
Higgins Deaths May Reach 30.
The estimate of dead at Higgins,
Tex, varied between "a and 80. The
Red Cross estimated "a for the
Texas Panhandle town, but Howard
Boxwell, mortician, said the toll
might reach 30. About $50 were
believed injured. The town has y
Innoaa1atiou Of $50, It was lev d
IExcep. ssa falsHe 81 1sssFs.sss -.ur,re.
the bank ana scn.sst building, all Of
brick. The business district was de-