Evening star., 1953-06-11
Steps Pushed TO Aid
Victims Of Tornado
In Massachusetts
BY the Asseeiossd Pgess

BY the AsseeiofSd PsssS
WORCESTER, Mass, June II.
Rehabilitation operations were
In full swing today on the sec
ond day after New England's
worst tornado cut swath Of
death and destruction through
Central Massachusetts,.
And, as steps were taken to
speed the appropriation of Fed
eral and State funds and the
payment of insurance policies,
the stricken area counted this
toll:
Dead-s2, with two still un-
identified.
Missing-13.
Injured-About 800.
Homeless-About 1000.
Damage-estimated by Gov.
Christian A. Herter at $75 mil
lion.
Early today. President Eisen-
hover designated the stricken
region as a major disaster area,
qualifying it for Federal aid.
Wreckage Searched.
Rescue workers continued their
search thrpugh the wreckage OF
hundredS Of homes and business
establishments in IL communt-
ties for more bodies-expressing
the hope they'll find no more.
About 1000 National Guards
men patrolled the devastated
area to prevent looting and keep
unauthorized persons away.
Col. William F. Bigelow. mill
tary commander Of the Worces-
ter National Guard area. i'm
posed a strict 6 pm. curfew law
in the area after reporting
There's been looting. Just how
much we don't know"
All but pass holders, police and
firefighters have been ordered to
keep away from the patrolled
area after the curfew. Although
troops are in the area, Col. Bige-
low said martial law has not
been declared. He explained he
was carrying out the orders OF
civilian authorities.
1000 Homes Demolished.
Fully 1000 homes were re-
ported demolished and 5000
damaged in Worcester.
An additional $50 homes were
said to have been demolished or
damaged In the other stricken
communities-Holden, Shrews-
bury. Peterham. Barre. Rutland,
Grafton, Westboro, Wrentham,
Southboro, Templeton and Pax
ton.
Meanwhile, there were indica-
tions today in Minot. N. Dak.,
where President Eisenhower
spent last night on speaking
trip. that he may visit the Wor-
cester area Saturday, when he is
scheduled to fly from Rapid City,
S. Oak, to Hanover. N. H.
The Reconstruction Finance
Corp. already has declared the
section of Massachusetts hit by
the tornado Tuesday night as a
disaster area. opening the Wsy
for emergency loanSs
Representative Philbill, Demo-
crat, Of Massachusetts, has asked
Congress to appropriate S25 mil
lion for use in the Worcester
area without regard to the S.
million limitation in the Disaster
Relief Act of the. S1sts Congress.
Aid Funds Are Asked.
Gov. Herter asked the White
House yesterday for $40 million
In aid. Senator Saltonstall, Re-
publican. of Massachusetts, re-
quested the President to set aside
mot less than $25 million" for
the stricken area.
Gov. Herter is scheduled to ad-
dress a joint session of the Mas
sachusetts Legislature today rec
ommending relief measures.
Help also was offered by a
number of other sources.
The Providence (R. t. Hous-
ing Authority offered use OF
dwellings in a new, unoccupied
housing project for those made
homeless by the tornado.
The LYNN CMaSS.) Item, so
miles from the stricken area,
started a Worcester tornado re-
lief fund with a donation of
500. Readers were urged to
contribute.
Insurance companies said
they are ready to pay of the
insurance on damaged automo-
biles, homes and businesses i'm
mediately.
Flint Tornado Damage