Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-22

TAMPA. ria, sept. --.-tH f =
dispatch from one of the flooded
towns Of the Okecchohee district ol
Florida to the local Red Cross chap
ter today said: MANY babies been
horn in flooded districts since tht
storm. Unless suitable rainment Is
gathered at once for these ne"
citizens rushed into the world by the
calamity. they may not live.
WEST PALM BEACH. Fla, Sept.
22.-,P,-Disease and rising Of flood
waters menaced relief operations IN
me Florida Everglades today as off
cial estimates Of loss Of life in last
Sundays hurricane passed the l,5Ou
mark.
First outbreak Of disease occurred
M Cleiston On the southwestern shore
or Lake Okeechobec. where many
refugees had gathered. Fort Myers
sent a doctor. two nurses and three
trucks filled with supplies when
Chief III Police q. Il. Enos Of that city
reported his relief expedition had
discovered 40 cases Of influenza.
Governor John VI. Martin, who
with other high officials completed
4 survey of the Pahokee disaster
area on the eastern shore Of Lake
Okeechobce was authority Tor the
statement that the whole Of the Ev-
ergladcs was flooded.
Everglades Flooded
The governors party was forced
70 negotiate part Of its trip along the
corpse strewn highway 70 Pahokcc by
motorboat and truck. due TO flood
conditions. In an official statement
renewing his appeal 70 all Florida TO
contribute and speedily TO the Ever
glade refugees. the governor descriD-
ca flood conditions as follows;
"For a radius Of 25 to so miles just
hack Of the high ridge Of land that
separates Lake Okeechobee from the
Everglades. the land is completely
covered with water. These people
are unable TO get out or off this ridge
Of land adjacent to the lake because
miles of water surround them on
both sides and sufficient boats are
not available 10 handle the situation.
Conncrs highway. the only road to
this territory is under water for nine
miles. The entire Everglades arc
flooded"
Governor sheds Tears
during his inspection trip yesterday
and he could hardly speak when he
turned 20 Attorney General Davis
and said.
.'Fred, did SOU ever sec anything
Ike this condition II is the worst
sight | have ever seen IN my life.
In statement on his return q
Palm Beach the governor described
the condition of which he spoke:
To-day In travelling six miles On
the road between Pahokec and Belle
Glade (whcrc the hurricane was be-
lieved 10 have exacted heaviest toll
IN lives) | counted % corpses which
had not been taken from the water.
rhc total number of dead lying on
thc roadside and not yet buried but
IN plank coffins numbered 126. This
should be added TO the 537 already
inferred. Fifty-scvcn additional bod
les we're hauled out today in trucks.
Nnd tonight. four truck loads ~ bod
les were brought from adjacent areas
~ boat. loaded and sent 90 Palm
Reach for burial.
Estimate 1900 Dead
when the water recedes and the
dead are taken from under the deb
~ east up By the storm. the total
number who pcrished in this disas-
ter. carefully estimated by the most
reliable people living in this section
.~-iil number at least 800. and bod
les are being discovered under the
debris and in the water hourly
Thc area visited By me today does
not begin 20 cover the stricken terri
tory. and I mention these conditions
IN an appeal to the people of the
State Of Florida. urging them 70 re
snond quickly and generously
That the governors appeal. togeth-
h. with his first one made earlier in
the week. was receiving attention
Vas borne out in the reports Of vari-
aus Florida cities and proffres Of
nid from the outside. Arkansas has
,offered any facility she had, while
he Salvation Army at Atlanta made
southwide appeal for clothing 90
cent intn the disaster area.