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Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 3

Publication:
Chicago Tribunei
Location:
Chicago, Illinois
Issue Date:
Page:
3
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Section 1 3 CHICAGO TRIBUNE, SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 19S7 TIT Grim rceme of tah ELECTRICITYPoce Stops at 2 in om at 5:31, All Is Ruins TO BE BACK (G! AREA RECEIVE BY JOHN MACLEAN BY TONIGHT 27G INJURED Phone Lines Also Many Workers on The clock in Lawrence Buckley's trailer home stopped at 5:30 p. m. Friday. "I had just got home from work when I heard the storm-it sounded like a hundred jets coming thru. I ran into the house and grabbed my wife and we flattened out on, the floor," he recalled yesterday.

His trailer in the Airway Trailer Park, 9001 Cicero Oak Lawn, escaped the tornado's wrath. Forty-eight others were smashed. Search for Bodies Duty 24 Hours lOAEi LAWN $. 3 C'l r- I 'f 4 I iry; teXY i Being Repaired Electric power to all areas will be restored tonight. Telephone service will be mostly restored- tonight, completely restored tomorrow.

These assurances came from Yesterday, he and his wife Commonwealth Edison m- pany and Illinois Bell Telephone company late yesterday. More than 100,000 persons from Oak Lawn to Belvidere, EL, were without electric power following the series of tornadoes Friday. The figure had dropped to 11,000 last night, an electric company spokesman said. Main Area of Damage Those without power were centered in Oak Lawn, Palos, Lake Zurich, Belvidere, and the far southwest side of Chicago. Some 2,500 men were on the to shoot anyone who went near the debris." Recalls Furious Minute She looked again at the ruins.

"They won't even let me pick up my winter coat and I can see it from here." Buckley stood near-by, still recalling the minute of hell that hit the park at 5:30 p. m. "The storm lasted about a minute. I got up and looked outside. It was unbelievable! The trailer park was leveled right up to the row where my trailer is.

Lots of people were walking around dazed and with blood running down their faces and on their hands. I've never seen anything like it." The trailer park is occupied chiefly by retired couples and construction workers. Stack Up Salvage The national guardsmen were placing salvageable belongings in piles for later identification. Bulldozers and tractors were clearing up the debris that had been 48 homes before 5:30 p. m.

Friday. A row of homes along 91st place, west of Cicero avenue, was razed by the tornado. Autos were smashed against houses. Trees littered the street. Nine Reported Hurt Christ Community hospital reported nine injured from the trailer park.

They are: Karl Foster, 54, in fair condition; William L. Keeler, 76, in good condition; Eetty Kucera, 66, in fair condition; George Mullen, 19, in fair condition; Albert Sindt, 50, in fair condition; Joseph and Sylvia Walsh, in fair condition; Mrs. Catherine Zubricky, 53, in good condition; and Mrs. Ber-nice White, 58, in fair condition. and other survivors milled around the fringe of debris while national guardsmen, police, and firemen searched thru the wreckage for bodies.

"It's so cold today." Mrs. Robert Hoskins tried to wrap her thin summer coat tighter around her as she watched the ruins of her trailer home. She had been working at a department store in Oak Lawn when the tornado hit the trailer park. The wind blew around her. "I checked this morning and several bottles of perfume and other small articles were gone.

They wouldn't let us stay last night to guard our property. Men were walking around with street, repairing transformers and power lines. About 12,000 persons in Oak Lawn and Lake Zurich were sawed-off shotguns threatening without telephone service fol transformer was blown off its lowing the tornadoes. Five ousand remained without telephones last night, an Illinois Bell spokesman said. foundation near Gilmer, cutting off service to several Calls to stricken suburbs hundred persons in that town.

"quadrupled Saturday," the spokesman said. He asked that only "emergency calls be made "Oak Lawn will be the last area to get full electric power because of conditions there," a in and out of the stricken areas" because lines were frequently over-loaded. spokesman said. Gas to two areas in Chicago was shut off Friday night at the request of the fire department Gas meters were still off in the areas yesterday afternoon. Extra operators manned lone-distance switchboards in Chicago's Loop to handle the flood of calls from across the BY SARA JANE GOODYEAR AND THOMAS POWERS Hospital emergency rooms in the Oak Lawn area were quiet again yesterday, and nurses and doctors had changed their 'blood-spattered linen for clean white gowns after caring for 278 injured.

Some hospital workers had been on duty for more than 24 hours but they still were working yesterday, caring for victims of Friday's great storm. At Christ Community hospi-'tal, an emergency "fanout" plan of notification went into effect as soon as the storm struck. The hospital notified one or two members of each medical team, who called fellow employes, thus avoiding a jam-up of the hospital switchboard. Nurses Return to Duty Seventy-five doctors were on duty during the emergency. Altho one shift of nurses bad gone home at 3 p.

m. and another had been dismissed early, at 5 p. because of threats of heavy rain, almost all the nurses returned to work. From the time the first patient could be brought thru the rubble to the safety of the hospital, waves of persons poured thru the hospital's open doors. Many persons were brought in bleeding or with broken bones.

Teams of doctors made quick diagnoses of the injured. The patients were then sent to separate sections according to their injuries so that each could receive immediate and specialized aid. 178 Are Treated From the time the storm struck until midmorning yesterday, the hospital handled 178 patients. Of those, 57 were admitted, 37 were transferred to Holy Cross hospital, 69th street and California avenue, and 9 persons were dead on arrival. Other patients were treated and released.

Those who could walk were taken to the nursing section to make extra room for severe cases. Thirty-seven regular female patients who were about to be discharged were transferred to the nurses' dormitory. The hospital had switched to emergency power from 5:30 p. m. to 9 p.

when regular power was restored. The X-ray machine was unusable until 9:30 p. m. because the X-ray developer could not be switched to emergency power. They Wait Quietly Occasionally a baby could be heard crying.

But patients who waited for treatment, waited quietly. David Garner, 31, of 8745 Wallace lay in a portable bed in a hallway of the hospital. His face had been badly cut and both legs apparently were broken. He lay quietly, waiting his turn, realizing that others had been hurt even more badly. "I was driving east in 95th street at Southwest highway with two of my friends when we saw the funnel cloud," he said.

The three were returning home from work at the Oak Lawn Cement company. "We jumped from the car and lay down on the ground In Case Your Copy of Today's Sunday Tribune Is Incomplete Great public interest in the tornadoes that struck the area has created an extraordinarily heavy demand for copies of today's Sunday Tribune. Because of this demand, some copies of the edition may not contain all the sections you usually receive. We regret this. For the best stories and pictures of the disaster, read the Chicago Tribune.

nation. Three hundred Bell repairmen were on the street. Many worked with electric company crews. The electric crews cleared downed power lines and live cables, permitting the phone crews to enter an area and restore service. 500 Telephone Poles Uprooted "We had 500 telephone poles knocked down during the tornadoes," the phone company spokesman said.

A 16-ton electric company IV. TRIBUNE Staff Photo Path of destruction tornado took thru Oak Lawn can be seen in this aerial photo. rail in the chapel next to a building," he said. "The building fell on us, and one friend's head was smashed in. I still don't know what hap 1 Rothschilds winter coat now!" collecting herself, she said, "Yes, I'd better do that, and I'll go to the morgue, too." Her uncle, Albert J.

Semaitis, 10028 Sawyer Evergreen Park, was among those listed as dead yesterday. 2d Hospital Busy The scene was much the same at Little Company of Mary hospital. Evergreen Park. There, 60 doctors and 100 nurses gathered to meet the emergency. Before the first patient arrived, 25 wheel chairs and 5 hospital carts were assembled before the open hospital doors.

During the long night, 200 persons were treated. Of those, Sizes 14x2 to 28 and Sizes 36 to 52 V- fa pened to my other friend." Procession to Morgue Relatives and friends of the injured who poured into the hospital were taken to the chapel where they sat in chairs arranged before an altar. A hospital spokesman stood in front of the congregation reading the names of those admitted. A volunteer kept five small children entertained at the back of the room. Those who were fortunate heard the names of the persons they were seeking.

Others joined the massive procession which went from hospital to hospital, and finally, reluctantly, to the temporary morgue. Mrs. Sylvia Tinnish of 2701 W. 96th Evergreen Park, was one of those who sought their kin. A Grim Check "My uncle was driving home from work and then he just disappeared," she said.

"We haven't seen him since." When someone suggested she call the coroner, her face blanched and she clutched a What's behind it all! Our other stores, coast to coast, had winter coats remaining, tho not enough to warrant advertising. Instead of storaging them till Fall, we're having all the coats sent here. TOGETHER they present a marvelous collection that we're pricing for immediate clearance! They're in two fabulous price groups. And if you're smart enough to buy now we not only offer you values you never dreamed of but the added advantage of paying for your coat all through the summer, in payments so small your budget will never miss them! 33 persons were admitted and 10 were in critical condition yesterday. Priests from adjoining par ishes and nurses and sisters from St.

Xavier college pitched in to help. The volunteers stayed with waiting patients to comfort them. Archbishop John P. Cody pay only a small deposit at time of purchase! Stunning Coats of Famous Woolens ORIGINALLY 60 to 80 visited both hospitals along with Msgr. Vincent Cook, director of the archdiocese Catholic charr ties.

Storm Victims Are Given Food Pace-setting styles that will be making next winter's news too demi-fit, straightline, full-sweep gently flared silhouettes; expensively tailored of texture-rich woolens from Forstmann, Anglo, other top-name mills including Len Artel imports! Many Milium lined, others wool interlined. Every wanted color, including popular black! Many Offer Help lief agency's canteen trucks, each equipped to feed hundreds of persons, also were moving about the hard-hit areas. Supplies Arrive Red Cross workers also were on the scene in Lake Zurich to eive aid. A Red Cross relief pay only a small deposit at time of purchase! Designer Coats Many Richly Furred! ORIGINALLY $98 to 128 center was in operation in the high school at 66 Church on m)(o) right choice for active men: weekender hose by Botany 150 A soft, luxurious blend of 75 Orion acrylic and 25 nylon in a bulky knit Crew Sox that cushions every step you take stretches to a smooth, neat fit for all sizes 10-13. Machine wash and dry, of course Choose a wardrobe of them darks for dress, spirited colors for sports and casual wear.

Black, brown heather, navy, dark oxford, burgundy, red, electric blue, corn, olive or rust. One size fits all. Pair 1.50 Mall or phone your order. Call HA 7-9000 Maurice Rothschild State at Jackson. Chlcaco.

III. Name Illinois highway 63 north of 11 linois 22. The South Chicago Meat Packing company sent 1,200 Dounds of ground beef. Two Harvey policemen arrived with two boxes of donuts. Prestige-quality coats from the nations most renowned makers! All luxury-tailored of magnificent wool fabrics many crowned with choice mink, some lavished with Canadian beaver! See newsiest A-lines, slimlines, wrap-coats, double-breasted styles, regal full-sweeps in colors galore, including black! Fur products labeled to shoiv country of origin of imported furs Ten senior girls from St.

Xavier college reported for volunteer duty yesterday morning and spent the day making A communications center was taking calls above the police station and families seeking assistance were interviewed by Red Cross caseworkers in the Cook school, 9526 Cook st. Beginning at 8 a. m. today, the centers are to begin dispensing food, clothing, and directions for home repairs. Dinner Was Waiting Mrs.

Harry Grosskopf of 8159 Justine Oak Lawn, a member of the women's organization at the temple, pointed out that their organization was ready for the disaster before it struck. "We had a dinner planned here last night Friday and the way it turned out I guess we just had a different group of guests," she said. Mrs. Grosskopf volunteered for Red Cross duty Friday. She worked thru the night making hamburgers for disaster crews.

She said cartons of food continued to arrive thru yesterday. The Salvation Army also was on the scene in communities hit by the twisters and high winds, helping relocate the homeless and providing food and drink for rescue workers, police and firemen. Sixty Salvation Army workers were working around the clock in Oak Lawn, Belvidere, and Lake Zurich. Seven cf th3 re peanut butter and jelly sand wiches in a food assembly line at 3 Red Cross Aid Centers BY WILLIAM JONES A blond teen-ager, carrying a carton filled with bread and lunch meat, elbowed his way thru the throngs of persons seeking food in the Red Cross disaster center in south suburban Oak Lawn. "Here," he said, placing the carton on a table and running for a side door.

"I'll try and get some more in another neighborhood." The youth was one of hundreds whose desire to help in the wake of the tornado disaster was coordinated by the Red Cross. By last night, the Red Cross had received so much food and clothing that it could accpet no more. Three Centers Set Up Three Red Cross disaster centers were set up in a one-block area around the Oak Lawn village hall. The food preparation and collection station was in the basement in the Oak Lawn Masonic temple, 52d street and James place. It had been operating since late Friday night.

Boys from several high schools took the sandwiches to crews clearing rubble and manning We'll Storage Your Coat While You Pay For It No Extra Charge! A SMALL DEPOSIT HOLDS YOUR SELECTION in our convenient, on the premises, FUR STORAGE DEPARTMENT PAY BALANCE THROUGH THE SUMMER! Open an Optional Charge Account, or add to your present account with IN'O service charges until October 1st! Address City State Zip Code Charge Check M.O. CO.D. barricades. Other Red Cross workers Item Ouan. Price 1st Color 2nd Color 8t Wrokonder Hose Sorry No Mail or Phone Orders For This Exciting Event All Sales Final Arid 4 Occupational Tax for llhnoi delivery and BOc pottage or outsidt fre delivery, also S0c for c-iX)or Second Floor were taking messages from residents who wanted to inform relatives thruout the nation they had not been injured.

Son Is in Army "My son is in the army in Jacksonville Fla. and he must be hearing reports about this," said one woman, tears streaming down her face. "I just want him to know that dad and I are all right." The woman was assured that l.cr son would be notified. MAURICE ROTHSCHILD CO. Wahash Washington ruam LI Old Orchard Rivrr Oaks Tark Forrst Evergreen Oakbrook Randhurt State St.

Evanston Milwaukee at Cirero Lincoln at lirlmont Chicago Store Only! 7.

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