The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-17
STATE OF TEXAS
Mobiles AIDES
Red Cross, Armed Ser
vices, Veterans Groups
Press Disaster Relief
By JOHN HARTZELL
United Press Correspondent

TEXAS CITY, Tex. April To-
W.D The State OF Texas. assisted
by the. Red Cross, the armed
services and veterans organlza-
tons, modified its resources to-
night to handle the big job of dis
aster relief in this blasted city.
Red Cross officials announced
an initial appropriation of $780,
600 for the emergency needs Of
victims.
But even as the mobilization of
relief forces got underway, explo-
sions still rocked t e waterfront
and fires famed along a two-mile
stretch OF the bay.
An emergency ham network
of amateur radio operators for the
Texas City area was being super
vised from Dallas, with the ap
proval of the Federal Communica-
tons commission, which announc-
ed that a broadcast band had
been cleared for it. Only emergen-
cy messages were being handle
The Fourth Army announced at
San Antonio that it was sending
help. The 10th Air force was
named coordinator of transporta-
ton n d Immediately dispatched
two airplanes TO Scott Field. ST.
Louis, Mo. to pickup $4,000
pounds of blood plasma.
Plasma Sent
Two planes from d troop carrier
group at Bergstrom field. Austin,
Tex. wer e loaded with $3.50
pounds OF plasma and sent here.
AL Army plasma in the San An
tonic req was enroute, along with
here. Al500 gas masks from the
San Antonio General Army depot.
Two CAT cargo planes were
sent to Fort Worth for 10, 900 blan-
kets. Braniff Airlines said doctors
and nurses from all major cities
On its routes were heading for the
stricken Gull Coast city in its
planes. The Red Cross flew in II
specially-trained disaster workers.
Gov. Beaufort H. Jester alerted
two battalions of Texas State
guardsmen at Houston to add 400
men to the $50 state troopers who
moved in from nearby LaPorte.
Fire and police department men
from gulf coast cities in an 30
mile radius came in to help.
Highway patrol cars were here
from cities as far away as San
Antonio. Waco and Austin. The
The Texas Highway department
said all the tractors and bull
dozers in It's system would be
made available as needed to clear
the wreckage.
Coast Guard Acts
The Coast guard rushed a half
dozen boats through Galveston
bay to Texas City and also set
up a radio communications truck.
Dozens, possibly hundreds, Of
ambulances travelled in an end
less stream between Texas City
and Galveston. Houston and other
cities in the region. As hospitals
overlooked, private homes were
taken over.
The Eighth Coast guard ordered
the Cutter Iris, standing by, to d.
rect operations of any boats re-
porting for volunteer duty Rear
Adm. G. T. Finlay, commander of
the 9th Coast guard, said he would
reach the scene by tomorrow.
An airplane carrying five o :
tors, five nurses. two Navy phar-
macists mates and a load of sup
plies. including morphine and
blood plasma, arrived from Cor :
pus Christi, Tex. The Red Cross
flew in a plane load OF gas masks
from Lake Charles. La, and other
masks arrived from Ellington
field, near Houston.
The Navy placed a ROBBED hos
pital at Houston and a 500 : bed
hospital at Fort Crockett, near
Houston, in the hands of the Red
Cross.
Strikers Respond
The striking telephone work
ers union ordered its members to
report for duty in the stricken
area for the duration of the emer-
gency and the Southwestern Bell
Telephone company said its man.
ayers at Houston, Texas City and
Galveston advised the response of
the union men and women was
fast.