MELVA MOURNS AT FUNERAL OF
STORM VICTIMS
Death of Child Born to Mrs. S. L. Box, Injured in Tornado, Bring Toll
of Storm to Ten
Others Near Death
The death of a child born late Friday night to Mrs. S. L. Box in the
emergency hospital for tornado victims at
Branson increases the number of deaths due to the storm which struck
the Ozarks Thursday to ten. All hope
for the recovery of Miss Frankie Jackson has been abandoned.
Her death will make the eleventh life exacted
by the tornado.
Mrs. Box is the mother of four of
the children who were swept into the
path of the tornado and hurled to their
death in the surging waters of Turkey Creek, swollen by the
incessant rains of twenty-four hours. She was
seriously injured when the home of the family was carried from its
foundation and hurled to the earth.
The other victim of the hurricane
is Miss Frankie Jackson, a sister of
Lucy and William Jackson, both of whom
were injured in the storm. Their home was damaged in the
rush of the eddying winds. All three were at
first reported missing.
Late last night Miss Jackson was
near death. Her physician stated
that nothing could be done for her except to
relieve her suffering. She sustained a fractured skull with
concussion of the brain.
The three Jacksons are being cared
for on the farm, more than seven
miles from Branson. Neighbors are nursing
them. There is no telephone communication possible.
The storm first reported dead were buried today
in the Branson cemetery. Hundreds of citizens paid respects
to the victims of an unexplained act of nature.
Children were buried while their
mothers lay suffering in the
improvised hospital in which Miss Margaret Keet
and Miss Bettie Manley, Springfield nurses, are doing such
efficient work.
A mother was buried while a
13-year-old daughter lay paralyzed with an
injured spine at the Branson hospital.
Mrs. S. L. Box, who is in such a
critical condition, is the mother of
four children for whom services were held.
Mrs. William Box is the mother of three others who paid
with their lives the toll exacted by the storm.
Ethel Howard lay helpless while services were held for her mother Mrs.
Alva Howard. Two other Howard children were injured Thursday.
William Mahnky, the 9-year-old boy who was swept to
death before the eyes of an older brother, unable to come to his aid,
was the ninth victim to be buried. It was he who drowned while
Ridgeway, an older brother was regaining consciousness after being
hurled 1,000 feet by the winds.
Dr. Guy Mitchell, in charge of the improvised
hospital in Branson, reported the other sufferers as recovering slowly
from the ravages of the storm. He complimented the two
Springfield nurses who are aiding in the relief of the suffering.
They came when needed most, Dr. Mitchell said.
Neighbors of the homeless are caring for their
needs. They say that with the aid received from the Springfield
Red Cross Unit little other aid will be necessary.