New Britain herald., 1926-10-20
City Already Deluged By Rain-All Avail able Police and Relief Workers Called Upon To Be R e a dy for Emergency.
More Than 150 Homes De- molished in Cuba Where 13O Mile Gale Blows Communications Are Cut Off.

Miami, Fla. Oct. 20 R-A tropi- cal storm of great intensity, whipped out Of the West indies was flashing Havana and the west coast of Cuba today and threaten ing to leap across to Florida. Before all cable service to the | Cuban capital was severed. reports received by the Cuban consulate here said that more than 15o homes had been demolished in the 'hickly populated Vibora and Jesus Del Monte residential sections. Tho American embassy is in the Jesus Del Monte district. No word had been received from the interior.
 Advices received from the Vest ern Union were that the wind had attained a velocity of 9S miles an hour in Havana and that the barometer at 9:S0 a. m, was fall- ing rapidly.
 weather bureau reports from Washington, describing the dis turhance as of great intensity" sald 1t was moving north or north east and hurricane warnings were ordered for the southern Florida coast and storm warnings for cen. tral Florida.
 With northeast winds expected to reach hurricane force late this afternoon over extreme southern Florida, Miami took all precau- tions' All schools in the city and county made ready to close im- medlately on receipt of the first storm warning and at noon the city Jail was emptied of prisoner, that they might be with their fam iiies in the event the hurricane s'rihes. They were put on their honor to return after the emer- gency.
 Thickly Populated Area
 The Nibora and Jesus Del Monta sections of Havana are thickIv no,- ulated. older parts of the oitv once the sites of many Of the finest homes in the ancient capital of Cuoa. The American embassy is in the Jesus Del Monte section and f. a large, strongly constructed resi- dehce, occupying the greater part Of block with it's ampIe rrorrd.
 Aside from the occupants of the embassy. which is the residence of ohlled States Ambassador Crowder anu ms household staff, there arc lew American residents scattered here and there, but most Ameri- cans nave moved in recent year, to the Vedado, a residential part ol the town lying across from Vi. pora and Jesus Del Monte and overlooking the Gulf Of Mexico
 An intermittent rain wbic, started here at Miami early Joe. nisht and continued today. coupled With moderate wind, increased apprehension locally that the hur- rlcane would strike Miami and tb,. section. '-''s
 Police no Duty
 Chief Of Police H. IesIi. o,,, at noon ordered every policeman III Miami on duty to await story, ueVeiopments and stationed relic, men at strategic points to render aiu II necessary. The doors or ,ha Jaii were thrown open 10 nr,sonar "ho were heads of families to nr .ect their homes in the event tb. hurricane strikes here. The ren were released on their honor 10 ra turn after the emergency had
 shortly before noon a d-,,,,- ram ran, swept across the bay and ove- the city Many homes have been repaired only slightly since the re- cent devastating hurricane ana lears were expressed generally tha. prolonged hard rain would cau.s much damage here.
 Precautions Elsewhere
 meanwhile. Tampa and other oit- 'e" oh the west coast took simii,, precautions, The weather forecasfe, ae Tampa, declaring it might be nec essary to issue hurricane warn,rr, peiore midnight. warned shipping
 '9'iuehls 10 De prepared for an emergency. A
 ne storm was kicking up hish seas, the steamship ulua, in tbe Gulf Of Mexico, 40 miles west north west or Havana, advised the Tropical radio station at B. m. and a driv- Ing rain was falling. The barometer reading was reported as 2s.s4.
 The weather bureau at 1s:1s O clock reported steady drop in the barometer from 2o.ss inches at y o'clock to 2s.76. with a driving rain and continued moderate wind.
 Precautions were taken here on an extensive scale with the issue of shortly before noon with first storm information. All city em- ployes abandoned their work at the
 Nr pao.