Evening star., 1947-06-02

muddy water hunting for bodies.
The condition of many of the II
injured at Davis Hospital here was
critical. Emergency treatment was
administered at the hospital last
night to about 200 who were released
after treatment. Countless others
received on the spot aid for minor
hurts.
Estimating that 500 to 1000 homes
were destroyed, Mayor George Steed
OF Pine Bluff said it probably would
be tomorrow before recapitulation
Of the storms toll would be COM
plete.
Red Cross Mobilizes Aid.
The National Guard armory, the
Knights of Columbus hall, the
Junior Auxiliary's Clinic, Lakeside
Methodist s~ Church. hotels and
facilities at the nearby Pine Bluff
arsenal were used to house the lesser
injured and homeless, many OF
whom were tenants from the large
plantations in the storms path. The
Red Cross opened headquarters and
mobilized to aid the victims.
The twister bounded along the
20-mile course-10 miles wide In
places-from point approximately
10 miles southeast of Pine Bluff
It's fringe struck the extreme south
ern outskirts of this community OF
10000 at the northernmost point OF
its course, damaging the Pine Bluff
Country Club house. 1t bounded
over Girder Field, wartime army
aviation primary training center
leaving the airport untouched.
Pine Bluff is 43 miles southeast
of Little Rock.
Only Foundations Left.
The storm jumped some small Sec
tions along its path but generally
devastated the area, twisting huge
cypress trees into kindling and en-
tirely eliminating pine thickets
Only the foundations-no wreckage
the sites of many farm
dwellings. Huge strips Of metal roof
ing were wrapped around fallen util-
ity poles.
Several small timber bridges
across Bayous leading from Pine
Bluff to the devastated area were
blown away and ambulance drivers
had to await removal of trees and
logs from the highways to remove
some of the injured.
whole families-Negro and white
were wiped out. saw 10 Negroes
all one heap" Mayor Steed said.
Trucks, taxicabs and private auto
mobiles we're pressed into service
to transport dead and injured.
Hail Follows Blow.
Driving rain and a hail storm fol-
lowed the tornado to handicap res
cuers and add to the misery of the
victims. Many injured brought to
the hospital were covered with mud
which had to be washed off before
they could be examined.
The Union, Ladd. Fairfield, Wat
sons Chapel and several unnamed
communities felt the storm. Many
of the homes destroyed were the
three and four room frame dwell
ings of tenant farmers. However,
big plantation homes and an i'm
proved suburban development about
6 miles south of here also crumbled
under the impact of the twister.
DR.. John Walker, Pine Bluff, flew
over much of the~area in his private
plane shortly after the storm and
predicted 1t would take "at least a
week" to bring in some of the in
jured and homeless from backwoods
areas.
The Pine Bluff unit of the Ma
tional Guard was modified to
watch wreckage of the country
stores and plantation commissaries
against looting. A detachment of
State police patrolled the area and
assisted in the search for addi-
tional victims.
Tornado Casualty List.
The list of identified dead, as
revised by Jefferson County off,
cials, follows:
Mrs. James West, James F. West,
jr., 4; Judy West. 6 CMrs. Vests
husband listed as missing); Mr.. and
Mrs. E. U. Tidwell, three sons and
two daughters; Mr.. and Mrs.
II. B. Hobson, Mr.. and Mrs. Joe
Chambers, Charlotte Browning,
Mrs. Anna May Smith. Cleo D. Tid-
well, John D. Tidwell, Billie Joe
Horton, 9; Barbara Dean Horton,
8; Golena Shackelford, so; Joe
Shackelford, about so; Milton
Witherspoon, IA; O. w. Stubble-
field, 16; Fred Kendall. jr., IL:
Edna Jacobs, IS; John L. Jarrett,
IA; Mike Barbo, Richard Nelson,
l6; Calvin May, Is; James Stuart,
l6; Willie Miles, jr., 8; Sally Cole
man and ,JOseufline Henderson