Evening star., 1955-06-26
Town in Kansas
|BusyRebuiIdine
After Tornado

| UDALL, Kans., June Is R.-
Those who said this town Of $40
persons died in go seconds in the
devastating tornado which struck
lust a month ago tonight are
twice wrong, says Mayor Earl B..
Rove.
"It was only 30 seconds and
IUdall didn't die" said the wiry
l36-year-old oil field worker.
Seventy-five citizens were
killed, five others died in nearby
IOxford and a score more lost
their lives south Of here at Black
well, Okla, as twisters ragged
Through this mid-America plains
country. Hundreds were injured.
Many of them still are bedfast.
The able-bodied are busy prov
ling Mayor Rowe's second point:
Udall is still alive. Carpenters
hammers beat out a steady tattoo
land cement mixers chug their
theme song of a town rebuilding.
Mr. Rowe glanced around.
|mopped sweat from his wealth
lered face and waved a hand at
the work going on around US.
Rebuilding Is Slow
"Give us three weeks more
lgood weather and We'll show 'em.
1--WE had a good town. Well
have a good town again-a new
one"
/ Spiritually. Udall is very much
alive. Materially, 1t is rebuild
ing. It will be a slow process,
but it already is well started.
Udall's Methodist. Congrega-
tional and Nazarene churches
all razed by the windstorm-will
go up again. Insurance money
and special offerings from other
churches of each denomination
have made that certain.
But church members aren't
waiting for new buildings.
They're meeting in nearby rural
schools.
Udall residents who survived
the storm are back laying brick
and stone, pouring foundations
and mailing two-by-fours and
siding and roofs that are to form
their new Udall.
Recent rains have slowed re-
construction. But there was a
period of bright sun Immediately
after the tornado when thou
sands of volunteers, including
400 Mennonite farm and towns
folk from Central Kansas,
|flocked to the stricken city.
They cleared away the rubble
with cranes and highloaders,
bulldozers and trucks, leaving
the townsite level and ready for
the builders.
Bank Deposits Up
A one-story frame building now
Is Udall's Postoffice and City
Hall. City and school officials
meet there; and a borrowed
switchboard handles the few tele-
phones SO far needed. Represen-
tatives of the Small Business
Administration work there too,
taking loan applications.
T. E. Hildebrand had his Udall
Bank Of Commerce back in busi-
ness two days after the storm.
With insurance payments COM
ing in, deposits have doubled
Ipast a million dollars.
Udall also had a thriving
hardware and lumber business.
four grocery stores and a food
locker plant. two restaurants, a
sweet shop. a pool hall, three
garages and four filling stations,
a feed and poultry store, al
nearly new grain elevator, and a
home-owned telephone ex-
change.
New Buildings Planned
All plan to rebuild and reopen,
says the plucky mayor, except
one grocery and food locker plant
owned by a couple who died inI
the storm.
We've already let contracts
for the new water tower, and
for the power and lighting sys-
tenn, and the sewage system and
plant repair" Mr.. Rowe said.
"And we're going to have a.
new City Hall, library, and fire
department building over there
near the old site.
Our schools will be ready next
fall. Well have the classrooms
ready. The shops and gym
nasiums will have to be finished
later"