Evening star., 1926-09-21

| withstand them. 1t was a steady,
heavy northeast wind and it was pill
| ing up the waters of Biscayne Bay
steadily. Then it required only sud
den big push. such as that given by
the hurricane, to send them over the
lower portions of the city.
THE Miami shore line is not more
than 4 feet above sea level, while
in Palm Beach we are protected by
bluffs from : to 10 feet high. Shipping
suffered terribly, but the push was not
big enough To send the water across
these bluffs into the city itself.
The greatest tragedy must have
been at Moorchaven, where literally
considerable part of Lake Okeecho'
bee was lifted up and set down bodily
on the city. Nothing could stand up
before such force"
Just IA Little Wind"
The Florida tragedy IS not without
it's comic side. group of Washing
ton newspaper men broke into a
dressing room of the Havana Limited
when 1t reached Washington this
morning. An elderly, prosperous-ap'
nearing gentleman had just finished
shaving.
did you come through from Mi
ami?" he asked.
Yes, I did"
Did you see anything Of the hur'
ricane?"
"Hurricana. hurricane. It's all a
damn lie, all damn contemplate lie
The newspapers are trying to ruin
Florida. They are printing wild ru
mors They don't want the truth
They won't print it if they get it,"
You don't mean to say there
wasn't any storm there" he was
asked.
Certainly there wasn't any storm
Just little wind that blew off a
few states, and [ believe they may
have hit somebody. But that's apt to
happen anywhere. 1t doesn't amount
to a thing-not thing in the world
All the way north they came through
the train with newspapers telling OF
a big hurricane. It's just irresponsible
gush. Even our own Florida papers
that ought to know better are print
ing it. This newspaper nonsense Is
going to cost Florida a lot of money
Denies He Is Official.
whats your Nance" he was asked
That's none of your business.
haven't any use for newspapers-not
dIIer all INlS TOnSeIlSe.
you don't happen to be a Florida
State official?'
mo. l am not"
Are you a real estate man."
| He merely grunted and was silent
| The train crew passed through the
area of destruction in darkness anC
| were able to tell little of the appear
ance of the devastated country. The
Pullman conductor said that he saw
everywhere small houses in ruins anC
predicted that it would be impossible
to finance their rebuilding for years.
Storm Story Told Here.
A story of those terrifying hours ir
| which the wind rain and turbulent
ocean combined in one mighty attack
on Miami Beach and emerged over
| whelmingly victorious, was brought
| to Washington today by Eugene Bern
stein, assistant city prosecutor O
| Chicago.
Wearing clothing he had picked W
here and there and suffering from {
| heavy cold brought on by living II
| a bathing suit for two days ant
nights, Mr. Bernsteins only thought:
are that help in the form Of food ant
workers to eliminate the hazard O.
ire and disease should go to the
stricken area Immediately.
The attorney left Miami Sunday
night on the second train to depart
from that city, and only after he ha6
| invoked the influence of his officia
connections was he permitted to de
| part on a train that resembled ar
Asia Minor refugee escape.
| Warming of the hurricane came Fri
day evening in the form of an an
| nouncement in the newspapers that a
45.mile gale would strike Miami Beach
| Mr.. Bernstein said. Determined no
| to be frightened by local residents
who told him of 'our storms,' ant
warned him not to retire, the attorne.
went to bed. Then he related:
THE storm hit about am. Satul
day. The first indications that 1t wa
a real storm came with the destrut
tion of the awnings at my hote
| whose heavy frame work crashed int
the windows. Then came the rail-
My bed was covered with broke
glass, and the rain, heavier than
ever imagined it could fall rushe
in nv room in torrents. People wer
rushing up and down the hall shou
ing to the guests to prepare for e:
cape. They all donned bathing suit
and I donned mine. When 1 &C
| DOWN StdlTS lHe "dtel was up
our waists.
Calls Women "Wonderful."
I'VE all thought an earthquak
had hit us. And in that confusion
made all the more horrible by til
lack of lights. the women were VOL
derful l never saw such determ
nation displayed by them. By s an
there was a lull and we all went oil