New Britain herald., 1928-09-22
DISEASE MENACES
 FLORIDA RELIEF
Life Loss Believed to Reach
 1,@

West Palm Beach, Fla, Sept. 2: R-Disease and rising of hood wa. ters menaced relief operations ir the Florida Everglades today as of ficial estimates of loss of life in last Sundays hurricane passed the 1.5OC mark.
 The first outbreak of diseace oc. cured at Clewiston on the south. western shore of Lake Okeechobee where many refugees had gathered Fort Myers sent a doctor. two nurse, and three trucks filled with sup plies when Chief of Police c. G Enos of that city reported that his relief expedition had discovered 40 cases of influenza.
 Governor John w. Martin, who with other high officials completed a survey of the Pahokee disaster area on the eastern shore of Lake Okeechobee was authority for the statement that the whole of the Everglades was flooded.
 Go In MotOrboat
 The governors party was forced to negotiate part of its trip along the corpse strewn highway to Pahokee by motorboat and truck. due to flood conditions. In an off cial statement renewing his appeal to all Florida to contribute and speedily to the Everglade refugees. the governor described flood conci- tions as follows:
 For a radius of 25 to 30 miles just back of the high ridge of lard that separates Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades, the land :s completely covered with water.
 These people are unable to get out or off this ridge of land adja- cent to the lake house because miles of water which surrounds on both sides and sufficient boats are not available to handle the situation. Connors highway. the only road 10 this territory is under water for nine miles. The entire Everglades are flooded"
 Describes Conditions
 In statement on his return 70 Palm Beach the governor described the condition of which he spoke:
 Today in travelling six miles on the road between rahokee ard Belle Glade (where the hurricane was believed to have exacted it's heaviest toll in lives) counted c7 corpses which had not been taken from the water. The total number of dead lying on the roadside and not yet buried but in plank collins numbered 1c6. This should be add ed to the 537 already inferred. Fif- ty-seven additional bodies were hauled out today in trucks. and to- night, four truck loads of bodies were brought from adjacent areas by boat. loaded. and sent to Palm Beach for burial.
 When the water recedes and the dead are taken from Under the debris cast up by the storm. the to- tai number who perished in this disaster. carefully estimated by the most reliable people living in this section. will number at least 1.5O0. and bodies are being discovered un- der the debris and in the water hourly. XIX The area visited by me today does not begin to cover the stricken territory and I men, ton these conditions in an appeal to the people of the state of Florida. urging them to respond quickly and generously"
 That the governors appeal. to- gether with his first one made earlier in the week was receiving atten- ton was borne out in the reports of various Florida cities and prof ters of aid from the outside Ar kansas has offered my facility she had, while the Salvation Army at At lanta made southwide appeal for clothing to be sent into the disaster area.
 Florida Gives Money
 Practically all the cities of Flori- da had contributed hundreds of dol lars in council even before public q dppeals were issued. Tampa's pub lie relief fund had passed the SEQ bo6 mark last night. Trucks and supplies were moving on the disas- ter area from all sides They were filled with clothing and food, which was to be turned over to Red Cross ( hapttrs and relief camps for sys- tematic distribution.
 Vaccinations proceeded arace throughout the area. particularly against typhoid. feared mostly be- cause of the condition of wate' supplies. The Clewistcn influenza was isolated. it was be- lleved.
 Train service was invoked today in the nasty efforts 10 remov'; bod ies as they rise 10 the surface of food waters Service on rail lines to pahokee was restored yesterday. and last night authorities ordered bodies sent 10 S.bring and Oke"cho- bee City for burial. deerntng it m advisable 10 send more bodies here.
 The governor last night ordered the state highway department mo- Jilized for duty in clearing high ways. which in some sections were 'locked by debr.s piled four to eight feet high