TORNADOES KILL 41, INJURE 400 IN U.S. MID-WEST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22954, 24 May 1949, Page 5

TORNADOES KILL 41, INJURE 400 IN U.S. MID-WEST

NEW YORK, May 22. Tornadoes killed 41, injured nearly 400, and smashed over 900 homes in the Mid-West last night. The property damage is expected to run into millions of dollars. The authorities in some stricken towns feared the deathroll would go higher when rescue parties completed the search/through the litter of torn wires, uprooted trees, wrecked motorcars and flattened houses.

' Scores of injured were sent to hosj pital, some in a critical condition. The American Red Cross in Washington announced it had set aside 750,000 dollars for the relief of tornado victims in Indiana, Illinois. Missouri and Kansas. At least five tornadoes, and high winds smashed through nearly, a score of towns and farming communities. Cape Girardeau, Missouri, took the hardest blow with 19 known dead and 250 injured. The Mayor estimated that 500 families were homeless. Commnications are wrecked at most points and Palestine. Illinois, has been left wihtout water and - electricity. Twelve storage tanks of the Standard Oil Company went up in a mass of 1 flames when the tornado hit Wood River, near St. Louis.